Office of the Chancellor

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As official Notary of the Archdiocese, the Chancellor is responsible for authenticating all official documents and ensuring that the acts of the curia, as well as historic documents, are gathered, arranged, and safeguarded in the archdiocesan archives.

Marriage Dispensations and Permissions: All marriage dispensations and permissions are the responsibility of the Office of the Chancellor. Please find the Marriage dispensation forms on the Forms page.

Marriage Packets: Please send Marriage files to the Marriage Tribunal. Marriage files coming into or leaving the Archdiocese are now the responsibility of the Marriage Tribunal and Very Rev. Krikor Chahin, Judicial Vicar. Please see the Tribunal page for more information. 

Lay Speakers: The Office of the Chancellor is responsible for oversight of lay speakers. Lay speakers coming into the Archdiocese of San Antonio to teach and/or present on matters that bear on faith and morals must comply with the archdiocese’s Speaker Policy, found on the Guidelines, Recommendations, and Policies page. To be considered as a speaker or presenter in the Archdiocese of San Antonio, one must be in good standing with the Roman Catholic Church. The speaker’s published documents and previous public presentations must also be in harmony and fidelity with the teaching and discipline of the Church, as prescribed in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. A priest who has withdrawn from ministerial priesthood, presenters in irregular marriages, and those living a lifestyle not in accord with Church teaching are not eligible for consideration.

Find the Speaker Request Form on the Forms page.

Letters of Good Standing for Lay Persons: The Office of the Chancellor will provide a Letter of Good Standing for Lay Catholics residing in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Please have your pastor submit a letter of good standing on your behalf to the Office of the Chancellor and request that we issue a diocesan level Letter of Good Standing. Lay persons from the Archdiocese of San Antonio requesting a letter of good standing for ministry in another diocese, please submit your request to this office at least three months prior to the event.

Letters of Suitability for Priests: Letter of Suitability for priests will be processed through the Office of Clergy. For more information and assistance click here. 

Letters of Suitability for Deacons: Letters of Suitability for deacons are processed by the Office of Diaconate Ministry and Formation. For more information and assistance click here.

Letters of Suitability for Religious Women and Brothers: Letters of Suitability for religious women and brothers are processed by the Office of Religious Life. For more information and assistance click here.

Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion: The Office of the Chancellor is responsible for maintaining a list of the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion at each parish. The submission of names of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion for your parish should be made to the Office of the Chancellor using the fillable form found on the Forms page.

Catholic Organizations and Apostolates:  The Office of the Chancellor is responsible for vigilance and oversight of Catholic organizations and apostolates present in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Catholic organizations and apostolates must submit information about their ministry and operations and meet with the Chancellor prior to beginning ministry in this diocese.

Policy for Applying and Maintaining Status as an Apostolic Group in the Archdiocese of San Antonio can be found on the Guidelines, Recommendations, and Policies page.

Second Collections: Annual national appeals supporting the Church’s works of social justice, evangelization, catechesis, and national and local institutional development domestically and around the world through the generosity of parishioners. The policy for second collections can be found on the Guidelines, Recommendations, and Policies page

A list of 2024 collections to be taken up at all parishes and missions in the Archdiocese of San Antonio can be found on the Guidelines, Recommendations, and Policies page.

Contact

Most Rev. Gary W. Janak, JCL
Chancellor

Phone: 210-734-1671
Email:  [email protected]

Lori Peery, JCL, JD
Vice Chancellor 

Phone: 210-734-1670
Email:  [email protected]

Yessica Marval
Executive Administrative Assistant 

Phone: 210-734-1676
Email:  [email protected]

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