​

 

The Celtic Christian Church recognizes the variety of calls within the Church.

​

A vocation, in the context of Christian life, is a call to serve God and the People of God in a specific way of life, married, vowed, and/or ordained.  In the Celtic Christian Church all three are possible without prejudice regarding gender or orientation.  We seek people of profound integrity and have a zero tolerance for any form of abuse or sexual misconduct.

​

Whether one is called to married or single life each person is sacred and each path is sacred as we live the Christian life of service to one another.  We support the spiritual journey of our married and single members who are called to live by a Rule of Life.  The Order of the Merciful Christ was founded to answer that call, and welcomes members from the Celtic Christian Church and other Catholic Churches to live by the ancient Celtic Rule of St. Columba. 

​

Whether one is married or single, we recognize the call to serve at the altar is indeed heard by some, whether male or female.  The Celtic Christian Church will listen to this call with an individual, support him or her as it is discerned within a communal setting, and assist in formation for the call that is heard.

​

With these options in mind, we urge each person to have a spiritual director, guide, or spiritual friend who can help on a personal level as one discerns what God may be saying.  We encourage openness with one's bishop in this honest attempt to work within the Church tradition of being in union with one's bishop.  We require that each be a part of a community of Faith, and that this community of Faith be served to each individual's capacity, given the gifts he or she has.

​

Holy Orders

 

The Celtic Christian Church recognizes that God calls both men and women, married or celibate to serve as priests.

 

Our Formation Program for Holy Orders is serious and thorough.  Our bishops and mentors work with each individual as s/he prepares for Orders, and are always available and approachable. 

​

For the protection of the people of God, in practice of due diligence on the part of our bishops and vocation office:

​

•  All persons entering the Formation Program OR priests or bishops* seeking incardination within the CCC must submit current criminal history and child abuse clearances, as well as,

• Take the battery of psychological tests administered by our psychologists.  

• Each applicant will complete a personal questionnaire to be submitted to the bishop

• Sign our Statement of Faith 

• Sign a "hold-harmless" agreement.  

• Additionally, all those incardinating are required to complete our Celtic Christian Church theology program and any other theological and clinical pastoral education training as required by our bishops, unless the required material has been completed elsewhere and is documented.
  
  *Regarding bishops:  In addition to the above, those who seek to come to us as bishops need to know that unless they come with a jurisdictional community which has directly elected them to the episcopacy, any such bishops would not have voting privileges in our episcopal synod which would affect the entire Church.  We do not appoint bishops or acknowledge those appointed elsewhere as having authority within our communities. Our bishops are directly elected by the Church members whom they serve.  Such bishops, should they incardinate as clergy, obviously retain their episcopacy for sacramental purposes, but do not have authority within the CCC until they have an established jurisdiction which chooses them.

 

This practice is intentionally strict, and has served our Church well because not all theological training is indeed equal, and not all priests who are ordained have had access to good seminary training, and not all truly want to be Celtic Christian priests.

If you have a vocation to priesthood or religious life, but are not well-matched with the Celtic Christian Church we will do our best to help you find a spiritual home in which you will serve well.

 

Click below for:

Our Statement of Faith

Our Formation Program for Holy Orders

​

or write for

Vocation Information