Deacon Formation Inventory

A Marriage Formation Resource for a Life of Service.

The FOCCUS® Deacon Formation Inventory helps married couples discerning and preparing for the diaconate deepen communication, strengthen unity, and reflect on their shared call to serve.

Developed in collaboration with diocesan formation teams, this tool invites couples to explore both their marriage relationship and the unique dimensions of ministry life.

Formation directors often note that the strength of a deacon’s marriage directly shapes his effectiveness in ministry. Because of this, the inventory is designed to be used more than once throughout the formation process—not just as an initial screening tool, but as a way to revisit and deepen the conversation as couples move through candidacy, ordination, and active ministry. This ongoing use helps formation teams support couples at each stage, rather than treating marriage preparation as a single checkpoint early in the process.

Strong Marriages Strengthen Ministry

Ordained service flows from the grace of marriage. FOCCUS® helps deacon couples
keep their relationship at the heart of their vocation, supporting both pastoral
effectiveness and family harmony.

Formation teams and bishops alike recognize that a deacon’s ministry is never separate from his marriage—the two are woven together by design. When a couple’s relationship is healthy and communicative, that strength carries into the deacon’s service to the parish, the sick, the poor, and all those he’s called to serve. FOCCUS® provides a structured way to protect and nurture that connection, so couples enter ministry with their marriage as a source of strength rather than an afterthought to formation.

Why Deacon Couples Need Their Own Formation Tool

The diaconate is unique among Church vocations because it’s lived out through marriage, not apart from it. A deacon’s wife isn’t a bystander to his formation—she’s an active participant in a shared calling that shapes both their marriage and their ministry. The FOCCUS® Deacon Formation Inventory was built with that reality in mind, offering a tool specifically for couples navigating the joys and challenges of formation together.

Unlike general marriage inventories, this tool addresses questions unique to diaconal life: balancing ministry demands with family time, supporting each other through ordination and beyond, and maintaining a strong marriage as the foundation for effective service to the Church.

Integrate FOCCUS® Into Your Diaconate Formation.

Many diocesan programs use the FOCCUS® Deacon Formation Inventory as part of their candidate selection and ongoing formation process.

Our team partners with directors to provide training, materials, and support to make implementation simple and effective.

Dioceses that integrate the FOCCUS® Deacon Formation Inventory into their programs gain a structured, consistent way to support couples through every stage of discernment and formation—from initial candidacy through ongoing ministry.

Features:

• Facilitator certification available for formation staff
• Custom reporting and discussion guides
• Training via Zoom, in-person, or self-paced modules

Contact Sheila Simpson for Implementation Support