Christine Young, Intermountain Catholic
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.”
