The
Midwest Diocese Catechist & Diaconal Vocation Program looks to help local parishes and Deaneries within the diocese to set up high quality, rigorous continuing education programs to train men and women to assist in parish and deanery ministries.
This program continues and expands the old
Late Vocations programs, through both the range of things taught and also by opening up opportunities for women and men not seeking ordination. A Catechist Certificate is awarded to all who successfully complete the program. Those who wish to follow a Diaconal track are well prepared to take the national Diaconal Vocations test. All applications for Diaconal Vocations are coordinated with the OCA Diaconal Vocations Office.
The Midwest Program fulfills the dream of Archbishop Job of blessed memory, with the blessing of Bishop Matthias and the Diocesan Council, for expanding Orthodox educational opportunities at home, for those who, with good reason, cannot go off to seminary to seek an intensive vocational formation in the faith.
The Program is both rigorous and sensitive to people's needs on the ground. Unlike the seminaries or a correspondence program, we work to bring direct instruction to the faithful on the local level. We arrange for academically qualified and experienced instructors to give classes which can suit a working person's schedule. We hope to set up small "cohorts" of students that can share the educational experience together, and form communities of support for education and ministry within Midwestern deaneries and parishes.
The Program consists of a cycle of, ideally 7 courses that can either be given as longer, or 8 or more session classes by local instructors, or classes broken up into 2-4 intensive sessions with instructors brought in from a distance.
For your convenience, a brochure can be downloaded and printed
here.
