Associate Chaplain Renewal of Certification: Recommendation Letters and Endorsement Letters
Who is required to submit a letter of recommendation and where should it be sent?
Lay associate chaplains applying for renewal of certification will need to request a letter of recommendation from their pastor or a priest in active ministry in the Applicant’s Diocese of Ministry. The letter should be addressed to the Chair of the Certification Commission and mailed to the NACC national office. Letter is to be a signed and dated original on letterhead and received within one year of application for renewal of certification.
What should be included in the letter of recommendation?
The letter of recommendation should state how long the pastor/priest has known the renewing associate chaplain; attest that the applicant is a practicing Catholic in good standing with the church; and describe any parish/diocesan leadership or involvement.
Recommendation Letter Template (version 1) ~ to be used by applicants ministering in the Archdiocese of New York
Recommendation Letter Template (version 2) ~ to be used by all other applicants
Who requests the ecclesiastical endorsement and from whom is it requested?
The NACC national office on your behalf will send the request for a current ecclesiastical endorsement to the appropriate authority.
- Requests for Lay Members are sent to the (Arch)Bishop of the diocese of the applicant’s ministry
- Requests for Religious Sister, Brother, or Priest are sent to the Major Superior
- Requests for Diocesan Priest or Deacon are sent to the (Arch)Bishop of the Diocese of Incardination
Ecclesiastical endorsement also assures NACC that any Safe Environment Training requirements (of the endorsing body) have been met by the Associate Chaplain. Renewing associate chaplains are encouraged to reach out to their endorsing body to ensure they have met these requirements prior to submitting their renewal application to the NACC.
How do the Diocese of Ministry and Diocese of Residence differ? From which Diocese will the NACC national office request my endorsement?
The Diocese of Ministry is the Diocese in which an associate chaplain does their ministry (work) and the Diocese of Residence is the Diocese in which an associate chaplain resides. Often, the Diocese of Ministry and Diocese of Residence for an associate chaplain is the same.
In the event that an associate chaplain works in one diocese but resides in another, the letter of endorsement request will be sent to the Diocese of Ministry.
In the event that an associate chaplain is not currently working, the letter of endorsement request will be sent to the Diocese of Residence.
