Thirty-six Chaminade students received a warm welcome on campus recently as they prepare to embark on a journey that is as much spiritual as it is scholarly.
The students are part of the newest diaconate formation cohort at Chaminade.
Together, they’ll pursue a Permanent Diaconate Education Certificate—designed to provide the academic preparation required to serve as a deacon or deacon’s wife in the Catholic Church.
Fifteen members of the cohort are simultaneously pursuing bachelor’s degrees in Religious Studies while 12 are seeking a Master’s in Pastoral Theology from Chaminade.
A special orientation event March 15 on Chaminade’s campus offered cohort members an opportunity to learn from one another as they also learn about the program—and the academic pathway they’ll take as they build a strong foundation in Scripture studies and theology.
Attendees included Allan and May Kuaana, who are seeking the diaconate certificate.
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“I am attending the Diaconate Program because, yes, it is a requirement for formation. But more importantly, it’s part of a deeper response to a greater calling,” Allan Kuaana said.
“This is where I believe God is asking me to be at this very moment.”
May Kuaana added, “I am here to walk with and support my husband in this journey of faith. This is not just his calling, it’s something we are living together—each day, one step at a time.”
Cohort members Brandon and Katherine Perea are also pursuing the master’s in Pastoral Theology. The couple said the orientation offered them new insight into the Marianists and their work to serve marginalized communities. “In this way, Chaminade’s spirituality embodies what it means to be a deacon—so it’s fitting our diocese facilitates our formation here,” they said.
The couple said they are looking to help others and expand their service to the community.
“I think I speak for everyone in the formation program when I say we are filled with a restless love for our Church and our community,” Brandon Perea said.
“Growing in relationship with Christ has resulted in this sensitivity to suffering around us. After the Mass, nothing makes us feel closer to Christ than helping others overcome physical, emotional, or spiritual barriers between them and God.”
Dustyn Ragasa, Ph.D., director of the master’s in Pastoral Theology program, said the cohort is among the biggest in recent memory. “Participants come from all walks of life,” he said. “Some are older and some are younger. Some are longtime residents and some are in the military.”
He noted the orientation, which included introductions from Chaminade President Lynn Babington and Marianist leaders, offered an opportunity for cohort members to feel like they’re a part of the Chaminade ‘ohana. It also gave them tools they’ll need as they embark on their studies.
For example, participants learned about the library resources available at Chaminade.
Ragasa said he was heartened to see the latest diaconate formation so full—including with younger parents. “It’s a full house,” he said. “I think the pandemic and everything that’s happened since has really encouraged people to slow down a little and ask, ‘What does it mean to live a flourishing life?’ People want to give to others in meaningful sorts of ways,” he said.
He said while the cohort members will be learning together, the graduate students will take leadership roles as part of their academic work. And ultimately, he added, all of them will serve in leadership roles in their parishes. “Seeing a new cohort come in, especially one with so many younger participants, gives me a sense of hope in the best of our faith tradition,” he said.
“At the end of the day, somebody who graduates from our program might be ministering to someone I know, comforting someone I care about. They’re going to be there for people in our community.”