Pilgrimage Information Concerning Visiting Clergy

Basilica & National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation
315 Clay Street
Carey, Ohio  43316
419-396-7107

VISITING CLERGY
Please read very carefully.

Especially if you are bringing a priest or deacon along with your pilgrimage group who may wish to celebrate / con-celebrate Mass at the shrine or conduct other ministries for your group or if you are a priest or deacon intending to visit Our Lady of Consolation Shrine wishing to celebrate / con-celebrate Mass at the shrine.

Any visiting priest or deacon from outside the Diocese of Toledo Ohio coming into the Diocese (for a pilgrimage, mission, presentation, conference, Mass, etc. this also includes coming to Our Lady of Consolation Shrine) must provide a letter of suitability (Certificate of Aptitude) from an official of his diocese of incardination (the diocese to which he belongs) or from his religious superior / provincial director of the religious order or institute of apostolic life of which he is a member for the Chancellor of the Diocese of Toledo Ohio.

This letter of suitability (Certificate of Aptitude) must be a current one bearing the seal of the diocese of incardination (the diocese to which he belongs) or of the religious order or institute of apostolic life to which he belongs and mailed to the Chancellor of the Diocese of Toledo Ohio. This is necessary to receive permission to celebrate / con-celebrate Mass or perform any other ministry at Our Lady of Consolation Shrine.

The letter must clearly state the purpose and dates for your visitation to Our Lady of Conslation Shrine.

This letter must be on file at the Chancery of the Toledo Diocese of Ohio before the visiting priest or deacon is granted permission to perform any ministry or celebrate / con-celebrate Mass at the shrine.

A copy of the letter must be sent to the Director of Our Lady of Consolation Shrine even though the Chancellor of the Toledo Diocese of Ohio forwards a copy of the letter to the director. This is to ensure that proper documentation is received at both ends, especially if there are any problems or questions that might arise.

The appropriate addresses are noted below.

Obtaining such information for permission to minister in one diocese (or eparchy) to another is now the common practice and requirement throughout the United States.

The providing of this information and the sending of it to the Chancellor should not be done at the last minute or put off to the end. If so, there is a good possibility the letter or information might not arrive in time and the required permission will not be granted and an embarrassing situation for all involved could arise.

Without the proper permission granted by the Chancellor of the Toledo Diocese no ministry may be preformed or Mass celebrated or con-celebrated at Our Lady of Consolation Shrine by the visiting priest or deacon. This is strictly enforced by the Director/Rector of Our Lady of Consolation Shrine.

It is to be clearly understood that a CELEBRET is no longer sufficient or accepted as proof to celebrate / con- celebrate at Mass or perform other ministries in the dioceses of the United States.

This regulation applies to all priests or deacons coming to Our Lady of Consolation Shrine even to those coming from outside of the United States that come or visit from Canada, Mexico and other countries as well.

Addresses:

Rev. Msgr. Marvin G. Borger, JCL
Vicar for Clergy, Senior Director, Clergy,
Consecrated Life, and Vocations Department
Diocese of Toledo
1933 Spielbusch Ave.
Toledo, OH  43604
P. 419.244.6711
F. 419.244.4791
(This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or by phone to request the letter

Basilica & National Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation
Father Thomas Merrill, OFM Conv. Rector
315 Clay Street
Carey, Ohio  43316