The Rule of Benedict calls all Christians to accept and serve others as Christ, especially when those others are strangers, sick, poor, or weak.
The Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry grounds students in the theological tradition and prepares them for service in parish and social ministries. It attends to the four pillars of formation as outlined in Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord — human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. Some students are preparing for ordination as deacons, while many, through their participation in the Youth in Theology and Ministry program, work with young people. These students are grouped as cohorts with assigned courses taken together. Others, choosing from a wider range of courses, are preparing for different pastoral leadership roles.
Though students in this program have diverse ministerial interests, their study and formation, particularly the field education experience, help them all to recognize and respond to the call to service they received through baptism. Thus, they can acknowledge their gifts, develop competencies for ministry, and experience firsthand the joys and challenges of serving the people of God.
- For information about program outcomes, see page 18-19 of our Academic Catalog.
- Revised degree requirements are available online.
- For information about the requirements for the formation program and field education, see our Student Handbook.
More is also available on the Ministerial Formation Web site, administered by the director of ministerial formation and field education. Visitors who request a username and password by e-mailing sotformation@csbsju.edu or calling 320-363-3052 will be able to see the resources available to our students through this secure site. The process for getting access is quick and easy, so please feel free to contact us!
Details about earning this degree through the cohort-model Youth in Theology and Ministry program are integrated throughout this site.
For more information on deacon formation, consult the Web site for the Diocese of Saint Cloud Diaconate Office.
