A vocation is a divine call (or strong desire) to spend your life doing a certain kind of work or lifestyle. While we tend to think of only clergy as having a vocation, all Christians can have a vocation. Your vocation may be the job you hold or the life you live as a family member or a passion you have to serve others. One of the places to begin your discernment is to talk with your priest, a spiritual director or someone with whom you share your spiritual journey.
In the Diocese of Rhode Island, those who are pursuing a vocation in the ordained ministry are required to follow a path outlined by the Commission on Ministry (COM), which assists the bishop in selecting candidates for ordination and overseeing a process of formation for both priestly and diaconal leadership. The commission also sponsors programs and processes that assist laity in discerning their vocations.
The commission, as required by our canons, is composed of six clergy, at least four of whom shall be priests, and six lay members nominated by the bishop and confirmed by diocesan convention for three year terms. Download a roster to diocesan committees that includes the COM.
If you sense a call, you are an aspirant.
To begin, you will work with your faith community and bishop.
- Speak to your congregation’s Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-Charge
- Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-Charge sends the bishop a Letter of Introduction and Support.
- Submit Declaration of Intent- Form 1
- Bishop invites aspirant to meet
- Aspirant is invited to continue with next steps
- Aspirant submits Waiver of Confidentiality– Form 2A and Release of Records– Form 2B
- Public records check
- Aspirant makes appointment with clinicians chosen by the bishop for a Psychological Evaluation- Complete: Behavioral Screening Questionnaire (BSQ), Mental Health Evaluation, and Life History forms
- Bishop grants permission to continue discernment on congregational level
Next, you will work with a Congregational Discernment Team.
- Form Congregational Discernment Team (CDT) – Guidelines
- Attend Discernment Team meetings as scheduled
- Discernment Team completes Discernment Team Report– Form 3
You may then be ready for nomination.
- Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-Charge and the vestry or Bishop’s Committee review the Discernment Team Report, interview the aspirant, and decide whether to nominate the aspirant as a postulant for ordination as a priest
- If the decision is to nominate, the rector/vicar/priest-in-charge completes Nomination Form 4 and sends it with Form 3 to the bishop, along with a copy of the aspirant’s spiritual autobiography
- Bishop reviews Forms 3 and 4 and the aspirant’s spiritual autobiography and decides whether to grant nominee status
The next step is postulancy.
- Nominee completes Application for Postulancy- Form 5
- Nominee schedules medical appointment with personal physician and doctor completes Medical Exam Questionnaire
- Nominee interviews with Commission on Ministry (COM)
- COM discusses interview with bishop and makes recommendation
- Bishop discerns decision to admit to postulancy
- Postulant registers in program of formation such as seminary or divinity school, as decided in consultation with the bishop. Seminary is a professional training program. We discourage people from beginning a professional training program before discerning with the Bishop and COM in the Diocese of Rhode Island.
- Postulant writes Ember Day Letters to bishop (Title III, Canon 6, Section 3e)
- Postulant attends Diocesan Convention annually as able
During the second year comes a transition to candidacy.
- Postulant completes Application for Candidacy- Form 6
- Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-Charge and vestry or Bishop’s Committee complete Affirmation for Candidacy-Form 7
- Background Check updated if necessary
- Postulant updates spiritual autobiography
- Postulant interviews with COM and Standing Committee (SC) for Candidacy
- On advice of SC, Bishop may grant candidacy and informs postulant
- Candidate completes General Ordination Exams (GOEs) or canonical exams. GOEs are administered in January, nominations are due in the fall.
- If needed, update medical and/or psychological evaluation, along with release and confidentiality forms- Form 3 and Form 4
- Candidate completes Safe Church, Anti-Racism, Title IV training, and other canonically required trainings.
After the educational process is complete comes ordination to the transitional diaconate.
- Candidate completes Application to be Ordained a Deacon- Form 8
- Candidate and nominating church leadership complete Affirmation for Ordination – Form 9
- Candidate updates spiritual autobiography
- Ordination interviews with COM and SC
- SC sends testimonial to Bishop regarding ordination to the Diaconate
- With the advice of SC, Bishop may approve ordination and schedule diaconal ordination date
Six months to one year later, comes ordination to the priesthood.
- Deacon completes Application to be Ordained a Priest- Form 10
- Deacon and Nominating Church leadership complete Affirmation to be Ordained a Priest- Form 11
- Ordination interviews with COM and SC
- SC sends testimonial to Bishop regarding ordination to the Priesthood
- With the advice of SC, Bishop may approve ordination and schedule priestly ordination date
If you sense a call you are an aspirant.
To begin, you will work with your faith community and bishop.
- Speak to your congregation’s Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-Charge
- Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-Charge sends the bishop a Letter of Introduction and Support.
- Submit Declaration of Intent- Form 1
- Bishop invites aspirant to meet
- Aspirant is invited to continue with next steps
- Aspirant submits Waiver of Confidentiality– Form 2A and Release of Records– Form 2B
- Public records check
- Aspirant makes appointment with clinicians chosen by the bishop for a psychological evaluation- Complete: Behavioral Screening Questionnaire (BSQ), Mental Health Evaluation, and Life History forms
- Bishop grants permission to continue discernment on congregational level
Next, you will work with a Congregational Discernment Team.
- Form Congregational Discernment Team (CDT) – Guidelines
- Attend Discernment Team meetings as scheduled
- Discernment Team completes Discernment Team Report– Form 3
You may then be ready for nomination.
- Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-Charge and the vestry or Bishop’s Committee review the Discernment Team Report, interview the aspirant, and decide whether to nominate the aspirant as a postulant for ordination as a deacon
- If the decision is to nominate, the rector/vicar/priest-in-charge completes Nomination Form 4 and sends with Form 3 to the bishop, along with a copy of the aspirant’s spiritual autobiography
- Bishop reviews Forms 3 and 4 and the aspirant’s spiritual autobiography and decides whether to grant nominee status
The next step is postulancy.
- Nominee completes Application for Postulancy- Form 5
- Nominee schedules medical appointment with personal physician and doctor completes Medical Exam Questionnaire
- Nominee interviews with Commission on Ministry (COM)
- COM discusses interview with bishop and makes recommendation
- Bishop discerns decision to admit to postulancy
- Postulant registers in program of formation.
- Postulant writes Ember Day Letters to bishop (Title III, Canon 6, Section 3e)
- Postulant attends Diocesan Convention annually as able
During the second year comes a transition to candidacy.
- Postulant completes Application for Candidacy- Form 6
- Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-Charge and vestry or Bishop’s Committee complete Affirmation for Candidacy-Form 7
- Background Check updated if necessary
- Postulant updates spiritual autobiography
- Postulant interviews with COM and Standing Committee (SC) for candidacy
- On advice of SC, Bishop may grant candidacy and informs postulant
- Candidate completes canonical exams.
- If needed, update medical and/or psychological evaluation, along with release and confidentiality forms- Form 3 and Form 4
- Candidate completes Safe Church, Anti-Racism, Title IV training, and other canonically required trainings.
After completion of the educational process comes ordination to the diaconate.
Candidate completes Application to be Ordained a Deacon- Form 8
Candidate and Nominating Church leadership complete Affirmation for Ordination – Form 9
Candidate updates spiritual autobiography
Ordination interviews with COM and SC
SC sends testimonial to Bishop regarding ordination to the diaconate
With the advice of SC, Bishop may approve ordination and schedule diaconal ordination date
