Seven candidates for ordination to the permanent diaconate and their wives participated in the Ceremony of Sacred Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity on Aug. 29 at the Bethany Chapel at the archdiocese's Pastoral Center in Braintree. This ceremony is the final step for these seven deacon candidates before they receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders on Sept. 30 at St. Edith Stein Parish in Brockton.

The men are Charles M. Landry from St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Hanson; Elcio F. Dos Santos Junior from St. Tarcisius in Framingham; Carlos Alberto DeSousa from St. Anthony Parish in Lowell; Alan Doty from Blessed Sacrament Parish in Walpole; Cleyton Moreira from St. Tarcisius in Framingham; Brian Francis Shea from St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish in Danvers; and Van Vuong Nguyen from the Weymouth Collaborative and Sacred Heart Parish in Malden.

Father Robert Blaney, Secretary for Ministerial Personnel presided at Evening Prayer with Deacon Patrick Guerrini, Director of Diaconal Life and Ministries, and Deacon Christopher Connelly, Director of Diaconate Formation and Msgr. William Fay, Director of the Pontifical Mission Society and the Director of Campus Ministry, assisting.

The Permanent Diaconate was reformed after the Second Vatican Council. This vocation is open to men between 35 and 60 years old who discern a call to serve God in a special way. Currently there are 250 active Deacons in the Archdiocese of Boston serving in parishes and 61 Senior Deacons.

Following is a list of the series of inquiry/information nights scheduled around the archdiocese in September and October:

In the Central Region:

-- St. Peter's Church, 100 Concord Avenue, Cambridge, Sept. 18 from 7-8:30 p.m. (Entrance to Parish Center and parking from Manassas Avenue)

-- Holy Name, 1689 Centre Street, West Roxbury, Sept. 26 from 7-8:30 p.m. (Lower floor of the rectory)

In the North Region:

-- St. Maria Goretti, 112 Chestnut Street, Lynnfield, Sept. 18 from 7-8:30 p.m.

-- Sacred Hearts Parish, 297 Main Street, Malden, Oct. 21 at 10 a.m. English and Hispanic communities welcome.

In the Merrimack Region:

-- Sacred Hearts Parish, 165 South Street, Haverhill, Sept. 26 from 7-8:30 p.m.

In the West Region:

-- Good Shepherd Parish, 99 Main Street, Wayland, Sept. 20 from 7-8:30 p.m.

-- St. Mary's Church, 176 Washington Street, East Walpole, Oct. 5 from 7-8:30 p.m.

-- St. Stephen's Parish, 221 Concord Street, Framingham (St. Paul Room), Oct. 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. English, Hispanic, and Brazilian communities welcome.

South Region:

-- Pastoral Center, 66 Brooks Drive, Braintree, Sept. 19 from 7-8:30 p.m.

-- St. Jerome's Parish, 632 Bridge Street, Weymouth, Sept. 26 from 7-8:30 p.m.

-- St. Joseph the Worker, 1 Maquan Street, Hanson, Oct. 11 from 7-8:30 p.m.

If you are interested in learning more about the Permanent Diaconate and cannot attend one of these Inquiry sessions, please contact Deacon Christopher Connelly at 617-746-5649.