Ministry Formation

Effective ministry requires not only a broad theological understanding, but also a deep appreciation and commitment to Christian discipleship and companionship in spiritual discernment.

Vision:
Develop a ministry formation program that enhances community and individual spiritual formation with students and faculty. To create leadership that collaborates in the goals and process of ministry formation.

Goals:
Formation is seen as the deliberate identification and deepening awareness of one's personal gifts and the channeling of those gifts toward the mission of the Church. Therefore, the program seeks to achieve an integrated and balanced formation in:

• Personal knowledge and understanding to reach out to others in genuine service
• Mature spiritual development and conscious awareness of God's love and call to ministry
• Understanding God's call mediated through the ecclesial faith community
• Attaining the necessary professional skills and attitudes to be effective in ministry.

Process:
Formation seeks to foster a ministry in the spirit of Jesus "who comes that others may have life," by engaging students in a process that will facilitate:

• Growing awareness of their innate gifts
• Deepening gratitude to God for being called to ministry
• Identifying and articulating their spiritual journey
• Making God known and loved in their ministry
• Developing a healthy interdependence on peers in ministry
• Expanding the horizon of current and potential ministries
• Affirming their peers in ministry
• Managing commitments with personal and family responsibilities
• Working within an ecclesial structure both in clear and ambiguous moments.