National Association of Diaconate Directors and Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate National Survey of U.S. Permanent Deacons This survey gathers information on the attitudes and ministries of permanent deacons in the United States. Your responses are very important. Please respond by marking an X in the appropriate box for each question below. If you do not know how to respond to a question, or if it does not apply, please leave it blank. 1.Year you were ordained as a permanent deacon. Are you currently: G G 2. Involved in active ministry as a deacon? G G 3. If No to Q2, do you still assist at Mass? G G 4. If No to Q2, do you still serve as a deacon in any way? G G 5. Fully retired from diaconal ministry? 6. If Yes to Q5, year you fully retired. 7. If No to Q5, year you plan to fully retire. Knowing you are a deacon 24 hours a day, approximately how many hours per week do you spend preparing for and carrying out your ministry in each of the following areas: 8. Ministry of liturgy 9. Ministry of the Word 10. Ministry of charity 11. Other:_ 12. In a typical week, how many hours do you serve in your ministry as a deacon? 13. Which of the following best describes your current ministry? Please check only one. 1. Parish ministry only 2. Parish and non-parish ministry 3. Non-parish ministry only 14. At how many parishes do you regularly minister? 15. How many years have you ministered in any parish? 16. Besides your work as a deacon, are you employed in a secular job? Please check only one. 1. Yes, full-time. 3. Retired from secular job. 2. Yes, part-time. 4. Not currently employed. 17. If yes: In a typical week, how many hours do you work in your secular job? Discernment for the Diaconate 18. In what year did you first seriously consider becoming a deacon? 19. In what year were you accepted as a candidate for the diaconate? Use these categories to respond to items 20 to 32: 1=Not at all encouraging 2=Only a little 3=Somewhat encouraging 4=Very encouraging Blank=Not applicable While you were discerning a vocation to the diaconate, how encouraging were these persons? G G G G 20. Your wife G G G G 21. Your children/stepchildren G G G G 22. Your mother G G G G 23. Your father G G G G 24. Your siblings G G G G 25. Other relatives G G G G 26. Your coworkers G G G G 27. Your neighbors G G G G 28. Your bishop G G G G 29. Your pastor G G G G 30. Another priest or religious G G G G 31. A deacon G G G G 32. Your fellow parishioners 33. Did you ever consider becoming a priest or a religious brother? Please check only one. 1. No, not at all 2. Yes, but only a little seriously 3. Yes, somewhat seriously 4. Yes, very seriously G G 34. Were you ever enrolled in a seminary or in formation for a religious order? 35. If yes, how old were you when you entered? 36. If yes, how old were you when you left?
Formation/Ongoing Formation G G 37. Did you receive any of your diaconate formation online? G G 38. Did your wife participate in your diaconate formation? G G 39. Did you have a spiritual director in your diaconate formation? G G 40. Did you have any of your diaconate formation in a language other than English? 41. How many years did you spend in your diaconate formation? 42. How many hours per month did you meet in your diaconate formation? Use these categories to respond to items 43 to 56: 1=Poor 2=Only Fair 3=Good 4=Excellent Blank=Not treated in formation Rate your diaconate formation program in these areas G G G G 43. Theological formation G G G G 44. Pastoral formation G G G G 45. Spiritual formation G G G G 46. Scriptural formation G G G G 47. Field experience G G G G 48. Intellectual formation G G G G 49. Personal/human development G G G G 50. Counseling training G G G G 51. Homiletics training 52. Liturgical training for special G G G G G G G G liturgies (e.g., Confirmations) 53. Emcee training for Masses with the Arch/Bishop G G G G 54. Hospital ministry training G G G G 55. Prison ministry training G G G G 56. Canon law training G G 57. Is post-ordination formation required of deacons in your arch/diocese? G G 58. Assuming ongoing informal study, since ordination have you continued in a formal educational program for ministry? 59. If yes, how many hours of ongoing formation have you participated in during the past 12 months? 60. If yes, how many courses of ongoing formation have you completed since ordination? The National Directory for the Diaconate classifies diakonia in three aspects: Deacon as Evangelizer and Teacher, as Sanctifier, and as Witness and Guide. Please use the categories below to describe your ministry in these aspects. Use these categories to respond to items 61 to 96: 1=Never or rarely 2=A few times a year 3=Monthly or a few times a month 4=Weekly or more often Blank= Not applicable to your ministry How often does your current ministry as a deacon involve the following? Evangelizer and Teacher Ministry of the Word G G G G 61. Baptism preparation G G G G 62. Preparing children for First Reconciliation/First Communion G G G G 63. Confirmation preparation G G G G 64. Marriage preparation G G G G 65. Religious education of children G G G G 66. Adult faith formation G G G G 67. Teaching/writing G G G G 68. Bible study/prayer ministry G G G G 69. Leading retreats G G G G 70. Outreach to alienated Catholics G G G G 71. Evangelization Sanctifier Ministry of Liturgy G G G G 72. Assisting at Mass G G G G 73. Proclaiming the Gospel at Mass G G G G 74. Preaching homilies G G G G 75. Presiding at Word and communion services in the absence of a priest G G G G 76. Presiding at wakes and funerals G G G G 77. Celebrating Baptisms G G G G 78. Witnessing Marriages G G G G 79. Officiating at Liturgy of the Hours/ Exposition of Blessed Sacrament G G G G 80. Conducting public rites of blessing/ other prayer services Witness and Guide Ministry of Charity G G G G 81. Counseling G G G G 82. Spiritual direction G G G G 83. Direct outreach to the poor G G G G 84. St. Vincent de Paul G G G G 85. Social work or social service G G G G 86. Ministry to the bereaved G G G G 87. Ministry to the sick/elderly G G G G 88. Social justice ministry/advocacy G G G G 89. Ministry to racial/ethnic minorities G G G G 90. Ministry to those in recovery/ 12-step programs G G G G 91. Youth ministry G G G G 92. Campus/young adult ministry G G G G 93. Hospital/nursing home ministry G G G G 94. Prison ministry G G G G 95. Community organizing/advocacy G G G G 96. Pro-life ministry
Compensated Ministry If any of your diakonia involves financial compensation please respond to the questions in this section. 97. Is your compensated ministry position: 1. Part-time 2. Full-time 98. Where do you work in your compensated ministry? Please select only one. 1. Parish 2. Chancery or diocesan office 3. College or university 4. Elementary or high school 5. Hospital or other health care institution 6. Social service agency 7. Retreat center or house of prayer 8. Military setting 9. Prison or jail 10. Other: 99. Who sets the pay scale for your ministry as a deacon? Please select only one. 1. The parish where you minister 2. The arch/diocese sets the pay scale for all permanent deacons 3. The organization where you minister 4. Other: Does this ministry position have: G G 100. A formal ministerial contract G G 101. A formal job description Attitudes about Deacon Ministry Use these categories to respond to items 102 to 112: statements about your satisfaction with the diaconate. G G G G 102. I am happy in my ministry. G G G G 103. I am happy in my life as a deacon. G G G G 104. I have difficulty balancing home life and ministry. G G G G 105. I feel burned out in my ministry. G G G G 106. Honoring my promise of celibacy is a challenge for me sometimes. G G G G 107. I sometimes have difficulty living my promise of obedience to the arch/bishop. G G G G 108. My ministry has impaired my advancement in my secular job. G G G G 109. I seriously considered leaving the diaconate in my first five years of ministry. G G G G 110. I have seriously considered leaving the diaconate in the past five years. G G G G 111. I encourage other men to consider serving as a permanent deacon. G G G G 112. If I had a chance to do it over, I would still become a deacon. Use these categories to respond to items 113 to 135: statements about your current ministry. G G G G 113. Priests I work with understand and accept the role of deacons. G G G G 114. Parish staffs appreciate the role of deacon. G G G G 115. Laity/parishioners understand the role of deacons for the most part. G G G G 116. I have a good relationship with the parishioners in my parish. G G G G 117. I have a good relationship with my supervising priest. G G G G 118. I share a common vision with my supervising priest. G G G G 119. If requested, I would be willing to serve as a pastoral administrator in a parish with no resident priest. G G G G 120. I have been placed in a position that matches my skill set. G G G G 121. My formation and training adequately prepared me for my ministry. G G G G 122. I receive evaluations of my ministry on a regular basis. G G G G 123. I am afforded adequate autonomy in my position. G G G G 124. I feel trusted by my supervising priest. G G G G 125. I receive respect from those who minister with me. statements about your support for your ministry. G G G G 126. I have sufficient time for personal prayer in my ministry. G G G G 127. My wife is supportive of my ministry as a deacon. G G G G 128. My wife is involved in my ministry as a deacon. G G G G 129. My life as a deacon has strengthened my marriage. G G G G 130. My wife and/or children sometimes feel judged by others due to my ministry as a deacon. G G G G 131. My ministry as a deacon has put a financial strain on my family. G G G G 132. There is a deacon support group available to me. G G G G 133. I have participated in a deacon support group in the last year. G G G G 134. I feel I have someone I can confide in when experiencing issues related to my ministry. G G G G 135. Permanent deacons who are widowed should be allowed to remarry without a dispensation.
Use these categories to respond to items 136 to 152: statements about your experience of the arch/diocese where you currently minister. G G G G 136. Deacons are well integrated into G G G G 137. I receive communication from the arch/diocese on a regular basis. G G G G 138. The arch/diocese includes me in diocesan functions. G G G G 139. The arch/diocese includes my immediate family in diocesan functions. G G G G 140. Morale in the arch/diocese is high among the permanent deacons. G G G G 141. There is a sense of collegiality among the permanent deacons of G G G G 142. There is a spirit of competition among the permanent deacons of G G G G 143. I have a good relationship with my arch/bishop. G G G G 144. Our arch/bishop is supportive of the permanent diaconate. G G G G 145. There is a Deacon Council or Deacon Assembly in my arch/diocese. G G G G 146. The Office of Permanent Deacons (or similar title) is responsive to the needs of deacons. G G G G 147. The Office of Permanent Deacons (or similar title) provides an adequate voice for deacons on issues important to them. G G G G 148. This arch/diocese has a sufficient number of permanent deacons for its current needs. G G G G 149. The number of permanent deacons is growing in this diocese. G G G G 150. I am satisfied with the placement process for deacons in this arch/diocese. G G G G 151. I have adequate freedom to change the types of ministry I perform in this arch/diocese. G G G G 152. I have adequate freedom to change my current ministry site in this arch/diocese. About You 153. Year you were born. 154. Number of other permanent deacons that serve with you at your ministry site. 155. Arch/diocese of ordination: 156. Arch/diocese in which you currently live: G G 157.Liturgically, do you function bi-ritually? G G 158.Are you fluent in a language other than English? G G 159.Do you ever preach in a language other than English? G G 160.Have you ever served in the military? G G 161.When you were in formation, did you have child(ren) living at home? 162. Religious background: 1. Born Catholic (Latin rite) 2. Born Catholic (Eastern rite) 3. Convert to Catholicism 163. If convert, at what age did you convert? While growing up, did you attend or participate in: G G 164. Parish religious education program? G G 165.Parish or diocesan youth ministry? G G 166.Catholic elementary or middle school? G G 167.Catholic high school? G G 168.Catholic college as an undergraduate? G G 169.Catholic college as a graduate student G G 170.Catholic campus ministry G G 171.One or more years of post-college volunteer service (e.g. Jesuit Volunteer Corps) 172. What best describes your highest level of education? Please select only one. 1. Less than high school diploma 2. High school diploma/ged 3. Some college/associate degree 4. Bachelor s degree 5. Graduate degree in religious studies, theology, Canon Law, etc. 6. Graduate degree in a field not related to the diaconate 173. What best describes your ethnic background? 1. American Indian or Alaska Native 2. Asian, Pacific Islander, or Native Hawaiian 3. Black, African American, or Afro-Caribbean 4. Hispanic or Latino 5. White, Caucasian, or European American 6. Other: 174. What best describes your current marital status? 1. Single, never married 2. Married 3. Separated or divorced 4. Widowed 175. If married, is your wife Catholic? 1. Yes. 2. No. 176. How many children or stepchildren under age 18 currently live with you?
177. Of everything you have experienced in the permanent diaconate, what would you most like to see improved? Thank you for completing this survey CARA, 2300 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Suite 400A, Washington, DC 20007 FAX: 202-687-8083 E-mail: CARA@georgetown.edu CARA, 2017