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Curriculum
Called to Serve
In parishes, the Christian community joins together to breathe a continuous breath of new life in the Church. As more laity serve in the life and programs of the parish, they look for training and guidance to help them use their talents to the fullest.
For parishioners looking to deepen their understanding of the Catholic faith and to be formed for leadership, the diocese initiated two lay ministry formation programs in 2005, Called to Discipleship and Called to Servant Leadership.
Bishop of Manchester
Come to Worship, Leave to Serve
Diocese of Manchester Annual Report 2005
Download the
Called to Discipleship
brochure.
(pdf)
Core Course
The Core Course is a sixteen hour course consisting of a variety of theological areas of study including Old Testament, New Testament, Sacraments and Liturgy, Morality and Profession of Faith. The course is based on the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults and is offered throughout the Diocese according to published schedules in either a series of eight week nights, e.g. every Wednesday for eight weeks, or a series of three Saturdays.
Core Course - Online!
The University of Notre Dame’s Satellite Theological Education Program(STEP) has partnered with the Diocese of Manchester to create an online version of the Called to Discipleship Core Course. STEP is an online learning community focused on bringing quality faith formation resources to the faithful for the enrichment of catechists, teachers, catechetical leaders, youth ministers, diocesan administrators and parishioners. The Core Course is the first component in the Called to Discipleship Program and is open to any adult from the Diocese of Manchester interested in enriching his/her faith. Visit http://step.nd.edu for more information.
Click here for schedule and to register.
Skills Formation Day
The Skills Formation Day includes a keynote address and catechetical and liturgical workshops designed to meet the needs of the participants.
Retreat Day
The Retreat Day theme is called to discipleship and gives participants an opportunity to reflect on our baptismal call to discipleship. Those who complete each of the three components Core Course, Skills Formation Day and Retreat will receive diocesan catechist certification.
Called to Servant Leadership - Course Descriptions
Theology of Ministry
This course presents participants with a theology of ministry, mission and vocation by viewing ministry through several lenses: evangelization, multicultural aspects, social justice, and collaborative ministry.
Old Testament
This course introduces participants to the Catholic approach to reading and interpreting Sacred Scripture, acquaints participants with the main people, events and themes of the Old Testament, and guides them in applying these themes and insights to their own faith journeys.
New Testament
This course introduces participants to the Catholic approach to reading and interpreting Sacred Scripture, acquaints participants with the main people, events and themes of the New Testament, and guides them in applying these themes and insights to their own faith journeys.
Christology
This course teaches the message and meaning of Jesus Christ as preserved in Scripture and Tradition and as experienced in the community of the faithful, and engages participants in the ongoing encounter of Christ with his disciples through their theological reflection, work/ministry, and prayer/worship.
Theology of Church
This course is meant to be a study in the reality of the Church in the present decade. Such a study will include “a rationale for the Church’s existence, an understanding of one’s experience with other believers, an indication of a set of values and priorities and, finally, a clarification of the proper relationship between the Church and the contemporary world” (Avery Dulles, A Church to Believe In, page 1). As with any contemporary theology course, this course will be taught in the context of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, held from 1962-65.
Sacraments and Liturgy
This course introduces sacramental theology in the Roman Catholic tradition. It will examine the liturgy and sacraments as presented in the revised liturgical rites of Vatican II and as explained in the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults.
Living the Christian Life
This course will introduce the theological and philosophical foundations and sources of the Christian moral life, and will show how these sources inform some of the central moral issues of our time. The course content will be studied by direct exposure to Catholic teaching as it is found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Catholic Social Teaching
The Church’s social teaching is a rich treasure of wisdom about building a just society and living lives of holiness amidst the challenges of modern society. This course will focus on the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching: Life and Dignity of the Human Person; Call to Family, Community, and Participation; Rights and Responsibilities; Option for the Poor and Vulnerable; The Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers; Solidarity; and Care for God’s Creation.
Foundations of Spirituality
This course introduces Christian spirituality, understood historically as the theory and practice of Christian living in response to the problems and opportunities of time and place. Studying spirituality normally involves examining one’s own spirituality – how one understands the practices of living in and living out a Christian identity in the specific circumstances of one’s own life: How are my daily activities shaped by Christian ideals – especially the two Great Commandments to love God and love one’s neighbor? How is God calling me now to make my life more in accord with those ideals? How is my response to being “called to servant leadership” related to my overall life in Christ?
Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue
This course provides participants with a comprehensive overview of the Roman Catholic Church’s self-understanding vis-à-vis other Christian groups and non-Christian religions. This will foster sensitivity toward people of other faiths and religious traditions, allow the student in various pastoral settings to work for greater unity within our pluralistic society, and deepen the student’s appreciation for the uniqueness of Roman Catholicism.
Canon Law
This course gives participants an overview of the Code of Canon Law, its structure, purpose, and role in the life of the Church. It aims to teach participants how and where to find necessary resources in the law of the Church to be of use in their ministry. Participants will be guided to facilitate and integrate theology, ministry, and law through a healthy understanding of the role and interpretation of the Law in light of Vatican II.
Leadership and Management
This course addresses communication styles, preparing presentations and facilitating effective meetings. This course provides a number of participant-centered activities that will help in working with others with differing communication styles; preparing for presentations; and managing meetings including the techniques necessary to manage participant behavior.
A Framework for Ministry
This course is the three-session final course for participants in
Called to Servant Leadership.
Each session addresses a different theme. Session One addresses the Capstone Portfolio Project; Session Two addresses Church documents of which all participants should be aware; and Session Three addresses the necessity and importance of continuing formation.
Called to Servant Leadership
Formation Day Descriptions
Prayer
During this Formation Day participants are reminded of the reasons we pray, and they experience different forms and models of prayer including lectio divina.
Myers-Briggs
In advance of this Formation Day, participants have the opportunity to complete the Myers-Briggs survey instrument and submit it for scoring. At the Formation Day itself participants are introduced to the sixteen personality styles, learn their own personality style, and through activities gain insights into the influence of personality style on the development of activities in a parish.
Family Dynamics
In the context of prayer and reflection, this Formation Day provides an introduction to family systems theory in order to provide participants insights into their own families and into the families with and to whom they minister.
Leading in a Collaborative Environment
During this Formation Day participants complete a leadership style survey in order to determine their own leadership style. Participants are introduced to the impact leadership style has on communication, listening, leading meetings and planning.
Servant Leadership
Participants will explore the possibility that in leadership, in service, we imitate Christ and make him evident by our witness. Participants will look to the Gospels; examine their understanding of God; explore notions of leadership and of service; reflect on who they are and what they do and integrate these two realities.
Living the Call: How Culture Shapes Our Perceptions and Beliefs
This Formation Day brings to awareness a process that recognizes, respects, and accepts the cultural identity, similarities and differences of each individual, promoting an understanding of self and others.
Designing and Leading Prayer
During this Formation Day participants will examine lay ministry after the Council; liturgical leadership and roles; liturgical attire and preparation for liturgy. Participants will be introduced to Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Liturgy of the Hours, and visiting the homebound.
Parish Systems: Functional Parish Systems
We will take a look at the basics of the systems approach: hierarchies, subsystems, autonomy, attachment, differentiation, boundaries, triangulation, and interdependence and apply them to parish life. We will define the dimensions of a healthy group/team, explore collaboration and develop a community building approach.
Forming Small Communities Within Larger Parishes
Through prayer, reflection and small group conversation during this Formation Day, participants will examine past and present structures, ministries and mission of the parishes in which they serve. In the light of the current twinning, merging, and suppression of parishes in the Diocese of Manchester, would small communities be helpful and how could they be formed? Presenters of this Formation Day will share small faith communities they have experienced.
Called to Servant Leadership Retreats
Our baptismal call to holiness
Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord talks about the goal of spiritual formation being to “arouse and animate true hunger for holiness” and describes holiness as “desire for union with the Father through Christ in the Spirit, daily growing in love of God and neighbor in life and ministry, and practices of prayer and spirituality that foster these attitudes and dispositions. Using resources like Lumen Gentium, Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium, and the Mystery of Faith by Michael Himes, participants in this retreat experience will have a chance to reflect on this communion with God.
Gifts for Ministry
Through prayer, reflection and meditation, participants in this retreat experience will continue their ongoing journey discerning their gifts for ministry.
I call you friends
Participants in this retreat will use Scripture, prayer, music, spiritual classics, and personal sharing to reflect on Who is the "I" in the statement? What are participants’ images of Jesus and how does that help them personally and in ministry? Who is He to them, for them and with them? What "calls" have they received from Him? How do they recognize his voice? What are some every day calls in their lives? What is their response to the calls? Who are they (the "you" of the statement) to themselves and others and how does that support their ministry? Looking in the mirror, how do they see themselves as christians, disciples, priests, prophets and kings? What constitutes a "friends"hip relationship? How and to what degree has that developed with others and with Jesus? How do you continue to grow in intimacy with Jesus and allow Him to be intimate with you? How does that affect your ministry?
Called to Servant Leadership Practicum
During Year Two participants engage in a discernment process including their own reflection, a meeting with their pastor, and a meeting with a diocesan staff member. Through this process a practicum focus is determined. Diocesan staff members choose a practicum supervisor with experience in the area of focus for each participant. Supervisor and participant develop a learning covenant together, and during Year Three work together for 25 to 30 hours to complete the learning covenant. This experience is similar to a practice teaching experience. It is an opportunity to “practice” ministry.