What is the length of a deacon’s appointment to a parish?
It is indeterminate. The deacon serves at the pleasure of the bishop. There are deacons in the Diocese of Phoenix who have been in the same parish for over 20 years, and others who have transferred after having been in a given parish for less than a year. However, diaconal assignments are intended to be stable and it is common for an assignment to last for five to ten years. Most deacon transfers are due to family circumstances, job changes, health issues, retirement, and moving into a new home. Some few transfers are due to unresolved parish and ministry issues, and every year the bishop transfers some deacons in order to respond to an unmet, critical need in the diocese.
