NEW CLASS BEGINS FORMATION FOR THE PERMANENT DIACONATE

From March - July, 2006, numerous informational sessions were held around the diocese for interested Catholic laymen to learn about the permanent diaconate, criteria for applicants, the program for formation, and the application process. Information was published in the East Texas Catholic and was placed on the diocesan website (see "Permanent Diaconate" under "Ministry Offices"). The deadline for submitting the application was September 1, 2006. Twenty-three applications were received. After a thorough screening process, including interviews of the applicants and their wives, Bishop Guillory accepted 12 men into the Permanent Diaconate Formation Program as aspirants. The first gathering of the aspirants and their wives was held on February 24, 2007. For the remainder of this calendar year, the aspirants will be gathering periodically for formation and prayer, and they will also be taking some pre-requisite courses via Distance Learning from the University of St. Thomas (U.S.T.), Houston. In January, 2008, they and the aspirants from the Diocese of Victoria, Texas, will begin together their academic theology courses via Distance Learning (U.S.T.), which will last for approximately 8 semesters.

Our new aspirants are the following:

• Andy D'Entremont, from St. Anne Parish, Beaumont
• Clint Elkins, from St. Anne Parish, Beaumont
• Mirley Esprit, from St. Martin de Porres Mission, Cheek
• James Fennell, Jr. , from St. Jude Parish, Beaumont
• Anthony Goudeau, from St. Pius X Parish, Beaumont
• Marc Griffin, from Infant Jesus Parish, Lumberton
• John Jannise, from St. James Parish, Port Arthur
• Leland (L.D.) Keen, from Infant Jesus Parish, Lumberton
• Garry LeBlanc, from Infant Jesus Parish, Lumberton
• Victor Soares, from St. Jude Parish, Beaumont
• Ivan Watson, from St. Elizabeth Parish, Port Neches
• George Wood, III, from St. Anne Parish, Beaumont

The aspirants will be preparing themselves for a life of dedicated service in the diocese. The deacon is an ordained minister of the Church, a cleric, whose role is the ministry of Word, Sacrament, and Justice/Charity. These functions flow from their sacramental identity in baptism and from ordination. As these 12 aspirants begin and continue their formation, the diocese is asked to remember them in prayer.

If any person is aware of anything that would exclude a particular aspirant from ordination or render him unfit for the ordained ministry, you are asked to contact Fr. Michael A. Jamail, Director of Diaconate Formation, or Sister Esther Dunegan, Assoc. Director, personally at 409/924-4300, ext.4311 or at P. O. Box 3948, Beaumont, TX 77704-3948. Your name, address, and phone number will be required so appropriate follow-up may be done.