Lay Ecclesial Ministry

INSTITUTE FOR LAY ECCLESIAL MINISTRY AND SERVICE

THE ART OF FORMING THOSE CALLED TO MINISTRY

All the baptized, in their particular contexts, are called to holiness to transform the world by witnessing the Lord they have encountered. Many, moved by the Spirit, discern to respond to this call to ministry (servitium) in their local parishes as Lay Ecclesial Ministers. The Church has used the term Lay Ecclesial Ministry because it reflects key elements of the specific lay vocation. The ministry is Lay for it is rooted in our baptismal call, we respond as lay women and men. The ministry is Ecclesial for it is discerned and appointed by the local shepherd, the Archbishop, to serve in close collaboration with the pastor and parish leadership to serve in communion for mission. It is ministry for it expresses the continuous mission of Christ through the Church. Parish ministers, while learning the basis of their faith, ultimately form their conscience to positively affect their ministerial planning for their specific areas of ministry and service.

Five Components Guiding Our Mission

• Providing a formation that responds to the hunger of God’s People.
• Developing a comprehensive, systematic, consistent, and ongoing formation.
• Ensuring accessibility of formation that meets the needs of those in rural and urban areas
• Helping leaders to strengthen their ministerial identity as witnesses of the Culture of Encuentro.
• Identifying intentional Partners with local and national entities.

Lay Ecclesial Ministry and the Archdiocese of San Antonio

The term Lay Ecclesial Ministry is a general term that may include any number of roles. In the Archdiocese of San Antonio, these initially include:

• Catechetical Leaders (Director/ Coordinator in Religious Education/Catechesis)
• Youth Ministers (Director/Coordinator Youth, Young Adult, or Campus Ministry)
• Liturgical Ministers (Director/Coordinator of Worship, Liturgy)
• Marriage and Family Life Ministers (Director/Coordinator of Marriage/ Family Life)
• Pastoral Ministers (Director/Coordinator of Multiple Ministries)

Course Requirements

PHILOSOPHY COURSE IS PRE-REQUIRED FOR THEOLOGICAL COURSEWORK.  
Philosophy in the Catholic Tradition

THEOLOGICAL COURSES 
*Taken together with candidates for the Diaconate program
Catholic Biblical Interpretation: Old Testament
Catholic Biblical Interpretation: New Testament
Jesus Christ: God and Man (Christology)
Ecclesiology
Sacramental Theology: The Faith Celebrated
Moral Theology: The Faith Lived
History of the Catholic Church

MINISTRY PRACTICUM COURSES 
Intercultural Competencies for Pastoral Ministry
Elective (Ministry-specific)
Elective (Ministry-specific)

Informational Brochure

For all the details about the Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Program, click here to download the brochure (PDF).