Vocations

Embrace God’s Call

 

As you are well aware, the Sacramental needs of the People of God can only be fulfilled by dedicated pastoral leaders. One of greatest frustrations of any Bishop is when he or she receives a call requesting a priest to help establish and to lead a new parish community and the Bishop has nobody to send.

 

For the Evangelical Catholic Church to grow and continue deepening its vocational mission, we wish to foster and encourage vocations to the clerical and religious life.  For those who are considering Religious Life we invite you to speak with us about assisting you in your decision making process. 

 

The Evangelical Catholic Church unconditionally embraces its responsibility to provide a format for the formation of our candidates for

Orders.  We will assist you in finding an appropriate avenue that will best prepare you for service to the People of God.

 

We know that vocations do not always necessarily mean service within the confines of a parish community.  God has blessed many individuals with gifts which can be used in a variety of pastoral assignments within chaplaincies which also brings the Good News of the Gospels to many.

 

We believe that our reforms, which permits our diocesan clergy the option to marry, we welcome women to the clerical life and we have set aside so many of the past illogical impediments to Holy Orders - will permit those, who believe that they have been called to a life of service to the clerical or religious life hope and freedom to experience the fullness of God's gift of a vocation.

 

We also encourage all inactive deacons, priests, bishops and religious who are considering a return to the clerical or religious life to speak with us about returning to active clerical or religious life.

 

Given the times in which we live, it must be pointed out that the Evangelical Catholic Church does not consider God's gift of a vocation as a hobby or as an opportunity for individuals to "dress up" and play cleric or religious. We take our vocations seriously and seek to determine similar seriousness in our candidates.

 

The Evangelical Catholic Church is not a clerical or religious repository for dysfunctional individuals.

 

If you are an individual possessing a deep sense of spirituality, dedication to the Catholic Sacramental life, the psychological maturity to be a contribute to the work of the Gospel and prepared to embrace something greater than self – the Evangelical Catholic Church might just be the home for you.

 

According to Canon 12.25 of the Code of Canon Law, the following are irregular regarding the reception of Orders:

§1 A person who labors under some form of mental illness or other psychic defect due to which, after consultation with experts in the medical field, are judged incapable of rightly carrying out the ministry.

§2 A person who has committed the delict of apostasy, heresy, or schism within the Church.

§3 A person who has committed voluntary homicide.

§4 A person who has committed sexual assault.

 

The following outlines the procedures and steps required by potential candidates for Ordination to the Priesthood and Diaconate and also for Candidates for Secular Incardination:

1. Consultation with the bishop or director of Vocations.

2. Completion of application and all required documentation.

Certificates of:
A. Baptism
B. Confirmation
C. Marriage(s), (if applicable)
D. Copies of civil divorce decrees and annulments or grants of dissolution (if applicable)
E. Married candidates must also provide the written consent of their spouse prior to beginning the formation program

3. Completion of required criminal background check

4. Completion of required psychological examination

5. Evaluation and recommendation of the candidate by a clerical review panel assembled by vocations director who then makes a recommendation to the Diocesan bishop.

6. Diocesan bishop then accepts or rejects the candidate. (Note: this acceptance is provisional only. The Diocesan bishop reserves the right to dismiss any candidate from the program for a canonical reason, even if occult. Cf. Can. 10.18 & 10.19).

7. Reception of Minor Order of Lector at the beginning of graduate studies

8. Reception of Minor Order of Acolyte mid-way in the academic program

9. Candidacy will be celebrated at the discretion of the Diocesan bishop (note: reception of the Minor Orders will be at the discretion of the Diocesan bishop if the candidate has completed the required academic studies prior to entering our formation program).

10. After all required academic studies have been certified as completed and prior to beginning the internship, the candidate shall be ordained to the Order of Deacon.

11. Completion of the required internship program.

12. Ordination to the Presbyterate.

The requirements for clerical Incardination are very identical up to step 7. A cleric seeking Incardination normally has already completed the required studies and received all the Minor Orders. After the Diocesan bishop accepts the candidate for Incardination, the bishop will grant the candidate temporary faculties as a "cleric-in-residence." The length of time of this required "probationary" period is at the discretion of

the Diocesan bishop after consultation with he clergy of the Diocese.

13.  The application of any candidate for Orders, Religious Life or Incardination will  be considered for approval only after ALL required materials and documentations are submitted.

 

The application process for candidates to Orders or Religious Life within the Evangelical Catholic Church is clearly defined.  If you should have any questions or are in need of clarification, please do not hesitate to ask.

 

 

PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

 

You are the Savior of the world O Lord, Jesus Christ. Manifest in Your Church the Spirit Whom You abundantly bestowed upon Your Apostles who constituted the Catholic Church as the sanctuary where Your Name would always be praised and glorified. We beseech You to call many to the Priesthood and Religious Life within the Evangelical Catholic Church which is Yours. Let zeal for Your House consume them and for the salvation of souls. Inflame within them the Spirit You give at Baptism for You have chosen them. May they be Priests and Religious according to Your Own Heart Which was pierced by the lance of a soldier for them. Protect the vocations You have given them. For You live and reign with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, for ever and ever. AMEN.