Vocation to Lay Ministry

[bettyg51]

I want to know what other dioceses are doing to promote vocations to Lay Ministry. I know the USCCB has a publication called “Coworkers in the Vineyard” that encourages every diocese to set up a formation program. Our diocese had one for awhile, but it will not continue. I called the Office of Vocations, but they said they only handle religious vocations. Like as if I have an irreligious vocation? I am not fulfilled with just teaching the RCIA, evangelization, lectoring, and being a EMHC. I do a lot in my parish, but it never seems enough.
We have classes for the religion teachers and deacons, but nothing for pastoral ministry for lay women.
I am soon going to be an empty nester, so I am discerning how I can serve the church in a paying position so I can do a mid-life career change. There does not seem to be any program in our diocese for lay formation and discernment for married women.
I considered religious life when I was in my 30’s, but that wasn’t the way God wanted me to go. My heart yearns to do more, but all I hear is go get a masters in theology, like I have $24,000 just sitting around to burn. I have my children’s college tuition to pay, so that is out. I don’t think I would ever earn enough from ministry to pay back loans. There is no guarantee I’d get a job out of it. I don’t want to teach any way, so why would I need it?
I am thinking about becoming a chaplain. The local hospitals offer a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) training classes. I may go through that because it costs a lot less. But is that what I am called to do?
Do any other women or married folks feel the church is missing out on my kind of vocation? What’s it like to be a chaplain?

 

[Joannm]

I want to know what other dioceses are doing to promote vocations to Lay Ministry. I know the USCCB has a publication called “Coworkers in the Vineyard” that encourages every diocese to set up a formation program. Our diocese had one for awhile, but it will not continue. I called the Office of Vocations, but they said they only handle religious vocations. Like as if I have an irreligious vocation? I am not fulfilled with just teaching the RCIA, evangelization, lectoring, and being a EMHC. I do a lot in my parish, but it never seems enough.
We have classes for the religion teachers and deacons, but nothing for pastoral ministry for lay women.
I am soon going to be an empty nester, so I am discerning how I can serve the church in a paying position so I can do a mid-life career change. There does not seem to be any program in our diocese for lay formation and discernment for married women.
I considered religious life when I was in my 30’s, but that wasn’t the way God wanted me to go. My heart yearns to do more, but all I hear is go get a masters in theology, like I have $24,000 just sitting around to burn. I have my children’s college tuition to pay, so that is out. I don’t think I would ever earn enough from ministry to pay back loans. There is no guarantee I’d get a job out of it. I don’t want to teach any way, so why would I need it?
I am thinking about becoming a chaplain. The local hospitals offer a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) training classes. I may go through that because it costs a lot less. But is that what I am called to do?
Do any other women or married folks feel the church is missing out on my kind of vocation? What’s it like to be a chaplain?

My husband is currently taking CPE but he has told me that in order to be certified now you must have a degree in theology so he is going for that as well. Being a chaplain can be draining. He is on his feet all day and has to deal with some difficult issues. The training is full time and means three days of full time internship at the hospital and two full days of class.

With regard to lay ecclesial ministry, it is too bad that your diocese stopped the program. Are you looking for volunteer or paid employment? I am a full time lay ecclesial minister, although our bishop does not like that term so we really have no name for what we do. I have graduate degrees in theoloy as do most of the people in my postition in the diocese, but there are other areas that do not require degrees. You may be able to find some lay formation programs online. Most of the women here in lay ministry are nuns but there is a growing number of married and single women and some men, although the pay is usually not good for men who are trying to support a family. Most are DREs but also there is a need for Parish Social Ministry Coordinators full time.

Keep trying to find a program and know that there is a place out there for married women in ministry.

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

I want to know what other dioceses are doing to promote vocations to Lay Ministry. I know the USCCB has a publication called “Coworkers in the Vineyard” that encourages every diocese to set up a formation program. Our diocese had one for awhile, but it will not continue. I called the Office of Vocations, but they said they only handle religious vocations. Like as if I have an irreligious vocation? I am not fulfilled with just teaching the RCIA, evangelization, lectoring, and being a EMHC. I do a lot in my parish, but it never seems enough.
We have classes for the religion teachers and deacons, but nothing for pastoral ministry for lay women.
I am soon going to be an empty nester, so I am discerning how I can serve the church in a paying position so I can do a mid-life career change. There does not seem to be any program in our diocese for lay formation and discernment for married women.
I considered religious life when I was in my 30’s, but that wasn’t the way God wanted me to go. My heart yearns to do more, but all I hear is go get a masters in theology, like I have $24,000 just sitting around to burn. I have my children’s college tuition to pay, so that is out. I don’t think I would ever earn enough from ministry to pay back loans. There is no guarantee I’d get a job out of it. I don’t want to teach any way, so why would I need it?
I am thinking about becoming a chaplain. The local hospitals offer a Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) training classes. I may go through that because it costs a lot less. But is that what I am called to do?
Do any other women or married folks feel the church is missing out on my kind of vocation? What’s it like to be a chaplain?

Here are the programs around me.

dow.org/lay_ministry.html

archmil.org/aboutus/ShowResource.asp?ID=2143

mncatholiced.org/certification.htm

dioceseoflacrosse.com/Home/Offices%20and%20Ministries/Ministries%20&%20Social%20Concerns/Ministries/Form%20of%20Laity/lay_formation_institute.htm

dioceseduluth.org/index.php?PageID=114

madisondiocese.org/Ministry/EvangelizationandCatechesis/ProgramsandEvents/DiocesanLayInstitute/tabid/300/Default.aspx

gbdioc.org/pg/vocationsParishLeadership.tpl

catholicdos.org/index.php?cat=1201412061278296

I plan to do the program in coming years, it is a 2 year program and well worth it.

 

[plato3]

Our diocese has formed a special institute for Lay Ministry with a priest in charge. There is an M.A. program for those who might be called on to be Parish Life Coordinators. There is diocese training for Extra-Ordinary Communion Ministers, CCD Teachers, Readers, Prison Ministers Etc.Our ministers have to be approved by the bishop.It is kind of strict but tends to eliminate problems.

 

[bettyg51]

I wish I lived where there were such good programs. I found that Ave Maria University has a remote site in my diocese. It costs $12,000 if you go full-time (6 hours a semester) for 3 years, which means one weekend a month.
I wish there were some way I could find out if there would be paid employment that would make it possible to pay back a loan. I will have 3 kids in college next year, so it will be a long time before I could get a Masters.
I have completed 22 hours toward a certificate in religious studies. It is worthless outside my diocese, though.
I started volunteering in a hospital. I love talking to the patients. I’m looking into distributing Holy Communion there. This is one way to try out and prepare to be a chaplain. I still need to find out if I need a Masters for that. One priest that is a chaplain said it wasn’t here.
One good thing about not have a title is that I have no image to live up to. I don’t have any authority though. I’m happy to be a handmaiden of the Lord.