The Vineyard Colloquia Speakers 2010-11

We are privileged to announce: the first Vineyard Colloquia speakers!

"Opportunities and Challenges in Lay Ministry"
September 19, 2010, 7pm
The President's Room, Toner Center
Sr. Kate Dooley, O.P.

Sister Kate Dooley, O.P. is a Sinsinawa (WI) Dominican Sister who teaches at Dominican University in River Forest, Il. For the past twenty five years she taught in The School of Theology and Religious Studies at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. She holds an M.A. from the Catholic University of America, a M.Th. from Harvard Divinity School, and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. Dr. Dooley has published widely in catechetical and liturgical journals, and written a number of texts and resource materials for religious education. She is one of the General Editors for the Benziger series, Christ Jesus the Way. Other publications are To Listen and Tell: Commentary on the Introduction to the Lectionary for Masses with Children (Washington, D.C.: Pastoral Press, 1993); co-edited The Echo Within: Emerging Issues in Religious Education (Allen, Texas: Thomas More, 1997); and is currently working on Be What You Celebrate on liturgical catechesis. She has received numerous national awards, including the National Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Liturgical Life of the American Church (Georgetown Center for Liturgy, 2005) and the Emmaus Award for Excellence in Catechesis (National Catholic Education Association/National Association of Parish Catechetical Leaders, 2005).

"The Lay Vocation to Ecclesial Ministry"
January 25, 2011, 4pm
Todd Graff

Todd Graff currently serves as the Director of the Office of Ministry Formation for the diocese of Winona. Todd received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Creighton University in Omaha, NE, and his Master of Arts degree in Theology from Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. Previous to coming to the diocese, he served as a campus minister at Creighton University and as a high school religion teacher and campus minister at Hales Franciscan High School in Chicago, IL. He came to the Diocese of Winona in August, 1990, to serve as the Coordinator of Social Action Programs for Catholic Charities. In December, 1999, he assumed his present position. Todd is married to Laurie Ziliak and the father of six children - Isaac, Jesse, Nathan, Samuel, Sophia, and Hannah.

"On The Spirituality of Youth Ministry"
March 18, 4pm.
Rich Curran

Rich Curran is a SMU alum (and current student in the Institute for Pastoral Ministries program) who, after being seriously injured sledding down our bluff (really), changed directions with his life and ended up serving for years as the director of youth ministry for the diocese of Green Bay. He has since been doing consulting with parishes, religious and secular organizations, and speaking on a variety of faith-based topics. A video of Rich's work these days is on his site, under "media." He is going to speak to our majors March 18th on the spirituality that is born out of engaging in youth ministry.

A Different Kind of Inspiration

I came, I saw, I latte'd.
Yes, coming this year to Saint Mary's:

MUGBY JUNCTION coffee

Toner Center. Hope they have free trade. See you there.

(By the way, you can mark this news as fantastic below!)

St. Ignatius and Vocation

Go and see a good post on vocational discernment from a Jesuit priest in Massachusetts, Fr. Mark Mossa.

If you are attracted to Ignatian spirituality (or want to find out what on earth it is), one option is to check out Charis Ministries in Chicago, Ignatian spirituality for young discerners. There are also a number of silent Ignatian retreat weekends at Broom Tree Retreat Center in South Dakota (a little south of Sioux Falls).

Welcome back!

If you are what you are meant to be, you will set the whole world on fire.

--St. Catherine of Siena
(1347-1380)

Welcome back! Classes start in one week!

a Co-Workers moment

God calls. We respond. This fundamental, essential pattern in the life of every believer appears throughout salvation history.

--from the opening of Co-Workers in the Vineyard, USCCB, 2005.

What is "the Spirituality for the Vineyard"?

Is there a spirituality--specifically, a formation and discernment process--that is particular to young adults considering pastoral and youth ministry? We think there is. This website is a place for SMU theology, pastoral and youth ministry, religious education majors and minors to learn more about how you could pray, think, and live out your discernment regarding who God is calling you to be. You cannot ignore the need for knowledge and professionalism when you are in leadership...but there are spiritual needs as well.

In order to complete what we call "The Vineyard Experience," we ask you to accomplish the following:

1. Seeing: Encounter your world. Participate in one extended cross-cultural service experience (for example, a SOUL trip or equivalent, verified in advance by your advisor), attending to and learning from the vulnerable in our human family.
2. Learning: The Vineyard Colloquia. Attend three Vineyard Colloquia an academic year, for two years. The Vineyard colloquia offer a chance to hear leaders in our area share their wisdom and experience on the challenges and opportunities of various lay ministries in the Church. There will also be a focus on the spirituality of lay ministry.
3. Exploring: Praxis for ministry: Complete the Pastoral and Youth Ministry internship (waived if you are a Theology major or minor). There are also other volunteer ministries--through SMU and in the local churches and dioceses--that students may count toward this element.
4. Clarifying: Small group support and reflection. Participate in small sharing groups, facilitated by local lay ecclesial leaders. These groups of three or four students meet monthly to share a meal and discuss how issues of life discernment and lay formation are going. Ideally, students in the major should be in one of these groups from the time they declare a major. Regular attendance is expected for at least one academic year.
5. Discerning: Prayer and retreat. Participate in one discernment retreat for majors and interested minors, usually offered in January. Students may attend their junior or senior year (or both years). A time away can help a person recognize and name their vocation, and return to classes with new questions and fresh vigor.

In addition, students in the program are encouraged to seek other methods of formation: spiritual direction, the 19th annotation of the Spiritual Exercises, regular participation in Catholic liturgical life, etc. We can point you in the right direction for all that if you wish. But the five above are a baseline.

Completion of The Vineyard Experience merits recognition of work above and beyond the academic elements of the major, and helps fulfill the spiritual formation elements of the National Standards for Lay and Ecclesial Ministries.

Explore the site or talk to one of the members of the theology department. We're excited--you should be, too!