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Called to Servant Leadership has been accredited by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation – What does that mean?

By Patricia A. Gabree, program director

Called to Servant Leadership, the diocesan Standard Level Lay Ministry Formation Program, has been accredited by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation (USCCB/CCA) for the period 2007 to 2012. In order to achieve accreditation, a rigorous process was followed.

The USCCB/CCA was established under a mandate by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1982 and became a general not-for-profit corporation in 1983. A national programmatic accrediting commission, the USCCB/CCA has been accrediting clinical pastoral education programs since its foundation and ministry formation programs since 1995.

The USCCB/CCA establishes accreditation standards, policies, and procedures for accrediting ministry formation and clinical pastoral education programs. The standards, policies, and procedures used in the accreditation process are published in accreditation handbooks and updated as needed. I have been appointed to the USCCB/CCA Board of Directors for 2009-2011. I will travel to Milwaukee twice a year to participate in board meetings, but otherwise continue my work here in the Diocese.

In order to be accredited, a ministry formation program must show that it is in compliance with eight national standards for ministry formation programs. Those compliance statements and supporting documentation are combined and submitted to the USCCB/CCA in the form of a Self-Study. Once the Self-Study is received and found worthy, a site visit is scheduled by the USCCB/CCA. Site reviewers spend two or three days in the diocese, meeting with the Bishop and interviewing program and diocesan personnel, faculty and participants. Once the site visit is completed the Site Review Committee prepares a report which is sent to the program director. This report contains commendations, challenges, and recommendations for the program. The program director must respond to the recommendations, citing the time frame for completing the recommendations. Finally, the USCCB/CCA Board of Directors makes the decision to accredit or not.

The eight national standards are:

Standard One: Mission Statement
The mission statement of a ministry formation program shall state the vision and purpose of the program and shall be based upon the theological perspectives of Vatican II and related post-conciliar documents, and the mission and pastoral plan of the arch/diocese or sponsoring institution.

Standard Two: Goals and Objectives
The goals and objectives of a ministry formation program shall be based on the mission statement and the theological perspectives of Vatican II and related post-conciliar documents, and they shall respond to the ministerial needs of the local Church. Goals and objectives shall include the human, spiritual, theological, and pastoral formation of participants. They shall be appropriate to the years, levels, and specializations of the program. Competencies to be achieved by participants shall be based on program goals and objectives.

Standard Three: Curriculum
The curriculum of a ministry formation program shall be based on the mission statement of the program, the goals and objectives, the theological perspectives of Vatican II and related post-conciliar documents, and the ministerial needs of the local Church. The curriculum activities throughout the program shall include the integration of all the elements of formation; theological content with formation experiences, the practice of theological reflection, the development of competent skills for ministry, and the practice of ministry under supervision.

Standard Four: Methodology
The methodology of a ministry formation program shall be based on the principles of adult learning.

Standard Five: Participants
Participants’ success in achieving program goals and objectives shall be the highest priority of all those involved in a ministry formation program.

Standard Six: Program Director
The program director of a ministry formation program shall be responsible for all components of the accreditation process, maintaining accreditation standards, policies, and procedures, and work collaboratively in the growth and development of the program with an advisory committee, administrators, instructional faculty, supervisors, mentors, and related department directors of the arch/diocese or sponsoring institution.

Standard Seven: Instructional Faculty
The instructional faculty who are selected for a ministry formation program shall be those whose teaching objectives are consistent with the program mission and goals and objectives, who possess the ability to incorporate the principles and methodology of adult learning into their instruction, and whose background and experience enable them to participate in the evaluation and development of the program.

Standard Eight: Resources
The resources for a ministry formation program shall be adequate for the stability, quality, purpose, scope, and number of participants in the program.

Called to Servant Leadership is a better program because of the accreditation process. The process caused us to look seriously at all aspects of the program and follow through on recommendations for the benefit of the program. The process was only accomplished through the efforts of many including the writers of the compliance statements, the Lay Ministry Formation Commission, the Accreditation Committee, and diocesan staff. I am grateful for their care and support of the program; grateful for the hours and hours of editing and planning responses; and grateful to Bishop McCormack for giving the participants and me the opportunity to be associated with Called to Servant Leadership.

USCCB/CCA
3211 S. Lake Drive
Suite 317
St. Francis, WI 53235
414-489-0006
info@usccbcca.org
www.usccbcca.org