Saint John’s University has received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to enable the Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary to establish a new program, “Conversatio: Creating a Culture of Encounter.”

Lilly Endowment is making the grant through its Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to help theological schools strengthen and sustain their capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations. Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary is one of 84 theological schools in the U.S. and Canada that is benefiting from funding through the initiative.

Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary will partner with local rural parishes and the Mexican American Catholic College (MACC) in implementing Conversatio: Creating a Culture of Encounter. The main goal of the Conversatio program is to prepare students to foster ongoing Christian conversion and intercultural encounter in themselves and in the local congregations where they will serve in ministry. Students will have the opportunity to gain effective pastoral skills in intercultural competence and humility, build relationships with local parishes, and to engage in evangelization.

For more on this grant, visit the story on the School of Theology and Seminary website.