mentors

An integral part of the discernment process of a person presenting to the Catholic Church of the Americas (CCA) is the regular contact between
members of the Church and that person. In the past, persons have stated that one of the reasons they chose the CCA over other independent
jurisdictions was that they were in touch with other members of the Church who were encouraging them along the way.

All clergy of the CCA are active members in the formation of a candidate to Holy Orders. This involvement with the
individual begins with the initial contact of the person to the CCA. It is not the sole responsibility of the bishops or the
director of vocations to maintain contact with the inquiring individual, but it is the responsibility of the entire CCA clergy.

What is a mentor? Mentors are clergy persons designated by the bishops or director of vocations who assist potential
clergy in their formation toward ordination. They will team with resource persons, within and outside of the CCA, e.g.,
counselors, spiritual directors, etc. Mentors work under the direction of the bishops or director of vocations who assist in
providing resources, consultation about application of the curriculum and advice in counseling potential clergy.

Responsibilities of the Mentors

1. Discerning the candidate's call to priesthood or diaconate.

2. Designing under the direction of the director of education, the candidate and the local bishop, a course of studies that is appropriate for the needs of
    the candidate.

3. Maintaining consistent communications with the person being mentored. If the candidate is not initiating contact, it is the mentor's responsibility to
    contact the candidate to determine the problem and suggest means of rectifying the situation.

4. Seeing that the requirements of the PFPO are fulfilled, adapting the time frame and providing resources and support in spiritual, academic and
    ministerial training, according to the path and progress of each candidate.

5. Communicating on a regular basis with the local bishop and/or director of vocations as to the progress of the person being mentored.

Responsibilities of Those Being Mentored

1. Those interested in candidacy for Holy Orders must submit the completed clergy application to the
    director of vocations or bishop.

2. When a person requests information about ordination within the CCA, the director of vocations or
     bishop will select a mentor for the inquirer from among the CCA clergy.

3. Persons being mentored are expected to work directly with the mentor and to maintain harmonious and
    open communications with the mentor.

4. Upon mutual agreement with the mentor, the clergy applicant is to select a spiritual director of
    personal choice. All persons involved in any capacity with the person being mentored should be
    introduced to the mentor, and team consultation for support of training is encouraged.

5. A curriculum appropriate for the needs of the candidate will be designed by the director or education,
    the local bishop, and the mentor in dialogue with the candidate. The candidate must take primary
    responsibility to become fully cognizant of the program and commitment requirements.

6. Periodic evaluation of each candidate's progress will be undertaken according to the following principle:

    a. Evaluations are oral and written. They are to include written reflection assignments completed by the person being mentored as well as
            summaries submitted by the mentor to the director of vocations and local bishop. Evaluations are to be conducted in an atmosphere of
            prayerful, mutual respect with adequate time for in-depth sharing.

    b. Evaluations are meant as a focus for assessment of growth and needs and as a mutually helpful tool for the discernment process about
            vocation and direction in continuing education.

    c. A natural time for evaluation to occur is quarterly and at end points in study units.

7. Compatibility with the particular style and spirituality of the CCA, as expressed in Church documents, worship and other lived ministries, must be
     clearly indicated in candidates who will be recommended for Holy Orders.

8. Participation in the training program may be suspended or terminated at any time, upon the initiative of either the Church or the candidate.

I. Inquirer

Once a person makes contact with the CCA, the person is considered to be an inquirer. At that time, the person is encouraged to visit the CCA
website and to read the information contained on the Vocations Page with accompanying links. The name of the inquirer is added to the Directory of
the CCA and s/he begins receiving ongoing messages from the CCA. A person remains on the directory for a minimum of three months. If, after three
months, no one has heard from the individual, his or her name is automatically deleted from the directory. Of course, an inquirer can request to have
his or her name dropped from the directory at any time.

When a person becomes an inquirer within the CCA and if staff is available, a mentor from among the clergy should be assigned to the inquirer. It
is this mentor's responsibility to contact the inquirer and let him/her know that the mentor can be contacted with any questions or concerns that the
inquirer might have at any point in the discernment process. The newly-assigned mentor should initiate contact with the inquirer by telephone, letter,
e-mail, card, or any other form of contact. This should be the beginning of a long term relationship between the inquirer and the mentor. It is often at
this point that a person decides whether or not the CCA is really a good match for them. Therefore, it is extremely important that the mentor maintain
regular contact during this period.

II. Aspirant

Once the inquirer has made it known that s/he is seriously considering affiliating with the CCA, the inquirer
becomes an aspirant. This is the period of discernment as to whether or not the CCA and the aspirant are a good
"fit" for each other. This aspirant will be aided in this discernment by continuing to have regular contact with
members of the CCA. The Church, on the other hand, will be evaluating the aspirant in determining whether or not
the aspirant's spirituality, motivation, and desire are consonant with that of the CCA.

An aspirant will remain listed in the CCA Directory unless they are not heard from in a three month period. Of
course, it is hoped that this will never occur in that the mentor should be in regular contact with the aspirant. If a
three month period does go by when an aspirant is not heard from, or at the request of the aspirant, the name will be
deleted from the CCA Directory. It is the responsibility of the director of vocations to inform the aspirant that
his/her name will be dropped from the directory for failure to maintain contact with the CCA.

It is imperative that an aspirant dialogue with his/her mentor about the type of ministry that the aspirant plans on developing. Nat all clergy are to
answer God's call by becoming pastors of parishes. Some clergy are needed to offer more widespread or specific services, such as national or
diocesan administration, prison ministry, street ministry, women's ministry, etc. Others may be called to a more contemplative form of ministry
where their primary ministry will be to pray for all CCA ministries, the Church and ALL God's children.

III. Clergy Applicant

Once the aspirant has made the decision to affiliate with the CCA, it is her/his responsibility to
complete the application for ordination or reception within the CCA. The application is sent to the
director of vocation or the local bishop and the aspirant then becomes a Clergy Applicant. A
Clergy Applicant is not dropped from the CCA Directory unless the applicant makes the request.
As an applicant, the person should be working in unison with the director of vocation or bishop in
acquiring all needed documents listed in the application.

Once the director of vocations of bishop receives the application from the aspirant, he or she is
then advised to seek a spiritual director. There is information and a form for spiritual directors in
the "Vocations" section of the CCA website. The letter of agreement should be given and signed by
the proposed spiritual director which is signed and returned to the director of vocations or bishop.
It is noted that the bond that exists between a spiritual director and the person is a confidential one.
Though information discussed in spiritual direction should never be revealed, the spiritual director
should feel confident in stating that the applicant is spiritually ready for ordination.

     Once the applicant's has turned in the application and all supporting documents, a vocation committee is then assigned. The committee can be
composed by any of the following: (1) the director of vocations, (2) the mentor, (3) the director of education, (4) the applicant's pastor, (5) the
spiritual director, (6) a lay church leader.

     It is during this stage that the individual is carefully studied by the CCA as to whether or not it is to the benefit of both the applicant and the CCA
to accept his/her application for ordination/reception. One way in doing this is administering psychological tests to the applicant and making the
results known to the applicant as well as those other individuals of the CCA involved in the decision making process.

     The director of vocations should at this point investigate the background of the applicant. This could take the form of calling persons who have
submitted letters of recommendation on the applicant, contacting former pastors, employers, police departments, etc. How thorough this investigation
is left to the discretion of the vocation director and may be prompted by members of the vocation committee.

Once all information is obtained, the director of vocations shall collate this information and distribute it to each
member of the person's vocation committee. The committee members will then each cast separate ballots in favor
of or in opposition to the ordination/reception of the individual. These ballot's will be given to the individual's
mentor who will then make recommendation to the diocesan bishop.

In the Catholic Church, the priest carried out the function of the bishop in the parish and/or ministry where s/he
ministers. This is a fulfillment of the priesthood of the bishop. Clergy of a diocese are answerable to the people
they shepherd as well as to the diocesan bishop. It is, therefore, logical that the diocesan bishop should have the
final say so as to the status of the applicant within the CCA. Once deciding the future of the applicant within the
CCA, the bishop will discuss this with the mentor who will then discuss it with the applicant.

Recommendations which can result in this process for the applicant include (1) a curriculum of studies, (2) personal studies in deficient areas to
be fortified with the writing of papers and discussion of the subject matter with the mentor, (3) a period of more intense prayer and contemplation
about ordination or reception, (4) the establishing of a faith community to be later developed into a parish or ministry, (5) temporary rejection of the
application, (6) ordination or reception.

IV. Seminarian

     If the decision of the local bishop is that the clergy applicant is in need of course work or other
such training, the applicant then becomes known as a seminarian. The CCA has a system of
education established that offers various courses of study by correspondence. It may be the
decision of the local bishop, however, that the applicant needs more intense study in an area which
may not be offered through the CCA courses in education. It is then the responsibility of the
seminarian, the mentor and the director of education to develop how to fulfill this request by the
bishop. Certain books, articles, etc., may be recommended folowed by the writing of papers in that
area. The local bishop is to be informed when the seminarian has completed the required courses.
A seminarian cannot be dropped from the CCA Directory unless he/she makes that request.

     Completion of academic studies does not in itself constitute qualification for Holy Orders.
Discernment about a candidate's character, calling and readiness has primacy over considerations
about professional credentials.

     In geographical areas of need for CCA representation, the educational requirement may be
replaced with the taking of the General Ordination Exam which is an extensive survey in the areas
of the required courses. This exam also tests the candidate's knowledge of Catholicism. Use of this
exam is entirely up to the discretion of the local bishop.

V. Clergy Candidate

Once the individual has met all requirements and recommendations of the local diocesan bishop and is awaiting ordination or reception, the
individual is known as a Clergy Candidate. A Clergy Candidate cannot be dropped from the CCA Directory unless he or she makes that request. As
a Clergy Candidate, the person may start wearing clerical clothes but must have a solid black line drawn down the middle of the white collar to
indicate that they have not yet been ordained.