Discernment for the Diaconate

Men who present themselves for the diaconate often arrive with uncertainty, self-doubt, a sense of “I feel something, but I don’t know what it is”. They have found their way here the first stage of entering the apostolic succession in becoming a Deacon for the Catholic church.

This period is referred to as discernment. It’s a time of soulful reflection on your part and guidance from clergy who have come before you. The clergy who guides you through discernment are not evaluating your worthiness. They are helping you recognize what God has already begun.

What follows is a short essay that I wrote. It comes from my time in discernment for the diaconate and now as I write for Him. I pray that it resonates within you and becomes a map to truly understand if you are called to be a Deacon.

Bruce Albright    

There is a voice within you that does not come from your thoughts. It arrives quietly, without pressure or argument. It shows up in moments when your mind settles and your spirit is open. This voice is not imagination. It is not self‑talk. It is the Lord speaking through your spirit.

Most people have felt this voice long before they ever recognized it. A sudden sense of direction. A quiet conviction. A moment of clarity that doesn’t match the noise around you. These are not random experiences. They are signs that God is nearby.

The voice of your soul is calling you to slow down and listen. Take this moment and look around at God’s creation and remember that He made everything from the seen to the unseen. From a snow‑covered mountain range to a baby bird struggling to find its wings. All creation is by His hands. In these quiet moments of reflection, an emotion will begin to rise within you.

When that emotion appears, pause and pay attention to it. Notice what it brings. Compassion, peace, strength — whatever it may be, this is how the soul hears the word of God. These quiet moments carry the language of the soul. God speaks through them, and your spirit knows His voice.

God does not compete with the noise of the world. He does not shout over your thoughts. He waits for the moment when your spirit is still enough to hear Him. And when you do hear Him, you recognize it. Not because the words are loud, but because the message settles into a deeper place inside you.

This recognition is the beginning of calling. Before you understand your gift, you feel it. Before you act, you sense the direction. Before you serve, you notice the quiet pull toward something that matters.

This is when you may have stepped forward to serve as a Lay Eucharist Minister or felt the pull towards the diaconate. This season is typically where you have stepped out of the pews and have offered yourself to the Lord. Many men first sense their calling through simple acts of service — helping at Mass, visiting the sick, or stepping forward when a need appears.

The emotions that come from your soul are different from the thoughts that come from your mind. They rise from deep within and stay with you. It may be hours, days, or longer. Whatever you were feeling will continue to return in different ways until it awakens your gift — until a moment of clarity arrives and you understand what God is asking of you.

When that moment arrives, the message carries a different weight. It brings peace even when it challenges you. It brings direction even when you don’t yet know the outcome. It brings a sense of presence that is unmistakable.

Following the Lord in His Way begins with hearing the One who has been speaking to you all along. Every person carries a gift that was placed in them long before they took their first breath. It is part of the design God set in place when He created your soul. This gift is the way He intends you to serve, and He has been waiting for the moment when you are ready to recognize it.

The gift becomes clearer over time. It grows as you listen. It settles into your life in a way that feels steady and right. And once you recognize it, you begin to understand why certain moments have stayed with you, why certain emotions return, and why certain people or situations draw something out of you that you cannot explain.

As you begin your day, slow down. Let creation speak. Let your soul respond. Keep a journal of what stirs within you. And tonight, before you sleep, review what you have written and say to the Lord, “I am here, Lord. I am listening. Teach me Your Way and show me the path I am to follow. Amen.”