August
29, 2006
SALT
LAKE CITY — “The needs of the church are many,”
said Msgr. J. Terrence Fitzgerald, diocesan administrator,
as he welcomed those selected to participate in the Lay
Ecclesial Ministry Formation Program at the Skaggs Catholic
Center Aug. 19.
Thomas
Cummings, director of STEP, the on-line theological education
program the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Program will
use, gives a lecture on the history of salvation.
There
are 37 applicants enrolled in the Lay Ecclesial Ministry
Formation Program. The diverse group of participants come
from various parishes throughout the Diocese of Salt Lake
City. Some are working on certification as Catholic chaplains,
pastoral associates, and spiritual direction. There are
also directors of religious education, RCIA leaders, Catholic
health care ministers, a Catholic school principal, those
interested in prison ministry, adult education, and those
working in other outreach ministries.
“It
is very important for the lay ecclesial ministers to work
in cooperation with the ordained,” said Susan Northway,
director of the Office of Religious Education. “The
hope for this program is the pastoral ministry work needing
to be done in the diocese will now have trained lay people
who can step into leadership roles and assist in our parishes
and other institutions. Some lay people are already filling
those roles.”
Northway
said the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Program was developed
in response to the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops (USCCB) “Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the
Lord: A Resource for Guiding the Development of Lay Ecclesial
Ministry.” It was approved by the USCCB at their semi-annual
meeting in Washington, D.C., in November 2005. This resource
guide addresses issues that have been on the USCCB’s
agenda since 1980. At that time, in “Called and Gifted,”
the bishops welcomed the gift of lay persons who have prepared
for professional ministry in the Church.
In 1995,
a subcommittee of the Committee on Laity focused its attention
on the theology of lay ecclesial ministers, the preparation
and formation of lay ecclesial ministers, and their identity
and relationship within the Church. It is that subcommittee
which prepared “Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the
Lord.” Such lay people serve as pastoral associates,
directors of religious education, youth ministers, school
principals, in liturgy and music, and numerous other roles.
Northway
began reading Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, and
brought a proposal to Msgr. Fitzgerald regarding how to
implement this document into our diocese.
“Under
the guidance and support of Msgr. Fitzgerald we formed a
task force and met several times to really study the document
and make recommendations,” said Northway. “The
task force had representatives from different areas including:
Holy Cross Sister Catherine Kamphaus, Catholic schools superintendent;
Dr. Gabriel Colosimo, principal of Juan Diego Catholic High
School; Certified Catholic Chaplain Kathleen Fallon from
CHRISTUS St. Joseph Villa; directors of religious education;
and other advisors.
The
task force then began working with the mission statement:
“To help lay men and women deepen their faith knowledge
so they may competently prepare and answer their baptismal
call to spread the gospel.” From there the task force
researched programs from other Archdioceses and dioceses
all over the country to see how they had set up their Lay
Ecclesial Ministry Formation Programs. The task force realized
they had a particular challenge in Utah because there is
not a Catholic college or university in the area.
The
three-year Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Program will
use STEP, an on-line theological education study course
through the University of Notre Dame, Indiana. The on-line
theological course allows those in the rural areas of Utah
the same opportunity as those in Salt Lake City, and at
the same time reduces expenses.
The
task force introduced the program to parish pastors in May
telling them of the four areas of formation which are theological,
spiritual, human, and pastoral dimensions. Applicants had
to be 21 or older, have their pastors’ approval, and
they must be committed. There were many more applications
received than could be honored.
Thomas
Cummings, director of STEP, gave the first lecture for the
program Aug. 19, to get the group started. Thomas gave a
lecture on the history of salvation and basic theological
concepts.
“Knowing
salvation history will effect your daily life and how you
understand your world,” said Cummings. “You
will discover that what we believe creation to be will connect
to salvation.”
In the
March 9, 2006, issue of “Origins,” a Catholic
News Service publication, H. Richard McCord, director of
the U.S. Bishops’ Secretariat for Family, Laity, Women,
and Youth, discussed lay ecclesial ministers. McCord said
four characteristics of lay ecclesial ministers identified
in the bishops’ document include authorization by
the hierarchy, the exercise of leadership in a particular
ministry area, close collaboration with the pastoral ministry
of the ordained, and the necessary preparation and formation.
McCord
said lay ecclesial ministers are the new kids on the block
when it comes to church ministry, and it is critically important
that there be some ordering or organizing of relationships
between the newcomers and those who are already in place.
Without proper formation, lay ecclesial ministers may not
always be taken seriously.
“Every
time I gather here it is a reminder to me of the tremendous
growth of our faith in Utah,” said Msgr. Fitzgerald.
“We have the Santa Ana Mission in Tremonton in need
of $250,000 to build classrooms, and we are trying to find
benefactors. These are physical signs of tremendous growth,
and they are wonderful times. Other places throughout the
country are closing churches and combining parishes. We
are expanding.”
