By Fr. Brian Kane
for the Register
While ordinations weekend in the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln has for many years included the ordination of deacons on Friday and ordination of priests on Saturday, this year marks a change in the practice: deacons will now be ordained in December.
Across the universal Church, priestly formation is being renewed to include a final phase called the Vocational Synthesis Stage. In response to this broader vision, the Diocese of Lincoln will ordain transitional deacons in December rather than on Memorial Day weekend. This change is meant to help men move from the seminary environment into the lived reality of priestly ministry.
In the past, deacon ordination near Memorial Day came at the end of the academic year, just before summer assignments. Under the new formation model, the Vocational Synthesis Stage provides a more extended and intentional period of parish ministry after seminary studies are complete. By ordaining men in December, the diocese allows them to serve as deacons for a fuller stretch of parish life before priestly ordination.
During this time, the deacons will be assigned to parishes, where they will gain experience preaching, baptizing, assisting at weddings and funerals, serving at the altar, visiting the sick, and working closely with pastors and parishioners. They will also begin to experience and prepare for high school ministry, an important part of priestly service in the Diocese of Lincoln.
This additional time helps them grow in pastoral charity, obedience, prayer, and confidence as servants of the Church.
