" A Welcoming Community of Faith Rooted in the Catholic Tradition "
Building New Mission Parishes
One of the obvious goals of the Evangelical Catholic Church is the creation of new mission parishes. Hardly a week goes by when we get an inquiry or request to open a new parish.
This information page had been created to provide the necessary background steps to have a new mission parish created within the Evangelical Catholic Church.
There are two ways in which a new mission parish is created within the Evangelical Catholic Church.
The first is when a parish is established by a residential priest, deacon or bishop.
The second is when a parish is desired by members of the laity, but without a priest in residence. Obviously, it is easier for a priest, deacon or bishop to create a new parish when one is either in residence or lives nearby.
For those who wish to desire a parish created for them, but without pastoral staffing - it is still possible to realize the goal of a new parish.
We believe that there are many inactive priests and deacons living throughout the nation who may long to return to sacramental ministry. In these situations, we ask the local laity to assist in vocational recruitment for a canonically qualified inactive priest or deacon to incardinate into the Evangelical Catholic Church and serve at a parish. We also encourage the laity of our Church in the fostering and encouragement of new vocations, for we have a fine seminary program to prepare new deacons and priests and also to prepare clergy from other non-catholic denominations who find themselves called to the Catholic life and the Catholic deaconate or priesthood.
The Evangelical Catholic Church cannot stress enough the importance of the role of the laity within the life of our faith community. We desire the laity to take a proactive role in the welfare of their local parishes and in the overall welfare of the Church. While would never burden the laity or ask them to take on the overwhelming responsibilities that the laity is often asked within the structure of a Congregationalist church, we do ask them to embrace a stewardship role that will help their parish priest with the day-to-day activities and obligations of a parish.
Canon 22: The House of Laity
22.1 The purpose of the House of the Laity is to represent the needs of the laity, and to provide an authoritative and consultative role in the governance of the Church.
22.2 Membership in the House of Laity will consist of any adult members of the Church who have completed their eighteenth year of age, and who have formally been received into the Church.
The Evangelical Catholic Church is always ready to assist anyone in the creation of new missions parishes that are welcoming communities of faith rooted in the Catholic tradition.
Let us know when you are ready to work with us.
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