Licentiate in Diaconal Ministry (LDM)
A serious, online-first formation pathway preparing candidates for diaconal ministry in the independent sacramental and Western Rite tradition.
The Licentiate in Diaconal Ministry (LDM) is the flagship formation pathway of the Institute of Ministry of the Apostolic Old Catholic Mission. It is an intensive, eleven-month, cohort-based programme (delivered across a thirteen-month calendar span with a Christmas and New Year recess) designed for catechised Christians preparing for diaconal ministry in the realities of contemporary independent sacramental and Western Rite life. The first cohort is expected to run from February 2027 to February 2028, including the recess, and offers approximately 440 hours of guided formation across eleven modules.
This programme is built for the actual contexts in which many deacons now serve: small communities, house churches, online ministry, pastoral presence, and bivocational service. It is not a generic ministry certificate, a lightweight devotional course, or a miniature version of a Roman Catholic or Anglican institutional programme. Rather, it forms candidates for faithful, accountable, sacramental ministry in communities that are often dispersed, emerging, and deeply relational.
Throughout the programme, candidates engage Scripture, doctrine, sacramental theology, liturgy, the Daily Office, preaching, pastoral care, clergy ethics, governance, mission, and practical ministry. Formation is supported by Institute-authored teaching, curated open resources, Scripture word-study tools, reflective assignments, pastoral case studies, monthly cohort discussion, and practical assessments designed to test not only knowledge, but readiness for ministry.
What the programme covers
- Old and New Testament Scripture, including guided word-study tools
- The Creeds, the Lord’s Prayer, and Church history from the Early Church to today
- Moral theology, ecumenism, and the pastoral teaching of doctrine
- Sacramental theology and clear diaconal boundaries
- Liturgy, the Daily Office, and the sanctification of time
- The diaconal ministry of the Word, including preaching and teaching
- Pastoral care, boundaries, clergy ethics, and accountability
- Small-group leadership, house-church ministry, mission, and final integration
The Course Outline
In the interest of transparency, the full module structure is published below. Detailed lesson content, readings, and assessments are reserved for enrolled candidates.
- Module 01 — Orientation, Ecclesiology, and the Rule of Formation
- Module 02 — Scripture I: Old Testament, Covenant, and the People of God
- Module 03 — Scripture II: New Testament, Christ, Church, and Mission
- Module 04 — Creeds, the Lord’s Prayer, and Church History
- Module 05 — Ethics, Ecumenism, and Teaching the Faith
- Module 06 — Sacramental Theology and Diaconal Boundaries
- Module 07 — Liturgy, Daily Office, and the Sanctification of Time
- Module 08 — The Diaconal Ministry of the Word
- Module 09 — Pastoral Care, Boundaries, and Clergy Ethics
- Module 10 — Small Groups, House Churches, and Local Mission
- Recess — Christmas and New Year (no new module)
- Module 11 — Integration, Practicum, and Readiness for the Diaconate
Who this programme is for
The LDM is intended for adult candidates who are teachable, prayerful, and serious about servant ministry. It is especially suited to those preparing for ministry in small or emerging communities, and to those whose vocation must be lived faithfully alongside work, family responsibilities, and other real-world commitments. Candidates from compatible jurisdictions within the independent sacramental and Western Rite tradition are welcome.
Important to know
- This is an ecclesiastical formation award, not a university degree or state-accredited qualification.
- Successful completion prepares a candidate for final review and discernment for diaconal ministry.
- Completion does not itself guarantee ordination, faculties, appointment, or employment.
- The programme is intentionally serious, accountable, and formation-based, not merely informational.
Ancient in faith, practical in method, and shaped by the Mission's conviction: Christ at the Centre. Everyone at the Table.
Orientation and Equivalency Intake (OEI)
A bridging course for clergy already validly ordained as deacon, priest, or bishop who are seeking incardination into the Apostolic Old Catholic Mission.
The Orientation & Equivalency Intake (OEI) is offered by the Institute of Ministry of the Apostolic Old Catholic Mission. It is a twenty-five hour, individually scheduled and tutor-paced course of fourteen units across four streams, completed within a twelve-week window from an agreed start date. Entry is by invitation · no fee.
The OEI does not repeat the formation you have already received. It teaches how this Mission understands the faith you already hold: who we are, how we serve, how we worship, and how we keep people safe. Experience earned elsewhere is honoured, but it does not reduce what must be completed here.
A place cannot be applied for or bought. It is offered after an enquiry has been received and considered. Completion of the OEI is required for incardination, but does not by itself guarantee it.