Contact and Inquiry
We welcome your questions, your discernment, and your first steps toward deeper formation in the life of the Church.
If you are exploring the diaconate, the priesthood, continuing formation, or simply want to know more about the Old Catholic Institute, we invite you to reach out. A good beginning often starts with a simple conversation.
You do not need to arrive with everything resolved. You do not need to have every answer in place. If you are seeking clarity, guidance, or a faithful next step, this is the place to begin.
How We Can Help
Not every inquiry is the same, and that is perfectly fine. Some people reach out because they are actively discerning a call to ordained ministry. Others want to understand the Institute’s programs, formation paths, or admissions process. Some are simply trying to figure out whether this is the right place to ask deeper questions.
Whatever brings you here, we want the tone of this first contact to be warm, clear, and pastoral. Inquiry is not an interruption. It is part of discernment.
General Questions
Ask about the Institute, its mission, its formation model, or which page or pathway may be most relevant to your situation.
Discernment Inquiries
Reach out if you are sensing a call to the diaconate or priesthood and want to begin a serious, honest conversation about vocation.
Admissions Help
Contact us if you need help understanding application steps, supporting documents, readiness, or what formation path may fit best.
A Welcoming First Step
Many people hesitate before sending the first message. That is understandable. Ministry is serious, and asking about formation can feel vulnerable. But this is exactly why the inquiry process matters. It creates room for honest questions, thoughtful guidance, and a better sense of what God may be doing in your life.
If you are unsure, start with a question. If you are ready, start with a conversation. Either way, begin.
Inquiry Form
You can use the form below as your starting point. If you are building this page in WordPress, you can replace this section with your preferred form plugin or keep this layout and connect it to your site’s contact form system.
What to Include in Your Inquiry
You do not need to write a perfect message. Just write an honest one. Still, a few details can help us respond more helpfully and more directly.
Helpful things to include:
- Your current church or parish background
- Whether you are discerning the diaconate, priesthood, or another path
- Any previous ministry or theological study
- What questions you most need answered right now
You may also wish to mention:
- Whether you are ready to apply or still exploring
- Whether you have clergy sponsorship or parish support
- Any practical concerns about readiness or timing
- How you would like us to respond
Who Should Reach Out
This page is for prospective clergy, current church workers, those exploring formation, and those simply trying to discern whether the Institute may be the right place to begin. You do not need to be far along in the process to contact us.
- Those discerning a call to the diaconate
- Those discerning a call to the priesthood
- Those seeking guidance about admissions and next steps
- Those interested in continuing theological or ministerial formation
- Those with general questions about the Old Catholic Institute
What Happens Next
After you send an inquiry, the next step is simple: conversation. Depending on your question, that may mean a direct reply, guidance toward the right formation page, or an invitation to continue the discussion in a more focused way.
If your inquiry is about discernment for ordained ministry, the response may lead toward deeper conversation about admissions, readiness, sponsorship, and formation. If your inquiry is more general, we will aim to point you in the clearest possible direction.
A first inquiry does not lock you into anything. It simply opens the door to a better, clearer next step.
If You Are Ready for More Than Inquiry
If your questions have already become a real sense of calling, then inquiry may not be your final stop. You may be ready to review admissions, explore formation paths in more depth, or begin the application process.