The first year of the formation program is called aspirancy.  During this period of aspirancy wives are required to attend approximately 19 to 20 sessions with their husbands.  These sessions are held on designated evenings and each aspirant is given a calendar for the year.   The sessions are composed of input, dialogue on the topic for the evening and written reflections. 

Some of the topics covered are faith, prayer, liturgical prayer, Eucharist, reconciliation spiritual direction, liturgy, diaconate, ministry, discernment etc.  Also, included in this year are days of retreat and a weekend retreat.  At the completion of the aspirancy period an evaluation of the aspirant is conducted. If the results are positive the aspirant is admitted to candidacy by the ordinary or his delegate and he is ready to begin formal studies for diaconate.

The second academic year is challenging. Each semester of 14 weeks is divided into two segments of seven weeks each.  The first semester would be 7 weeks of Ecclesiology followed by 7 weeks of Pastoral Theology 1(one Evening) and 7 weeks of Sacramental Theology and 7 weeks of Liturgy (the second evening).  The second semester, beginning in January will have 7 weeks of Pastoral Theology 11(one evening) and Mystery of God and Creation (the second evening) for 7 weeks followed by Pastoral Counseling and Canon Law for 7 weeks.

Following the second academic year the men do a supervised summer internship usually at a hospital, soup kitchen or prison.  The time allotment is 80-100 hours over the summer months.

The third academic year is like the first academic year.  Fourteen weeks of Homiletics and Theological Anthropology the first semester and a Liturgical Practicum and Moral Theology are the courses for the second semester.

During the school year the participants are expected to be in the Chapel for evening prayer at 7:05 p .m.; classes begin at 7:30 p.m. and conclude at 9:30 p.m.