At the NCP General Meeting, held Thursday 28 July 2016, the motion to offer Associate Membership to religious women and brothers and the laity, to enable those that participate to support and encourage the objectives and works of the NCP, was passed unanimously.

The Constitution of the Association was amended to include a category of membership to be known as an Associate.

An Associate member, on payment of an annual subscription fee will be entitled to receive a subscription to The Swag and access to other rights and benefits that will be determined by the Committee, including a subscription to The Tablet at the reduced NCP financial member rate.

Associate Membership commenced in 2017.

At the General Meeting held during the NCP Convention 2018, members voted to offer free Associate Membership to Seminarians.