The purpose of the Intermediate Diploma in Diaconal Studies is to provide students with the foundational knowledge needed to communicate the Catholic faith and the Church’s teaching and tradition so that the student will be prepared to carry out his ministry as a permanent deacon.

Goals

SHMS strives to instill in its Intermediate Diploma recipients an ability to:

1. Articulate a broad knowledge of Catholic theology in the areas of Sacred Scripture, Catholic tradition, and history, Catholic social teaching, sacraments and law.
• The student is able to identify doctrinal documents and Scriptural passages that are foundational to areas of Catholic teaching.
• The student is able to make an oral presentation that demonstrates sound theological teaching.
• The student is able to present in writing a synthesis of theological teachings and apply them to a particular theme.

2. Apply knowledge of Catholic theology in pastoral, catechetical, and liturgical settings.
• Pastoral: The student is able to employ effective counseling skills in typical pastoral situations. The student is able to demonstrate cultural sensitivity in a pastoral setting.
• Catechetical: The student is able to present a teaching of the Catholic Church in a catechetical setting.
• Liturgical: The student is able to deliver/write a homily that teaches doctrine from Scripture. The student is able to effectively apply the Scripture readings from the Mass to life and contemporary circumstances.