The
Priesthood in the Diocese of New Jersey: Guidelines
for Rectors and Vicars
Title
III, Canon 2 Of Candidates for Holy Orders
Sec. 2
(a)
Persons desiring to be admitted as Candidates for
Holy Orders are, in the first instance, to consult
their immediate Pastors, or, if they have none, some
Presbyters to whom they are personally known, setting
before them the grounds of their desire for admission
to the Ministry, together with such circumstances
as may bear on their qualifications, or tend to affect
their course of preparation.
(b)(1)
If, as the result of a careful inquiry into the physical
intellectual, moral, emotional, and spiritual qualifications
of the aspirants, they are counseled by their Presbyter
to persevere in their intentions, they shall make
their desire known personally, if possible, or in
writing, to the Bishop in whose jurisdiction they
have been canonically resident, for the three months
preceding.
The
Rector/Vicar of a parishioner seeking Holy Orders is
pastor, priest, and discerner with his/her parishioner
in the process toward ordination. As discerner, the Rector/Vicar
along with the person testing vocation is listening for
God's call toward ordained ministry for that parishioner.
As priest, the Rector/Vicar remains the priest for this
individual in offering prayer, teaching, sacrament and
experience of the priestly vocation and call with the
aspirant. As pastor, the Rector/Vicar cares for this
discerning individual and his/her family during the exciting,
challenging, and stressful days ahead.
Each
priest has a particular way of working and relating to
parishioners that is unique. What is recommended in these
guidelines in no way assumes that everyone will work
with an aspirant parishioner in the same way. However,
there are important tasks to be addressed for both the
Rector/Vicar and the aspirant. They are as follows:
Task
I To listen to the aspirant's spiritual journey
and call toward ordained ministry.
Task
II To go over the Book of Common Prayer's
description of the four orders of ministry (pages
855-856) and the ordination liturgy beginning
on page 525-536.
Task
III To go over the diocesan process toward
ordained ministry with the aspirant. How does
the aspirant feel about the process? Losses?
Changes? Cost?
*NOTE:
Members of the Episcopal Church who are entering
the process of discernment for priestly ministry
are strongly advised not to
pursue a course of seminary study prior to meeting
with Bishop Councell and the Committee on Priesthood.
Since priestly formation takes place primarily
within the seminary context, such studies are
to be undertaken only under the guidance of Bishop
Councell and the Committee on Priesthood.
Task
IV To reflect on where the aspirant's ministry
is in the world and the church today. Does the
aspirant already live out priestly ministry (i.e.,
teaching, visiting sick and shut-ins, youth group
work, L.E.M., eucharistic minister, pastoral
care team, liturgical participation, vestry,
liturgy team, evangelism, etc.)? Identify strengths,
gifts, and self-awareness regarding weaknesses,
growing edges.
Task
V To reflect on this aspirant as someone
you would actively recruit for ordained ministry.
If yes, why? If no, why not? Even if you would
not have actively recruited this person for ordained
ministry, are you now able to see how this person
might benefit the church as a priest? Could you
support this person in the process toward ordination?
Why are you so moved?
Task
VI To go over questions of Form 2B 'Background
Information Report to be Completed by Rector/Vicar.'
Are there areas that you need to further explore
with your aspirant so you might more fully answer
these questions?
Task
VII To discern prayerfully the call, ministry,
priestly qualities (see 'Discerning Ministry
Booklet' [pages 5-6] and Bishop's letter), and
potential for priesthood with the parishioner
discerning a call to ordination.
Task
VIII To appoint a Parish Committee on Ministry,
if the Rector/Vicar discerns a call, to arrange
for meetings with the aspirant to begin (please
see Parish Committees
on Ministry).
Task
IX To arrange for a spiritual director acceptable
to the aspirant. (Aspirant should meet regularly
with the director throughout the discernment
process.)
Task
X To continue to meet with the aspirant as
pastor/priest/discerner. It also might be helpful
to have the aspirant become involved in new areas
of ministry as well (i.e., adult education, lay
eucharistic ministry, eucharistic minister, pastoral
care, teaching, vestry meetings, etc.).
Task
XI To assist the aspirant in following the
next steps of his/her discernment in the local
congregation and in the diocese.
If
the Parish Committee on Ministry (PCOM) discerns a call
to ordained ministry, forms will need to be filled out
and sent to the Canon for Ministry Development, Diocesan
House, 808 West State St., Trenton, New Jersey 08618.
If
the Parish Committee on Ministry (PCOM) does not discern
a call to ordained ministry the Rector/Vicar and chair
of the Parish Committee on Ministry (PCOM) will need
to meet with the aspirant to talk about what has been
discerned and what next steps lie ahead for future ministry
in the Body of Christ.
The
above tasks are listed to assist the Rector/Vicar in
the process toward ordination. If there is any need for
clarification or further assistance regarding the process,
please contact one of the co-chairs
of the Committee on Priesthood.
God
bless you as you actively recruit parishioners for ordained
ministry, and as you, with your Parish Committee on Ministry
(PCOM) discern God's call for an individual parishioner
and the church at large.
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