Restoration of the diaconate as a permanent order of ministry in the Church occurred as a result of the Second Vatican Council in the mid 60's. Pope Paul IV published new norms for the Diaconate in his Apostolic Letter, "Ad Pascendum."
Pope Paul VI described the deacon as "the interpreter of the needs and the desires of the Christian communities, and the sign or sacrament of Christ the Lord Himself who came not to be served but to serve."
The need for this new "servant role" prompted the bishops of the United States to petition the Holy See in 1968 for permission to restore the order of deacon as a permanent ministry. With the approval of Pope Paul VI, the bishops formed a committee to explore the parameters of the diaconate ministry.
Many dioceses established diaconal councils to develop guidelines for the selection and formation of deacon candidates. The first deacons in the United States not preparing for priesthood were ordained in 1971.
As of 2013, there were more than 18,000 deacons in the United States, of which about 3,000 are retired.
The Diocese of Metuchen was established on November 19, 1981 by a division of the Diocese of Trenton. At that time, there were fifty ordained deacons who lived and were ministering in the area served by the new diocese. Thirty candidates were still in training.
Shortly after January 1982, a Director of the Diaconate was appointed and a Study Commission of priests, deacons and the wife of a deacon to research and plan a new diaconal program for the diocese.
The second formation program began in September 1985. Fifteen candidates were ordained by Bishop Edward T. Hughes, second bishop of Metuchen, on June 17, 1989.
Our third formation program began in 1990. Sixteen candidates were ordained in May 1994.
The fourth formation program was completed with ordination of sixteen candidates on May 5, 1996.
The fifth class, with twenty candidates, was ordained by Bishop Vincent De Paul Breen, third bishop of Metuchen, on June 13, 1998.
The sixth formation program ordained twenty-two candidates on June 9, 2001, also by Bishop Breen.
The seventh formation program ordained eighteen candidates on June 12, 2004 by Bishop Paul Gregory Bootkoski, fourth bishop of Metuchen.
The eighth class, with 24 candidates, was ordained on June 9, 2007 by Bishop Bootkoski.
The ninth class, with 29 candidates, was ordained on June 12, 2010 by Bishop Bootkoski.
The tenth class, with 11 candidates, was ordained on June 9, 2012 by Bishop Bootkoski.
The eleventh class, made up of 18 candidates, was ordained on June 6, 2015 by Bishop Bootkoski.
The twelfth class, made up of 13 candidates, was ordained on May 20, 2017 by Bishop James F. Checchio.
The thirteenth class, made up of five candidates, was ordained on June 15, 2019 by Bishop James F. Checchio.
The fourteenth formation program is made up of 16 Candidates, all of whom are Spanish-speaking men.
The fifteenth formation program is currently being formed.
There are now 142 active deacons and 32 retired deacons in our diocese.