Applications being accepted for lay ministers program
Friday, Apr. 16, 2010
Intermountain Catholic
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At the end of the four years, those who have completed the four-year program will be presented for certification. Shown is the special Mass in January that recognized the diocese's first certified lay ecclesial ministers.
By Marie Mischel
Intermountain Catholic
SALT LAKE CITY — The Diocese of Salt Lake City is accepting applications for the lay ecclesial minister (LEM) formation program, which prepares participants to better serve in leadership roles in the Church.
The diocese’s first LEM class was certified in January; this will be the second class. A Spanish-language program will be offered at the same time as the English-language program.
The program is open to anyone within the diocese. Applicants should be practicing Catholics who are at least 25 years old. "They should be people who sense a call," said Susan Northway, the diocese’s director of religious education. "They should be people who are already participating in some kind of leadership in their parish or Catholic institution such as Catholic schools."
The program lasts about four years. Most of the courses are on-line through the University of Notre Dame, but participants meet at least once a month locally for discussion and reflection. They also will work with a spiritual service and will continue with their existing service within the diocese.
The program leads to national certification as an LEM and prepares participants to work with priests and deacons and on projects that the bishop may assign them, Northway said. "An important thing people need to understand is that it’s not a guarantee of a job. This is not an employment preparation. This is truly following one’s call from the sacraments of initiation."
Applicants should be inclined toward study in an adult format, she added, and they should be interested in serving. "This is not a self-improvement program. It’s a serious answer to God’s call to service."
Applications are available on the diocese website, www.dioslc.org, or by emailing susan.northway@dioslc.org or calling 801-328-8641 ext. 326.
Deadline is May 15.
Frequently asked questions about the LEM program
1. What does the term lay ecclesial minister mean? In the 1990s the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) began using the terminology to describe a large number of lay persons, who under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and in answer to their call given in the Sacraments of Initiation, developed their gifts and talents and offered their services to the Church. In this context, lay means the service is offered by lay persons. Their service is ecclesial because it "has a place within the community of the Church, whose communion and mission it serves, and because it is submitted to the discernment, authorization, and supervision of the hierarchy" (Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, 11. USCCB 2005). They are known as ministers because their work participates in the work of Christ, who is priest, prophet and king. Lay ministry should not be confused with ordained ministry. LEMs are authorized by the hierarchy to serve the local church in a particular area of ministry. They collaborate closely with the bishop, priests, and deacons and they are intentionally prepared and formed for leadership service in particular ministries within the diocese. Lay ministers do not necessarily commit themselves to lifelong service to the Church as do the ordained.
2. How is the LEM Formation Program different from the Deacon Candidate Program? In the Diocese of Salt Lake City, the preparation of lay ecclesial ministers and diaconal candidates both feature carefully planned experiences in four areas: intellectual study, spiritual development, human formation, and pastoral skills. The diocesan LEM program meets certification standards of the National Association for Lay Ministers and is offered over a three- to four-year sequence. Deacon candidates commit to four years in preparation for their ministry. The LEM program is based upon the recommendations offered in Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord. The diaconal curriculum and formation activities meet standards established through the USCCB document The National Directory for the Formation, Ministry and Life of Permanent Deacons in the United States. LEM participants who complete all program requirements are presented for certification by the bishop. Their certification is renewed through continuing education credits. The diaconate preparation process prepares and assesses men for ordination, a lifelong commitment. Following ordination, deacons are required by Canon Law to participate in continuing formation activities each year.
3. I think this LEM program might be right for me. How do I know if the Holy Spirit is calling me in this direction? Through the Sacraments of Initiation, all followers of Christ are called to holiness. For lay persons, the call means that we act in ways to bring the Gospel message to the world by fulfilling our particular work in the world. Some of us are called to serve as leaders within the Church. According to Lumen Gentium, this calling is to be encouraged by the hierarchy. In 1998, the Congregation for the Clergy noted; "Sharing in the function of Christ, priest, prophet and king, the laity have an active part of their own in the life and activity of the church. Their activity within the church communities is so necessary that without it the apostolate of the pastors will frequently be unable to obtain its full effect." If you believe you are being called to lay ecclesial ministry, complete the application. If you are accepted into the formation program, you will interact with a number of people who will help you discern if the LEM Formation Program is a proper fit. When applicants are accepted into the program, they select spiritual directors who assist in the discernment process. Program members reflect and pray with each other. They complete self-assessment surveys. The vocation to lay ecclesial ministry vocation unfolds over time.
4. What is involved in the intellectual formation? LEM participants devote time for study in a program that is designed for the needs of adult learners. The diocese maintains a partnership with the Satellite Theological Study Program (STEP) through the University of Notre Dame’s Office For Church Life. Complete information about STEP’s online classes is available at www.step.nd.edu. Throughout the program, there are required reading assignments and written reflections. Several short courses are taught by local instructors. The diocese also partners with the Congar Institute for Ministry Development, whose resource persons teach during study days, offer prayer experiences and collaborate in other formation activities.
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