Questions on lay ministry

[DJWhamo]

How does one get involved in lay ministry? What are the requirements, and what can one expect in regards to routine, making a living, etc.?

 

[discernmentinpr]

In my diocese, there is a VERY big lay ministry program. Basically, for a period of 2-4 years (I think) one undergoes spiritual and academic formation, usually under the supervision and instruction of a Priest of the diocese, usually one with an advanced degree, beyond the M.Div. Usually, the Lay Ministers decide on a particular ministry they would like to be involved in, in their home parish. Others, though, decide that they would rather be a “missionary” of sorts, and work in other parts of the diocese. For example, some may want to work exclusively with the poor. Some ministries include Director of Religious Education, Parish Business Manager, Homebound ministry, Bible study, Catechesis, etc. I have two lay ministers at my parish. One is the Director of Religious Education, and the other is the business manager. Both are HEAVILY involved in the parish. The business manger works full time. She is very, very, very busy. I am not quite sure whether the DRE is full time.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

How does one get involved in lay ministry? What are the requirements, and what can one expect in regards to routine, making a living, etc.?

That’s a very broad question. The requirements and duties of something like a teacher in a Catholic elementary school are different from those of a liturgy coordinator in a parish or a social worker at Catholic Charities.

Many potential employers want a degree in theology, often a graduate degree, plus some amount of experience. Pay is usually not great.

You might want to take a look at catholicjobs.com/ to see some examples of current job openings and requirements.