The criteria for membership of the Catholic Fraternity are outlined in the Statutes of the Catholic Fraternity of Covenant Communities and Fellowships. The normal process for entry into the Fraternity is as follows:
1. The Preliminary Stage
A Community or Fellowship seeking membership of the Catholic Fraternity will forward to the President of the Fraternity a request.
The President will ask the Community to forward any information about the Community's Way of Life, its process of formation and its relationships with the local Church.
The President or Regional Representative may visit the Community to ascertain the suitability of the Community in regard to the theory and practice of faith as well as it's lifestyle.
A report on the visitation of the Community will be forwarded to the members of the Executive by the President.
In order that the Executive may become more acquainted with the Community requesting membership, the President may invite two leaders of the Community to attend a Fraternity Conference as observers. The invitation to attend this Conference does not imply automatic invitations to Conferences in the future, nor does it oblige the Fraternity to accept the Community to begin the underway procedure.
2. Underway Membership
In order to begin the process of underway membership, the President will consult the Executive on the suitability of the Community. If the Executive vote (2/3 majority) to continue the process of entry, the Community will be invited to the next Fraternity Conference in an underway status.
During this stage, the President of the Fraternity or a Regional Representative will liaise with the Community. It may be necessary for the President or Regional Representative to visit the Community to assist it in its development towards full membership.
Any relevant documents of the Community seeking admission and assessments from the Regional Representative are to be sent to the President of the Fraternity as part of the process of discernment.
The Regional Representative and/or the President of the Fraternity will contact the local Ordinary in order to receive information about the community's orthodoxy, stability and its ongoing relationship with the local Church.
If necessary, the President of the Fraternity will consult with the Pontifical Council for the Laity about the requested admission to membership of the Fraternity.
As an underway member of the Fraternity, a Community will receive any publications distributed to member Communities of the Fraternity; it will be asked to contribute financially to the Fraternity and it will be permitted to attend its Conferences and/or Council Meetings. The two representatives of the underway Community mentioned in 1(e) above, will not be permitted to vote at Fraternity Conferences nor in the Council's decision making process.
During the underway stage, members of the Executive are to satisfy themselves that the Community seeking membership is authentically Catholic in its identity, lifestyle, formation and service within the Church. For example,
It is essential that the Community demonstrate in their Covenant or in the Community's Formation Programme that members of the Community are encouraged to be in the spirit of Communion (Christifideles Art 24 & 29) loyal to the Ordinary and to the Pope.
The theology and praxis of the Community and members should demonstrate their clear understanding and acceptance that the Sacraments of Initiation incorporate them into Christ, which means His body, the Church.
3. Full Membership
At the conclusion of a period of underway membership determined by the Executive, a further decision on full membership of the Fraternity will be made by the Executive at its general meeting in accordance with Article 3.1(c) of the Statutes (i.e. it is accepted by a two-thirds majority vote).
National or international groupings of Communities admitted to full membership of the Fraternity are to be seen as a single Community and as such are eligible to have one delegate and a non-voting consultant at meetings of the Council of the Fraternity as set out in Article 5.1 of the Statutes.
Communities entering into full membership of the Fraternity will be formally admitted at a Eucharist celebrated during a Conference of the Fraternity.
