Monasticism:
"The world is my cloister, my body is my cell, and my soul is the hermit within."
--- St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis really could not say anything more true today. That is how the monastics of the Ohio Orthodox Catholic Church feel each and every day. Whether it be the Franciscan Order or the Eastern Rite Order, all have been called to serve God in the place they are living at the moment and in a way that will help the community they live in.
There are two monastic orders within the Ohio Orthodox Catholic Church. One order is Franciscan and the other is Eastern Rite. Both of these monastic communities are "monasteries without walls", which means that the monastics do not live in a monastic house together. Monastics are entirely self-supporting and must provide for themselves. The Church does not provide any financial support.
If you are interested in becoming a Franciscan within the Franciscan community, please contact Archbishop Charles E. Smith, OSF via email at: chancery@ohioocc.org
If you have an interest in becoming an Eastern Rite Monastic, please read the following web page information: Monasticism -- Eastern Rite.
Following is the process for acceptance as a monastic in the Ohio Orthodox Catholic Church:
- The individual must be 21 years of age at time of application.
- The individual desiring to be a monastic within the Church must complete the application provided to them by the Archbishop of the Church.
- The Chancery will obtain an in depth background check, which the applicant will be required to pay for.
- The individual will provide with their application 2 passport size photos. Digital photos are preferred.
- The Archbishop, and the the Archimandrite if for Eastern Rite, will then review the application and background check. If all the information is acceptable, then the person is presented to the Board of the Church for their determination. If the Board approves the applicant, then he/she may be accepted as a monastic and given the appropriate Church documents and assigned to their Monastic Abbot/Abbess.
- The individual will have 60 days from time of acceptance to complete the "Stewards of Children" course which is provided through the internet by the Darkness to Light Organization. A copy of the certificate will be provided to the Chancery at the time of completion of the course.