Serving in a variety of settings
In addition to serving in communities of faith, ministry personnel serve in a variety of ministry settings, such as hospitals or correctional facilities, as chaplains or spiritual care providers.
Canadian Armed Forces Chaplaincy
Ministry personnel must be ordained to become a chaplain in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Chaplaincy in the Correctional Service Canada (CSC)
Chaplains provide chaplaincy services for federally sentenced offenders. They facilitate religious and spiritual understanding and practice for offenders during incarceration. Chaplains play a key role in meeting CSC’s obligations under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms with respect to offenders’ religious and spiritual freedoms. They respond to the needs of offenders of any or no faith. For more information about chaplaincy in CSC, please see the document in the Downloads.
For information about available positions, please see the job postings from Bridges of Canada (contractor for chaplaincy services).
Chaplaincy in Post-Secondary Institutions
Ministry personnel serve as chaplains and spiritual care providers on college and university campuses. Often working in ecumenical or multi-faith settings, campus chaplains minister to students, faculty, and staff.
Spiritual Care in Hospitals
Ministry personnel also work in health-care settings as chaplains or spiritual care providers. Some ministry personnel who serve in this ministry context require further education or accreditation from the Canadian Association for Spiritual Care.
If you are applying for a position in one of these other ministries and you require a letter of endorsement, please contact the Office of Vocation at . It is expected that you will be on the Registry of Accredited Ministry Personnel, including being in good standing and up to date with mandatory training requirements and completion of the annual declaration on criminal charges. Depending on the type of ministry and the requirements of the letter of endorsement, you may need to have a conversation with a team from the Credentialing Committee of the Office of Vocation.