Inquiry meetings for permanent diaconate formation begin

Forty men attended the inquiry meeting for prospective aspirants diaconate on Aug. 28. The Office for the Permanent Diaconate of the Diocese of Corpus Christi sponsored the gathering.

The meeting was designed to help the men and their wives to understand the process of becoming a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church.  

Formation Director Deacon John Joiner and his associate Deacon Art Provencio conduced the meeting. Deacon Michael Mantz, Director for the Permanent Diaconate, and Msgr. Louis Kihneman, Vicar General, were also present to welcome the participants and field questions about the program.

“This meeting is the first in a series of about six meetings to be held over the next nine months,” Deacon Joiner said.
 
Deacon Mantz said the first meeting is “sort of an icebreaker.”
 
“It gives the men and their spouses a general concept of the program, and the type of commitment that is necessary,” Deacon Mantz said.

The next scheduled Inquiry Meeting is set for Sunday, Oct. 23.  Deacon Joiner hopes the men and their wives and families pray about the diaconate and have honest and frank discussions during the time between meetings.