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The Second Vatican Council

• The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen gentium), #29
  
  
• The Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy (Sacrosanctum concilium), #35
  
  
• The Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Dei Verbum), #25
  
  
• The Decree on Missionary Activity (Ad gentes), #16
  
  
• The Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches (Orientalium ecclesiarum), #17

Pope Paul VI

Sacrum Diaconatus Ordinem: 18 June 1967

Ad Pascendum: 15 August 1972

Ministeria Quaedam: 15 August 1972

Pope John Paul II

Address to the Deacons of the United States: Detroit, 19 September 1987

Pastores Dabo Vobis

Three Papal Catecheses on the Diaconate:

Deacons Serve the Kingdom of God: 6 October 1993

The Deacon Has Many Pastoral Functions: 13 October 1993

Deacons Are Called to a Life of Holiness: 20 October 1993


The Deacon’s Ordination: Deacons Are Configured to Christ the Servant, Address to a Joint Plenarium on the Diaconate: 30 November 1995

Deacons: Active Apostles of the New Evangelization: Address to Permanent Deacons and their Families during the Jubilee Celebration for Deacons, 19 February 2000


Vatican Documents and Statements

• Letter from the Congregation on Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, addressing the question of dispensation from the diriment impediment of entering into a second marriage and remaining in the ministry on the part of permanent deacons who are widowed (Prot. N. 180/05: 13 July 2005)
  
  
• Circular Letter from the Congregation on Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, concerning scrutinizes regarding the Suitability of Candidates for Orders (Prot. N. 589/97: 28 November 1997)
  
  
• Basic Norms for the Formation of Permanent Deacons (Congregation for Catholic Education) and Directory for the Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons (Congregation for Clergy), 22 February 1998
  
  
• Note on the Minister of the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, with Commentary, Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, 11 February 2005

• The National Directory for the Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States (2004)
  
  
• Basic Standards for Readiness, a document related to diaconate formation (2004)
  
  
• Visit of Consultation Teams to Diocesan Permanent Diaconate Formation Programs, Sixth Revision (2004)
  
  
• Protocol for the Incardination/Excardination of Deacons

• The Permanent Diaconate Today: 2000 CARA Report
  
  
• Profile of the Diaconate in the United States: A Report of Findings from CARA’s Deacon Poll

• Final Diaconate Post-Ordination Report 2006-2007