The Archdiocese of Kingston provides a formation program for candidates for ordination to the Permanent Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Kingston. Deacons provide ministry for the dispossessed and disadvantaged, those who live on the margins of civil society as a result of poverty, sickness, crime, and age. 

The selection process is rigorous. The candidate and his wife are interviewed extensively to ensure that the candidate does have a calling ​to​ order of deacon. There is an extensive screening process that includes a psychological profile as described below.

Candidates for the Catholic priesthood are required to complete a package of admission materials that is detailed in nature and includes medical and psychological testing. The complete psychological assessment is an interpretive report based on a battery of psychological tests. The report addresses the following areas:

• • Mental health
• • Personality organization
• • Self-representation and self-esteem
• • Interpersonal style
• • Affect integration and regulation
• • Cognitive functioning
   

While each psychologist will have particular preferences with respect to the actual battery of tests administered, a typical battery might include the following:

• WASI (Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence)
• MMPI-2 (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory)
• MCMI-III (Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory)
• Rorschach Psychodiagnostic Test
• TAT (Thematic Apperception Test)
• A Clinical Interview

These tests may be supplemented by additional tests administered by the psychologist.

The Archbishop’s Delegate of the Archdiocese will provide instructions to diocesan seminarians and candidates for the Permanent Diaconate concerning the canonical and civil requirements associated with fostering a safe environment. From time to time the Archbishop’s Delegate of the Archdiocese provides updates to priests and lay staff of the Archdiocese on developments in the area of safe environment.

The Archdiocese requires a priest from another diocese or religious order who wishes to minister in Kingston to obtain the permission of his bishop or superior, who must complete a certificate providing full disclosure, attesting to the good character and history of the priest candidate.

This is a program designed to create, maintain and promote a safe environment for all those to whom we minister, to support parish volunteers and preserve their safety, integrity and reputation as well as to ensure that we fulfill our duty and obligations as a caring faith community.

The Screening Coordinator assists parishes in carrying out the program by providing workshops for committee members, parish visits, answering inquiries and supplying information and materials to complete the process.