Dear Brothers,
The Deacon Council is exploring different educational options - either for our deacon meetings or for area meetings. These options will not replace the annual Deacon retreat but are an attempt to broaden and direct our Continuing Education offerings outside of the retreat.
The purpose of these presentations or programs would be to give you a stronger, broader background (academically, spiritually and pastorally) to assist in your preaching and your ministry.
Please take a few moments to reflect on what topics listed below would be of real benefit to you and, perhaps as importantly, on those topics that are on your mind (or that of your people) that need to be addressed.
The current practice of holding three Diocesan wide general meetings for the Deacons, at which there are speakers providing talks that count towards Continuing Education credit, may be scaled back or even eliminated and replaced with webinars, quarterly local area meetings around the diocese with speakers at each of those, or some combination of both. Also, the post-ordination classes for new deacons will now be done by personnel from St. Meinrad and we anticipate opening those classes to everyone for Continuing Education credit. These classes would likely be all day events with meal(s) provided and occur once in the spring and once in the fall.
Please provide comments as to what could profitably be included that might improve our ongoing formation across the diocese, and what formats you think would be most likely to draw your interest.
Please state your interest in the topics listed below. Rate each with a numerical grade from the choices listed (5 is great interest, 1 is minimal interest) and add as much in the way of written comments as you wish in the comments section at the bottom.
Thank you in advance for responding!
