Steps on My Journey

A note on the CofE discernment process
The DDO handbook (which was replaced with an anaemic booklet version but now is just an awful page on the website) stated that the process is "9-24 months from the initial point of seeing the DDO to going to an Advisory Panel". It also states "Concerns have been raised that there is a lack of clarity in some dioceses about the discernment process and that some candidates take an inordinately long time between the initial contact with the DDO and sponsorship to a Bishops’ Advisory Panel." So if you feel frustrated by things taking too long, it is permitted and advisable to raise concern, and very politely and gently push to get the process moving - the Church recognises that sometimes dioceses get too lethargic.

I was sponsored through my rector in the diocese of London. The discernment process is slightly different in each diocese, so this list is entirely subjective to my own experience, rather than a step-by-step guide for others to follow, and following the Church's worrying trend towards managerialism, it has been reviewed and changed since my time, and will continue to be, I'm sure.

At a national level, resources for what the discernment process should look like are not that great either. But I've always struggled with the lack of actual content, rather than rhetoric, on what's involved, including other vocation options (See this doc for a list of unordained vocation options).

Another tactic for preparation is digging through all the documents, forms and guidelines for candidates, DDOs, advisers, reference writers etc (available on the CofE website here). I would really recommend doing this - it gives a much better idea of what the church is looking for and what you're going to go through than pretty much any of the supposedly informative resources that are supposed to help you!

WHERE AM I NOW?
(age 23)
  • Emailed the rector to talk about vocation 07/09/2015
  • Initial informal chat with rector 10/09/2015
EXPLORATION period
(age 24)
DISCERNMENT period - PHASE ONE
DISCERNMENT period - PHASE TWO
  • Towards Ordained Ministry course, session six 06/03/2017
  • Date for BAP set - start paperwork
    • Sponsoring Papers - incl summary by DDO, legal forms, CV, formation plan
    • Registration Form (THE BIG ONE with lots of life history/personal details)
    • 4 References
      • sponsoring incumbent priest
      • lay member of congregation with position of authority
      • employer
      • educational
    • Written Reflection on Mission and Evangelism (500-750 words)
  • Silent retreat 17/03/2017 - 19/03/2017
(age 25)
    • DDO 7 25/04/2017
    • Taize weekend in Birmingham 28/04/2017 - 01/05/2017
    • Cranmer Hall, Durham & Queen's College, Birmingham 04/05/2017 - 06/05/2017
    • Sponsoring papers sent off 15/05/2017
    • Offer letters from Durham and Queen's
    • Prepare for BAP  14th chat with rector 12/06, DDO 8 14/06, spiritual director 20/06
    • Go to BAP 26/03/2017-28/06/2017
      • prepared paperwork
      • three interviews about criteria (three sections per interview - vocation, personal, education)
      • prepared presentation - five minutes on your choice of topic based on criteria
      • group discussion following each presentation - facilitating discussion after candidate's own presentation, max 13 mins
      • 'personal inventory' - pre-interview questionnaire based on a candidate’s own thoughts and experiences, handwritten in 40 mins
      • pastoral exercise - respond in writing to a complex pastoral situation
    • Get a positive result - Bishop's phone call 06/07/2017
    • DDO 9 Post-recommendation debrief with report  13/07/2017
    • Fifteenth chat with rector 13/07/2017
    • Parish away weekend with SMITF 14-16/07/2017
    • Gabriel Collective at Naturally Supernatural 22/07/2017-28/07/2017
    • Week in Scotland - given a clerical cloak 29/07/2017-05/08/2017
    • Week in Taize 12/08/2017-21/08/2017
    • Finish job as pastoral assistant at SMITF 03/09/2017
      • Given an alb
    • Move out of London 04/09/2017
    • TWO YEAR MARK 07/09/2017
    • Move to Durham 30/09/2017
    TRAINING PERIOD - PART ONE
    (age 26)
    (age 27)
    (age 28)
    TRAINING PERIOD - PART 2
     (age 29)
        • First baptism 4/4/2021
      • Year 2
        • ordained priest 19/06/2021  (recording)
        • First Mass 27/06/2021
        • Shadowed hospital chaplain for a day 18/8/2021
        • First funeral 25/8/2021
        • SIX YEAR MARK 07/09/2021
        • Led the LLF course 22/9-20/10/2021
        • started application to be an army chaplain 14/01/2022
        • Became a trustee of TCUK 18/1/2022
        • First wedding 4/3/2022
    (age 30)
        • Became the Two Cities rep on the London LGBT+ Advisory Group 18/05/22
        • Joined the Society of Catholic Priests 25/5/2022
        • Finally graduated from Durham 27/6/2022
      • Year 3
        • Preached at Grey Coat Hospital leaver's service, Westminster Abbey 6/7/2022
        • army medical 30/8/2022
        • Officer Familiarisation Visit 5-7/9/2022
        • SEVEN YEAR MARK 07/09/2022
        • Get a personal trainer 08/09/22
        • Interview with the Bishop to the Forces 08/09/2022
        • Solo parish eucharist after the death of Queen Elizabeth 11/09/22
        • Took my grandma's funeral 14/09/22
        • Advent Unlocked service (solo project) 04/12/22
        • AOSB incl fitness test 11-13/01/23
        • Chat with ex-padre Tower of London Chaplain 07/02/23
        • Les Miserables Lent Course 01-29/03/23
        • Big Issues at St Paul's cathedral 23/03 + 24/07 + 10/07/23
    (age 31)
        • 'end of training' assessment
        • Blessed the military marching in Pride in London 01/07/23
        • diocesan residential 04-06/07/23
        • retreat in York 24-27/07/23
        • RMAS briefing 27-28/07/23
        • EIGHT YEAR MARK 07/09/2023
        • end of the curacy 30/09/23
    QUALIFIED PRIEST

     WHAT NEXT?
    • Second posting ?2025
    • three years probation til Dec 2026
    • Third posting ?2027
    • six years until maybe promoted to Major ?2029

    1 comment:

    1. Peregrin18 January 2019 at 02:34

      This is an awesome mapping of the steps and an awesome blog! The best on the whole, wild, full and glorious call to Ordination I have seen. THANK YOU :)

      ReplyDelete

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