Establishing Validity of, and Making Valid, Religious Rites and Rituals Performed Without Credentials

Topic

Establishing Validity of, and Making Valid, Religious Rites and Rituals Performed Without Credentials 

Case number

• 2015-240 (F&R date: 2016-01-22)

Description

The Committee noted that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) had employed a member as a Chaplain for more than four years before the Chaplain’s Branch became aware that within months of starting his military service, the member’s license had lapsed and that as a result he was serving as a Chaplain without valid credentials from his faith group.

The employment of an unlicensed Chaplain for four years gave rise to the issue of the validity of the religious rites and rituals performed by the CAF member. As these rites and rituals may have significant civil (legal) and/or ecclesiastical implications for the recipients, the Committee considered important that their validity be established. Furthermore, in instances where rites or rituals be found to be invalid, the Committee found that it was incumbent upon the CAF to notify the recipients and remediate the situation.

Recommendation

The Committee recommended that the validity of all religious rites and rituals performed by the CAF member subsequent to his loss of credentials in November 2006 be determined. The Committee also recommended that a communication strategy be developed to notify all affected CAF members and a plan put in place to make valid all religious rites and rituals determined to be null and void.

Final Authority Decision

Case withdrawn at Final Authority level.