Certified Associate Chaplain (CAC)
Certified Associate Chaplain (CAC) Certification requires the applicant to demonstrate select competencies in the areas of Theory and Practice, Professional Identity and Conduct, Professional Practice Skills, and Organizational Leadership.
Professional competence is determined through written materials and an in-person interview with an Interview Team.
Applicants are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Qualifications and Competencies for CAC prior to working on their written materials.
Prerequisites to apply for Associate Certification
- Be a Roman Catholic or member of one of the churches in union with Rome
- Be a member of the NACC at the Chaplaincy Ministry level
- Hold a bachelor’s degree from a CHEA accredited academic institution
- Earn at least 18 graduate-level credits or equivalent in theology, divinity, religious studies, pastoral ministry, pastoral studies, or spirituality from a CHEA accredited academic institution
- Complete two (2) units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) from an ACPE accredited center
- Minimum of 500 hours of ministry experience (post CPE) within three years of application
Graduate credit equivalency may be granted to individuals who have formation and other professional experience. Many Diaconal formation programs fulfill the educational prerequisite for CAC. For more information about considerations for permanent deacons, education equivalency, and CPE, please see the CAC Application Instruction Booklet.
Future Applicants
Please complete this form if you are planning on applying for a future application cycle. This will help NACC Staff connect with you and keep you informed of any important information on the certification process.
Download, complete, and submit the application materials
Once you have met the prerequisites and are ready to apply for CAC Certification, you need to download the CAC Application Materials and prepare your application portfolio. This download will contain the following:
- CAC Application Instruction Booklet
- Application Form
- Templates for Letters of Recommendation
- Essay Templates
- Ministry Hours Form
- Education Equivalency Application Form (for those who require it)
Please use the most recent version of the Application Materials when applying for certification. With each new application cycle, important changes are applied to the instructions and essay templates. Please view this change log for a summary of recent changes.
The CAC Application Instruction Booklet will guide you through the application process and clearly outline all the requirements for your application portfolio. Applicants typically spend several months preparing their materials. The NACC highly recommends preparing your materials with the assistance of a mentor who is NACC certified.
Please note that all letters of recommendation should be addressed to the current Chair of the NACC Certification Commission: Mr. Gary A. Weisbrich BCC-PCHAC.
Are you currently preparing for certification? Learn more about the Application process by viewing the Preparing for Certification Webinar held on Nov 8, 2024. View the Recording (Passcode: vNF3s2.F) Click here to download slides from the presentation.
Click here if you need help downloading the application materials.
Prior to submitting your application materials, the Applicant must complete an eLearning module on the Ethical and Religious Directives published by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and pass a ten (10) question Post-Test. The Applicant must successfully pass the test with a score of 80% or higher.
Application submission windows are Jan 4 – Feb 15 and Aug 4 – Sep 15 of every year. Click on the link below to submit your materials during the application window.
After your application materials are submitted, the NACC will review your portfolio to ensure that all submission requirements have been met.
If your application materials are approved, you will be scheduled for an interview with a 3-person Interview Team. Interviews are generally held 7 – 8 months following the submission of the application.
Final certification decision
After your interview, the recommendations of the Interview Team will be submitted to the NACC Certification Commission for a final decision. If you are not recommended for certification, you have the right to appeal the decision.
Are you ready to take the next step on your journey?
Let us help you get certified! For questions about certification or the application process, please email [email protected].