The Diaconal Community of the Diocese of St. Cloud dates back to 1968 when the bishops of the United States received permission from Pope Paul VI to initiate the Permanent Diaconate in this country. Four training programs were established in the United States including one at St. John's University, Collegeville, Minnesota. From this program, the first deacon for the Diocese was ordained by Bishop George Speltz in 1971.
The Diocese of St. Cloud then established its own program. This program was approved by the Bishops' Committee on the Permanent Diaconate in 1978 and the first three deacons were ordained that year. The Diaconal Community established itself as a formal group in 1982 for the sake of offering one another support and further strengthening their bond as a servant community within the Diocese.
Over the years the deacons experienced some difficult moments in part because their position within the Church was not properly explained to the priests and lay people. Their formation program did not offer adequate preparation for the complexity of pastoral care. Many priests supported the diaconate but were unsure of the distinctiveness of the deacon and his role in today's Church. A clearer vision of how to utilize the talents of the deacon in our Diocese was an obvious need.
An Ad Hoc Committee was established in August 1988 by Bishop Jerome Hanus with the assigned task to elaborate a Mission Statement on the place and role of deacons in the Church of St. Cloud. Upon completing the statement, the Ad Hoc Committee presented its work to the Diocesan Pastoral Council and the Diocesan Presbyterial Council in 1989. They endorsed the Mission Statement which in effect was endorsement for the Diaconate in the Diocese to reorganize, and an Advisory Board was appointed by Bishop Hanus.
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