Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation: Catholic School Administrators Fitzgerald H
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La Salle University La Salle University Digital Commons Th.D. Dissertations Religion, Department of Spring 2017 Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation: Catholic School Administrators Fitzgerald H. Mary La Salle University Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/religion_thd Recommended Citation Mary, Fitzgerald H., "Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation: Catholic School Administrators" (2017). Th.D. Dissertations. 4. http://digitalcommons.lasalle.edu/religion_thd/4 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Religion, Department of at La Salle University Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Th.D. Dissertations by an authorized administrator of La Salle University Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LA SALLE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES GRADUATE PROGRAM IN THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY DISSERTATION Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation: Catholic School Administrators Mary H. Fitzgerald, SSND 6/19/2017 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Theology Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation: Catholic School Administrators Mary H. Fitzgerald, SSND Approved by Mentor: __________________________________________________________ Name, Institution First Reader: _______________________________________________________ Name, Institution Second Reader: _____________________________________________________ Name, Institution Abstract The study was designed with a goal of generating a template for Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation for Catholic School Administrators, which would have flexibility to adapt to cultural differences in various Catholic dioceses in the United States. The focus of the data gathering was the Baltimore Province, inclusive of the dioceses of: Arlington, Virginia; Baltimore, Maryland; Richmond, Virginia; Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia; and Wilmington, Delaware. The need for such a template can be documented based on several recent studies by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. These studies indicate that the personal perception of what it means to be Catholic is shifting. In many cases, people applying for administrative positions in Catholic schools today are less prepared in terms of knowledge of the faith, practice of the faith, and Catholic spirituality than those who came before them. To ascertain what the template for a formation program should look like, data was gathered to address three research questions: 1.Which statement more clearly reflects your understanding of lay ecclesial ministry? a. Lay ecclesial ministry is a privileged limited share in the ministry of the ordained. b. Lay ecclesial ministry is an intrinsic responsibility in the Church stemming from baptism. 2. How do our Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Programs provide a solid, on-going support for continued growth in human, intellectual, spiritual, theological, faith and moral development? How are participants properly prepared to apply this development specifically to the practicalities of leadership in Catholic education? 3. What needs to occur to ensure that our ecclesial catechesis of the baptismal commission effectively assists us in recruiting Spirit-filled enthusiastic candidates for positions in Catholic school leadership? How do we best market our programs in Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation for Leadership in Catholic schools? What type of leadership succession plan do we put in place to pave the way for the Catholic schools of the next decade or next century? Table of Contents Chapter One The Church in Context Today: A Review of Selected Readings .............................. 1 The Importance of Viewing the Church in Context Today ......................................................... 2 Shifting Worldviews and Paradigms ........................................................................................... 3 Evolution or Revolution? ............................................................................................................ 5 The Catholic Church and Paradigm Shift ................................................................................... 6 Recognizing Paradigm Shifts in the Church ............................................................................... 8 Societal Trends Facilitating the Paradigm Shift ........................................................................ 10 New Paths of Evangelization and New Paths of Ministry ........................................................ 19 Ecclesiology for Today ............................................................................................................. 24 The Church and the Apostolate of the Laity ............................................................................. 27 Chapter Two The Status of Lay Ecclesial Formation Programs: Background and Samplings .... 32 Current Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Programs and Ecclesiology ................................... 33 The Vocation of the Laity to Be Evangelizers .......................................................................... 38 Formation Needs for Lay Ecclesial Ministry ............................................................................ 40 Challenges Facing Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Programs .............................................. 46 Sample Diocesan Approaches to Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Programs ....................... 47 Is There a Need for Lay Ecclesial Ministry Programs? ............................................................ 53 Evolving Programs in Lay Ecclesial Ministry .......................................................................... 57 Chapter Three Data Results .......................................................................................................... 59 The Study .................................................................................................................................. 60 Study Results ............................................................................................................................. 61 Demographics of Catholic School Participants ......................................................................... 63 i What Motivates People to Choose to Be Catholic School Administrators? ............................. 67 Level of Professional Preparation ............................................................................................. 70 Professional Development Preferences ..................................................................................... 74 Understanding of Ecclesial Role as a Catholic School Administrator ...................................... 79 Need for New Formation Programs .......................................................................................... 83 Chapter Four Profile of an Adult Lay Ecclesial Minister ............................................................. 85 Adult Lay Ecclesial Ministers ................................................................................................... 86 How does an ecclesial community minister to the ministers? ................................................ 101 Culture and Universal Virtue .................................................................................................. 102 Faith and Spirituality ............................................................................................................... 103 Spirituality: the Spiritual Journey ........................................................................................... 104 The Lay Ecclesial Ministry of Catholic School Administrators ............................................. 108 The Lasallian Tradition ........................................................................................................... 108 The SSND Tradition................................................................................................................ 114 Chapter Five A Spirituality of Social Justice .............................................................................. 120 Why a spirituality of social justice? ........................................................................................ 121 The Origins of Catholic Social Justice Concepts .................................................................... 123 Solidarity ................................................................................................................................. 125 Common Good ........................................................................................................................ 126 Rights ...................................................................................................................................... 127 Justice ...................................................................................................................................... 128 Social Justice in a Selection of Magisterial Documents ......................................................... 130 Counterpoint ............................................................................................................................ 142 Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching ............................................................................ 144 ii Back to Our Roots: Scripture and Social Justice..................................................................... 147 Chapter Six Elements of a Lay Ecclesial Ministry Formation Program for Catholic School Administrators............................................................................................................................