Once candidates have been ordained, they join our Initial Ministerial Education (IME) phase 2 within the Diocese in Europe.  

The Diocese in Europe is a fascinating and stimulating place to come and learn. Our curates reflect the great cultural and national diversity of the continent. Curate learning, formation and development is strongly valued and affirmed in our diocese. 

In IME Phase 2 curates receive day-to-day training, supervision and reflection on ministry in their chaplaincy. This is complemented by the Diocesan IME 2 Programme which brings together curates from across the diocese for three-day residential sessions twice a year for the first three years following ordination. It also includes online seminars and workshops. The topics explored in the six residential sessions aim to equip newly ordained clergy for public ministry while encouraging and nurturing their formation and ministerial development. 

The nature of ministry in Europe means curates often do one or more short placements in another diocese or another chaplaincy within the Diocese in Europe. In the three-year cycle of the curacy, training incumbents and curates together attend annual seminars, with further training offered to training incumbents on Zoom.

The IME 2 Programme prepares curates to be ready for deployment throughout the Church of England at the completion of their curacy.

Points to note 

• Curacies in the Diocese in Europe usually last three to four years 

• IME 2 Programme complies with the national Church of England guidelines while addressing the particular circumstances of ministry in the Diocese in Europe.

• Curacy training in the chaplaincy is outlined in a Working Agreement and Training Plan drawn up between training incumbent and curate at the start of the curacy and re-visited regularly.

• Curacies are completed with a successful End of Curacy Review.