The Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City was awarded a grant of $270,000 by the non-profit Catholic Extension Society. The funds will allow the diocese to create a lay ecclesial minister (LEM) formation program that will accommodate Spanish-speaking candidates who are seeking leadership roles in the Church.
The Catholic Church Extension Society's mission is to strengthen the Church's presence and mission in under-resourced and communities across the United States, ensuring that all Catholics
have the opportunity to experience excellence in church life and ministry. Founded more than 100 years ago, the non-profit organization has distributed more than $450 million.
The Salt Lake diocese just completed its inaugural LEM formation program for English speakers. Now the plan is to "repeat the program in Spanish, "with sensitivity to the special cultural traditions
and needs of the Hispanic community,"
said Msgr. Terrence Fitzgerald, the vicar general.
The diocese estimates that the spiritual
needs of as many as 200,000 Catholic Hispanics are not being met in Salt Lake City because the growth of this community
is dramatically outpacing their current
resources. "The Spanish-speaking community is about 80 percent of our Utah Catholic population, which is over 300,000," Msgr. Fitzgerald said.
Diocese officials have been trying to get a grant for the LEM formation program for a long time, said Maria Cruz Gray, director of the Hispanic Ministry. "The most important thing is formation for the Hispanic people."
The LEM program content is being set by a committee that includes Cruz Grey and Director of Religious Education
Susan Northway in collaboration with Dominican Fathers Luis Roberto Aguilar and Wayne Cavalier of the Congar
Institute for Ministry Development and other partners.
The program will stress four kinds of formation: academic, spiritual development,
leadership skills and pastoral.
Gray believes that the class will help not only lay people but others who may be interested in a vocation. "If they are taking those classes, some of those Hispanic men will be more ready and perhaps from them will come the future Hispanic deacons," she said
"There's an ongoing conversation of bringing in people of surrounding dioceses
to join us in formation specifically to train Spanish speaking", said Northway,
adding that "this will just make a stronger Church."
"It is not only good for the Hispanic people, in Utah but is good for other dioceses'
needs," said Gray, who is working on a preliminary program called Aqua Vida, which is the start up program that feeds into the next level of leadership.
Planning for the program started Jan. 31; the date for applications hasn't been set.
"This new program will educate leaders
and those involved in parish ministry
so that they have more theological background and skills for teaching the faith," Msgr. Fitzgerald said. "A solid education in the faith helps support that faith and deepen its influence on daily life."
"Education is key. Formation is key," added Gray.
According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the lay ecclesial ministry includes:
• Authorization of the hierarchy to serve publicly in the local Church
• Leadership in a particular ministry
• Close mutual collaboration with the pastoral ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons.
• Preparation and formation appropriate
to the level of responsibilities that are assigned to them including; human, spiritual, pastoral, and theological
dimensions.
"Growth in the U.S. Hispanic Catholic
population is a blessing to the U.S. Catholic Church, and presents tremendous
leadership potential," said Joseph Boland, grants director for Catholic Extension in a press release, adding that "at Catholic Extension, we strive not only to provide financial support for leaders to minister to Hispanics, but we strategize with dioceses to explore new opportunities to educate a new generation
of leaders who can communicate and serve the growing and diverse nature of the entire Church."
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