What is Ecclesiastical Endorsement?
The Office of Chaplains has established guidelines for Ecclesiastical Endorsement within the Old Catholic Church International (OCCI) for which every OCCI Chaplain and Chaplain Candidate are mandated to adhere.
When an ordained OCCI Clergy applies for a position for chaplain, whether full-time, part-time, or volunteer, all outside organizations for which the OCCI Chaplain will serve, require what is known as an Ecclesiastical Endorsement. Essentially, this is a document, provided by the Chaplain Candidate’s Diocesan Bishop, which attests to the OCCI Chaplain Candidates calling to ministry outside the parish in some type of Chaplaincy. It also attests to the Chaplain Candidate’s education including completion of an undergraduate degree, seminary degree (minimum M.A. or its equivalent in Theology), and the Chaplain Candidate’s ordination either as a priest, transitional deacon or permanent deacon within the guidelines as set forth for ordained ministry in Canon Law of the Old Catholic Church Interational. It also attests the Chaplain Candidate has completed a Criminal Background Check and has agreed to strict adherence to the Old Catholic Church Internation’s Zero Tolerance Policy toward any form of sexual harrassment, or abuse of anykind.
Ecclesiastical Endorsement Guidelines in OCCI also sets forth requirements for the OCCI Chaplain to attain Continuing Education Units every 3 years and/or attending training with the goal of attaining appropriate certification based on the type of Chaplain you will be.
When various agencies receive an Ecclesiastical Endorsement from an OCCI Chaplain candidate’s Bishop, the Endorsement of an OCCI Chaplains conveys to the agency the OCCI Chaplain candidate is of the highest professional caliber, prepared through seminary training, and ordained through OCCI as either a priest,transitional deacon, or permanent deacon, and conveys the OCCI Chaplain candidate truly has a “call within a call” to serve in the specialized ministry of Chaplaincy and understands the role of a chaplain, regardless of the type of chaplain they become.
For more information, please contact the Office of Chaplains at chaplaincy@myocci.org.
[1] OCCI Office of Chaplains is in the process of becoming a partner of COMISS as a “Endorsing Organization” partner.