Byzcath.org has received a number of requests from Byzantine Catholic deacons and those currently in formation for the deaconate to set up a "Deacon-to-Deacon Forum". The intent of this post is to serve as an update to those who have requested this new forum as well as to solicit feedback from others who would be interested in participation in this forum.
The current developmental status of the "Deacon-to-Deacon Forum" is as follows:
1. This forum would be restricted to deacons or those studying to be deacons within any of the Byzantine Catholic Churches in North America. Active participation in the diaconate ministry or preparation towards this ministry would be verified by the moderator. Participants would use passwords to both read and post messages. Those not belonging to the forum (those not either deacons or training to be deacons) would not be eligible for membership (and would therefore not have the ability to read the messages posted there, post new messages or respond to posted messages).
2. The moderator of the forum will be a senior deacon or priest who is active in ministry in one of the Byzantine Catholic Churches. Ideally, representatives from those involved in providing formation from each and every Byzantine jurisdiction would participate.
3. Participants would use the same login (nickname) on this new forum as they use on other forums. While one can continue to post on other forums using only their nickname (and thus remain anonymous), participants in the Deacon-to-Deacon Forum must be willing to reveal their identity and jurisdiction.
4. The Deacon-to-Deacon Forum would be an open discussion forum. Sample discussions might include anything from those pertaining to current formation class work (i.e. a particular course or book under study) to issues of praxis or diakonia by those in active ministry.
5. While this would be a private forum on a private website, the creation and continuance of the Deacon-to-Deacon Forum would be subject to any and all directives of the Byzantine Catholic Council of Hierarchs.
6. The decision to create the Deacon-to-Deacon Forum has not yet been made but there has already been enough interest by Byzantine cyber-deacons and cyber-deacons-in-training to justify the creation of this new forum. It could begin as soon as a moderator is selected.
Interested? Please send your feedback and suggestions regarding the new Deacon-to-Deacon Forum to
73004.1253@Compuserve.com . If you are a deacon or a deacon in training in any of the Byzantine Catholic Churches and are interested in participating in this forum, please contact us. If you know anyone who is a deacon or a deacon in training who might be interested, please e-mail them this page (click on the top left under the logo if your browser is set up for e-mail or if your browser is not configured for e-mail, then copy and send them the URL of this page and send it to them in a new e-mail message).
