**At this time we are only accepting applications from those living within the United States.
Joining the Order of Preachers, Old Catholic requires serious thought, prayerful discernment, and a bit of patience tempered with love. The Order of Preachers, Old Catholic is also constantly discerning itself and in that light we recognize there is diversity in all facets of life so religious life should be no different.
We look for members who are committed to the unique charism of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) especially as it relates to the Old Catholic and Emergent movement. We look for dedication and resilience in those who might be in remote locations. We know, some of us firsthand, how difficult it is to live in remote locations away from Sisters and Brothers and we know how challenging continuing a vocation can be in such circumstances.
We do not pay stipends to Sisters or Brothers, nor do we cover other expenses. Most clergy within the Old Catholic Churches International support themselves through a combination of ministerial and secular work, although a few do support themselves through full-time ministry. We also do not, at this time, have communal living facilities.
We look for a good fit between the applicant and the Order/Church, so that a long-term and productive relationship can be assured. Before you make application we’d like to hear from you. The application process itself actually begins with prayer and careful discernment and with contacting either a representative near you or our Servant General through our Contact Page. The Order of Preachers will not accept applicants if we don’t know who you are or have never spoken with you.
The Order of Preachers does NOT operate independent of the entire Body of Christ, and as such supports and is responsible for serving not only the People of God, but also our mother Church: the Old Catholic Churches International. Once we’ve gotten to know you, ALL applications are made through the Old Catholic Churches International. As with most organizations, the Order of Preachers, Old Catholic has some requirements of its members. Before making application there are a few criteria required by all applicants:
Education
- You must be, at the very least, a high school graduate.
- If you are a college graduate or have taken college courses, you will be required to supply official transcripts as proof of your educational background. These will need to be sealed and sent by the education institution and will need to be in English.
- If the transcripts are in another language, please also send an “unofficial” transcript with translation (that’s in addition to the sealed transcripts.)
- Transcripts from online diploma mills will NOT be accepted and will result in automatic denial of application (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diploma_mill).
- Education credits from non-accredited institutions may be considered so long as they are not from diploma mills.
- You will be required to continue your education:
- We are continuing to update and create new education opportunities through our learning annex (institution); we are currently reworking all our courses. However, you are still required to engage in independent reading, external studies, or continuing education through other entities.
Background Check
As part of the application process with the Old Catholic Churches International you will be required to submit to a background check.
- You may be asked to supply your own background check or we may ask you to pay for a national background check.
Incardination (Coming from another institution)
If you are already a religious from another order, you will be asked to supply copies of all certificates of ordination and post-secondary theological training – both formal and informal.
- We WILL accept training from non-accredited institutions; however,
- We will NOT accept candidates who have purchased degrees from “diploma mills”.
The Order of Preachers, Old Catholic will not accept ministerial credentials from internet-based churches or similar institutions that offer “instant” or “online” ordination, and we do our research on each candidate very carefully.
For other requirements, please contact our Servant General through our Contact Page.