All of us have a vocation. For some of us, these vocations may take on the expression of ordained Christian ministry. Others find this expression in many different aspects of spiritual and practical service. The goal of this page is to aid those who are interested in the further discernment of their vocation. We hope it will help those who are considering whether they may wish to present themselves as candidates for ordination in the Old Catholic Churches International, as well as those who have already received ordination elsewhere and are considering applying to our Church for incardination. For others, lay work may offer a better path to further their faith.
Do you feel called?
As Holy Scripture says, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Mathew 22:14 ESV) So it is in the church. Many may feel called to be in some form of ministry, however, few make it to the priesthood. Even fewer make it to be a bishop.
Our church is no exception. We have a stringent process built to ensure that those who serve the church and the people of God are well-trained, well-vetted, and wholesome people. Not all who apply are accepted. We are not a diploma mill or bishop factory.
Our clergy commit to helping those who need it most. Being a bishop, priest or deacon in the church requires real work. It is not a 9 to 5 job. It is a life-long commitment to the Kingdom of God. If you are not willing to commit to serving the Kingdom, or if you only want to play dress up, then we are not the church for you.
St. Paul was a tentmaker. He earned a small salary while preaching to the Corinthians as a tent maker because he needed to preach to this people without reproach and without a “motive-based” ministry. The Old Catholic Churches International believes that this can be a good example for today’s ministries.
We expect all our clergy to be doing some form of ministry work. That work may be chaplaincy work. It might be parish building, or helping at a homeless shelter. It might be going to a soup kitchen to help a couple of times a week. We do not require our clergy to do any specific ministry work, we just require that they do some kind of ministry work.
Contact us about vocations!
The Old Catholic Churches International does not wish to discourage but encourage and support those called by God to serve His church. We welcome all to seek out a vocation serving at the table of the Lord.
Please contact the Office of Staffing and Vocations for more information. Our prayers are with you during your discernment and we are here if you have any questions.