Raising Up Servant Leaders

Across the Diocese of Davenport, men are preparing to serve the Church through a life of prayer, preaching, sacramental ministry and service to those most in need. Through the Diocesan Deacon Formation Program, 11 men in Class IX are continuing a five year journey of formation as they discern their call to the permanent diaconate. The program reopened in 2007 after a five year hiatus. Since then, three classes of deacons have been ordained, and the current class is entering its fourth year of formation.

Deacons are called to be a visible sign of Christ the Servant. Their ministry reaches into parishes, hospitals, prisons, schools and communities, bringing the Gospel to people where they live and work and connecting the Church's worship with its mission of service. Formation for the candidates extends well beyond the classroom. Throughout the past year, the men participated in weekend classes covering Scripture, pastoral care, moral theology, homiletics, ecclesiology and other areas of theological and pastoral formation. They served their parishes and local communities, worked alongside deacon mentors and spiritual directors, and continued discerning their vocation with their wives and with one another. During formation weekends, the candidates also led the Liturgy of the Hours, including in Spanish, and continued developing their skills as preachers. Liturgical practica gave them opportunities to prepare for leading the Church's liturgies, with a particular focus this year on baptisms and weddings.

One of the most meaningful experiences of the year took the candidates beyond the classroom and into the border region of El Paso. The trip gave members of Class IX an opportunity to learn about the history of the region and to encounter firsthand some of the challenges surrounding immigration. Deacons Jeff Schuetzle and Andy Hardigan accompanied members of Class IX on the trip.

For Jorge Lopez, the experience became an important part of his own formation and understanding of his call to serve. "While being in the diaconate formation program, I had the opportunity to go to the border and see for myself some of the immigration issues first-hand. This experience greatly impacted me and made me more active in promoting social justice."

Experiences like this help the candidates see that diaconal ministry is not limited to what happens inside the church. Formation prepares them to recognize Christ in the people they encounter and to respond to the needs of their communities with compassion, faith and a willingness to serve. The journey continued as the candidates prepared to be instituted as Acolytes and to spend a week in an intensive program focused on developing their preaching skills. Their formation is preparing these men not simply for ordination, but for a lifetime of service. Through their ministries, they will be called to proclaim the Word, assist at the altar, serve those who are vulnerable and remind the entire Church that every person is called to serve.

The Diocese of Davenport's investment in diaconate formation is an investment in the future of the Church and in the people who will be served by these men and their ministries. When we form servant leaders, the impact reaches beyond the men themselves. It reaches their parishes. It reaches their communities. And it helps build a Church that brings Christ's presence to people wherever they are.

This is how we move forward…Together in Mission.