International Diaconate Centre

The Internationales Diakonatszentrum (IDZ), known in English as the International Diaconate Centre (IDC), is a Catholic Church-recognised association dedicated to the study and promotion of the Permanent Diaconate in the Roman Catholic Church. It is headquartered in Rottenburg am Neckar in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and describes itself as a movement for the renewal of the Permanent Diaconate aimed at men and women in the Catholic Church. It is supported by committed lay people, deacons, priests, theologians and bishops worldwide, and functions as a centre that collects, transmits and stimulates reflections, initiatives and experiences around the diaconate across the globe. The organisation traces its roots to 1951, when young social workers founded the first Diaconate Circle in Freiburg, Germany, with the aim of serving people in need as married permanent deacons in the Catholic Church. Further Diaconate Circles were founded in Munich in 1954 and, from 1958, in Germany and other countries including France, Austria and Latin America. Encouraged by Georg Hüssler, then Secretary General of the German Caritas Association, these circles joined together in Freiburg in 1959 as the International Diaconate Circle. In 1962, in connection with the Second Vatican Council, the circle petitioned the participating bishops for the renewal of the diaconate. In 1965 an International Study Conference on "the Deacon in the Church and World of Today" was held in Rome, and out of this context the International Diaconate Centre was founded. Initially established in Freiburg as the "International Information Centre for Questions of the Diaconate", it was renamed Internationales Diakonatszentrum in 1969 after a redefinition of its tasks. In 1992 the office moved from Freiburg to Rottenburg am Neckar, partly because Walter Kasper, then Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, was particularly committed to the Permanent Diaconate. The IDC understands itself as a grouping of bishops, priests, deacons, theologians and laypeople, and is constituted as an association founded on the basis of a private agreement among the faithful in accordance with canon 299 §1 CIC. It has been recognised and recommended as a private association of the faithful according to canon 299 §2 CIC by the diocesan bishop of its headquarters, who is the competent authority under canon 312 §1 no. 3 CIC. Its protector is Bishop Dr. Klaus Krämer, and its president is Gerald DuPont. Members from more than 50 countries receive information about all aspects of the diaconate and contribute to developing its profile. The IDC publishes the journal Diaconia Christi, organises international study conferences and jubilees, runs networks such as the Deacons' Wives network, and awards the Diakoniepreis (Diaconia Prize) for exemplary diaconal and pastoral projects. Its work is supported by the Diaconia Christi Internationalis Foundation, which promotes active solidarity worldwide.

The International Diaconate Centre (IDC) emerged from a mid-20th-century movement to restore the Permanent Diaconate in the Catholic Church. In 1951, young social workers founded the first Diaconate Circle in Freiburg, Germany, with the aim of serving people in need as married permanent deacons. The circle published its first "Working Paper" in 1952, which appeared regularly until 1966. A second Diaconate Circle was founded in Munich in 1954, and from 1955 international contacts expanded. From 1958, further Diaconate Circles were established in Germany and other countries, including France, Austria and Latin America. Encouraged by Georg Hüssler, then Secretary General of the German Caritas Association, these circles united in Freiburg in 1959 as the International Diaconate Circle. In 1962, in connection with the Second Vatican Council, the International Diaconate Circle addressed a petition for the renewal of the diaconate to the participating bishops. In 1965, an International Study Conference was held in Rome on the theme "the Deacon in the Church and World of Today", attended by cardinals, bishops, theologians, and men and women from around the world. Founded within this context, the International Diaconate Centre was established in Freiburg as the "International Information Centre for Questions of the Diaconate". In 1969, after a redefinition of its tasks, it was renamed Internationales Diakonatszentrum. Since 1966 it has published the journal Diaconia Christi. In 1992, the IDC office moved from Freiburg to Rottenburg am Neckar, partly because Walter Kasper, then Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, was particularly committed to the Permanent Diaconate on the basis of his ecclesiological convictions. The Bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart thus became the local bishop (Belegenheitsbischof) and the competent authority for the association's ecclesial recognition. The IDC has continued to promote the ministry of the deacon within a Church with a diaconal face, understanding itself as a grouping of bishops, priests, deacons, theologians and laypeople, and as a venue for promoting the idea of the diaconate at the level of the universal Church. Over the decades, the IDC has organised international study conferences, jubilees and delegates' conferences, and has developed networks such as the Deacons' Wives network. It awards the Diakoniepreis (Diaconia Prize) for exemplary diaconal and pastoral projects by deacons or diaconally engaged groups. Its work is supported by the Diaconia Christi Internationalis Foundation, which promotes active solidarity worldwide. The IDC's secretariat in Rottenburg has been led by general secretaries including Stefan Sander (2012–2020), Deacon Jörg Stein (2021–2024), and, since August 2024, Kilian Schadt. The 2025 International Study Conference in Sacrofano near Rome was described by the IDC as a successful new start, with the organisation experiencing "a new spring".

• 2025

  International Study Conference in Sacrofano near Rome; Jubilee of Deacons; documentary film released

• 2024

  Kilian Schadt becomes General Secretary in August

• 2021

  Deacon Jörg Stein becomes General Secretary (until 2024)

• 2012

  Stefan Sander becomes General Secretary (until 2020)

• 1992

  Office moved from Freiburg to Rottenburg am Neckar

• 1969

  Renamed Internationales Diakonatszentrum after redefinition of tasks

• 1966

  First publication of the journal Diaconia Christi

• 1965

  International Study Conference in Rome on 'the Deacon in the Church and World of Today'; International Diaconate Centre founded in Freiburg

• 1962

  Petition for the renewal of the diaconate addressed to bishops of the Second Vatican Council

• 1959

  Diaconate Circles unite in Freiburg as the International Diaconate Circle

• 1958

  Further Diaconate Circles founded in Germany and other countries including France, Austria and Latin America

• 1955

  Expansion of international contacts

• 1954

  Second Diaconate Circle founded in Munich

• 1952

  Diaconate Circle publishes its first 'Working Paper' (published regularly until 1966)

• 1951

  First Diaconate Circle founded in Freiburg, Germany by young social workers

A Church-recognised centre and movement for the renewal and promotion of the Permanent Diaconate, serving as a global hub for reflection, information and networking among deacons, theologians, bishops and laypeople.

• Diaconia Christi

  Half-yearly journal published by the IDC since 1966

• Diakoniepreis (Diaconia Prize)

  Award for exemplary diaconal and pastoral projects by deacons or diaconally engaged groups

• International Study Conference

  Periodic international conference on the diaconate

• Deacons' Wives network

  International network for wives of deacons

• 2026.08.12

  Reported2026.08.12

  IDZ launches MetaCortex private AI workspace[7]IDZ推出MetaCortex私密AI工作空间finanznachrichten.de

  IDZ announced the launch of MetaCortex, a privacy-first AI workspace integrated into its encrypted file storage (ZCloud) and private messaging (ZChat) platform, available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and the web.

Read more

1. 1International Diaconate Centre – Homepagediaconia-idc.org
2. 2History – International Diaconate Centrediaconia-idc.org
3. 3Overview – International Diaconate Centrediaconia-idc.org
4. 4Board – International Diaconate Centrediaconia-idc.org
5. 5Internationales Diakonatszentrum – Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Internationales Diakonatszentrum – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
7. 7IDZ推出MetaCortex私密AI工作空间finanznachrichten.de