Diocesan Consultations
The presence of lay leaders is calling the Catholic church to look at its employee and business practices in ways never before required. It is necessary to integrate sound business practices with Church teaching and tradition in the just treatment of all church workers. It is also becoming necessary, as young adults move into leadership positions, to understand their expectations and experience of leadership as focused on empowerment, mentoring, and team building.
In order to support diocesan efforts to develop vibrant parishes, the Emerging Models Project has developed inter-organizational resource teams that will provide consultations to fifteen targeted dioceses designed to review and evaluate Human Resources and Lay Ministry in the diocese in light of the diocesan mission and in order to support pastoral excellence in parish leadership.
Our thanks to the twelve participating dioceses!
In all, the Project had the capacity to conduct twelve consuttions. All twelve have been either conducted or scheduled and are due for completion in the next quarter.
Our thanks to the dioceses that have participated in the study. Through these consultations, along with current research in the fields of lay ministry and human resources, the Project is able to develop further resources for those in pastoral leadership positions. As parish structures shift and pastoral leadership roles evolve, it is critical to keep pace with developments in these fields.
Participating diocese:
- Dubuque
- Superior
- Grand Island
- Oklahoma City
- Tucson
- Milwaukee
- Camden
- Gary
- Paterson
- Portland in Maine
- Honolulu
- Gaylord
In order to assist the diocese to assess the strengths and challenges of human resource policies and practices in its parishes in the following areas:
- The presence of the full range of just employment best practice elements appropriate to the needs of parishes
- The depth, breadth and consistency of HR services provided to pastors, parish administrators, parish program directors and parish lay ministers
The compensation of lay ministers (including both salary and benefits)
- To assist the diocese to assess the strengths and challenges of lay ministry in its parishes in the following areas
- The education and formation of lay ministers, including both formal and informal approaches at the diocesan level and in parishes
- The process of placement of lay ministers in needed ministry work, including such issues as intercultural sensitivity and inclusion, identification of needs and consideration of certification
- The overall satisfaction of lay ministers with lay ministry in their assignment and in the diocese.
Related Reports & Articles
Short Summary of Major Findings of Phase I
by
Marti Jewell, D.Min.
April 25, 2009
After five years of study and conversation with lay and ordained pastoral leaders across the country, the extensive findings, an in-depth study, can be summarized as representing a paradigmatic shift in how parish life is structured and served.
Ministry Summit Calls for a Culture of Accountability
May 20, 2008
“Create a culture of accountability through performance reviews for all ministers – ordained, religious and lay – that reflect the application of best practices of emerging models of parish leadership.”
That was one of the key recommendations from over 1,200 lay leaders, deacons, priests and bishops who gathered in Orlando last week for a national ministry summit on emerging models of pastoral leadership.
National Ministry Summit and Human Resource Personnel
by
Thomas Schroeder
July 31, 2007
When one thinks about it, ministry is very labor intensive. Whether it is in responding to the needs of our youth, providing education and catechesis, serving the poor or providing the sacraments...all that we do in ministry depends on who we have to do it..... (continued)
