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Licensing, Certification, and Endorsement of Chaplains Clergy of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church around the world, including clergy of jurisdictions represented within the Consistory, regularly provide spiritual care beyond ordinary parish ministry, including hospital visitation, emergency response, military and veterans’ ministry, public ceremonies, bereavement support, institutional visitation, and humanitarian service. Ordained clergy who have completed the Pontifical Georgian College Sacrae Theologiae Licentiatus / Licentiate in Sacred Theology (STL) or equivalent theological formation, and who remain in good standing with the Church, are considered by the Church to possess the theological, pastoral, liturgical, and spiritual formation ordinarily required for ecclesiastical chaplaincy service and are considered, in accordance with Church tradition, to be de facto chaplains. For such clergy, especially those who serve regularly outside parochial ministry, the Church may issue a specific Chaplain Certification, License, and Ecclesiastical Endorsement, and with appropriate identification. This certification and license confirms that the cleric is authorized to represent the Church in chaplaincy contexts and to provide spiritual care according to the doctrine, discipline, and pastoral standards of the Church. The Church may also certify and license other clerics or qualified members of religious orders who, in the judgment of the competent ecclesiastical authority, have received sufficient theological, pastoral, professional, or experiential formation for chaplaincy service. Because the title of chaplain properly applies to the clergy in traditional usage, the Roman-Ruthenian Church uses the title of Religious Sister in Pastoral Service for female members of religious orders carrying out certain humanitarian and pastoral care in chaplain-adjacent settings. For the laity, those engaged in such chaplain-adjacent service are known as Layman/Laywoman in Pastoral Service. Those active in chaplaincy ministry, including those outside the canonical structure of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church, may be recognized with the special honor and status of Fellow of the Pontifical College of Chaplains (postnomials: FPCCh). Read more here at the page of the Pontifical College of Chaplains. Credentials are subject to review and come with an inherent committment to continued education. Chaplains may also serve within the Pontifical Walsingham Gaurd, which supports ceremonial, humanitarian, veterans’, emergency-response, and public-service ministries. Members of the Guard, whether chaplains or not, also may be issued appropriate identification according to their role and authorization. Church chaplain licensing is an ecclesiastical credential under the supreme authority of the Church. Chaplains may seek additional certification from appropriate outside boards and orgnanizations as a matter of professional development or role requirement.
[Pontifical Georgian College Main Page]
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