Question: How do I determine what I need to do be a lay ecclesial minister or teach theology?

(Answer: it's a bit more than taking the required courses and having a good heart.)

Don't be afraid of the technology--it's really quite easy, and you want to do this! And since you have now finished exams (woo hoo!), you have time to do it as well!

As you move through one of the Theology-affiliated majors (or minors) and your liberal arts education at Saint Mary's University, you will be discerning who it is God calls you to be--as well as which skills, educational choices, and formation opportunities you need to best fulfill that vocation. This 14 minute video explains the easy "fill in the blanks" concept map that will help you see for yourself (and show others!) what you have done in the effort required to discern vocation, what your natural interests are, and what work you still need to do. It is designed to be a help in your growing self-awareness, as well as a key to seeing if your desire to move into lay ministry or teaching theology is in line with the guidelines provided by the U.S. Bishops.

If you want to see the Prezi presentation in this video and move through it at your own speed (but without the audio), click here.

Ignore the somewhat lackluster first minute of the video and please watch!

Contact any of us in the theology department with questions.

--Dr WD

"How Catholics Work Together: Ten Common Strengths and Weaknesses of Church-Based Organizations"

Written by a group that focuses on Catholic leadership. 

The Spitzer Center has worked with dozens of Catholic organizations, from parishes and dioceses to schools and health care systems.  Our experience has shown us that there’s a constellation of traits – both strengths and weakness – that define the type of culture more typically found in a Catholic workplace. There are areas in which Church-based organizations do well but businesses tend to struggle. There are also practices more common in the business world that Catholic leaders might wish to emulate.

Please bear in mind that what follows are generalizations. They aren’t true of all the organizations we’ve worked with, or all groups within a given organization.  Let me start with the strengths and move on to the weakness, since the latter sometimes results from taking the former a bit too far.

Read the article to see what the strengths and weaknesses are.  Some food for thought.

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.