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Ministerial Formation |
It is the whole person who ministers, so the whole person is the proper subject of formation.United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, p. 33/ 2005
In their document on lay ecclesial ministry formation, the Bishops of the United States point out that ministry formation is more than simply learning what the Church teaches. Through ministerial formation, the person grows not only in knowledge, but in faith, discipleship, personhood and skills. The four pillars of formation cited by the Bishops: Human development, spiritual growth, intellectual knowledge and pastoral skills are vital and form the framework for the Lay Pastoral Ministry Program. This multi-faced approach lies behind the long-term success of the program and the skills of our 750 graduates.
Participants engage their hearts, minds, hands and spirits through the following:
- Academic coursework provides an overview of Catholic doctrine, scripture and pastoral studies
- Mentoring with an experienced mentor fosters reflection, discernment, integration and the ability to articulate learning
- Theological Reflection connects lived experience with scripture, tradition and theology
- Field Education hands-on field work in a supervised setting develops skills and broadens experience
- Project in Ministry combines theory and practice in service to the mission of the Church
- Yearly Retreat encourages spiritual, personal and practical growth
- Advisors challenge, guide and support at every step of the program
- A Community of Faith and Learning the Athenaeum community fosters collegiality, prayer, discernment, discipleship and life-long friendships
