By: Laura Schaffer Dr. Alessandro Rovati became a theologian to serve the Church. He lives out his vocation as Chair of Belmont Abbey’s Theology Department — and through active service to the Diocese of Charlotte. As the director of the College’s unique Diaconal Formation Program, Rovati combines his vocation and joyfully notes that “there’s nothing more beautiful for a theology program than to put its expertise at the service of the life and needs of the local church.” For the past 2,000 years, deacons have assisted priests in their pastoral ministry, serving the liturgy and performing acts of mercy. Deacons are called to “attend the table and the Word,” Rovati explains. Deacons baptize, catechize, and preach. They minister to their parishes in a way that models and embraces community stewardship and self-giving. For a time, the diaconal vocation, originally distinct from that of the priest, was subsumed into the stages of priestly discernment. The Second Vatican Council, however, reinstated the practice of ordaining permanent deacons while preserving the diaconal stage on the path to priesthood.  Heralds of the Gospel Since then, the Charlotte diocese has embraced the formation of permanent deacons differently. In recent years, diocesan leadership has determined to create a more rigorous and substantive program. To this end, they reached out to Rovati at Belmont Abbey College, having already established a relationship with the college through its education of seminarians.  After years of careful collaboration, the Abbey officially began its new Diaconal Formation Program in 2023. The program offers a certificate after three-and-a-half years of study and 18 theology courses as part of the diocese’s five-year discernment and formation process. The synchronous online program was designed to meet best the needs of men working full-time, supporting families, and living throughout the diocese. Seventeen men are enrolled, having completed...