Specialized Certificate in Parish Life and Administristration
Extension Model
A Professional Credential for Christian Ministry
“ Stronger church communities through continuing education . . .”
- Description of the Program
- Admission to the Program
- Who Should Participate?
- Need for and Goals of the Certificate Program
- Certificate Curriculum (6 Courses)
- Learning Plan for Extension Courses
- Credits Needed for the Specialized Certificate
- Instructors (Adjunct Faculty)
- Extension Site Coordinators
- Extension Course Schedule
- For More Information
Description of the Program
The Specialized Certificate program offers specialty-level ministry education courses, informative readings, and integrating project work for persons currently engaged or soon to be engaged in pastoral ministry leadership roles in local Christian faith communities.
Thus, the Specialized Certificate is a professional ministry credential and a continuing ministry education (c.e.u. credit) program which is ideal for lay ministry professionals, clergy, pastoral administrators, parish coordinators, and pastoral associates; other local church leaders such as DREs and religious education coordinators; experienced ministry volunteers; and post-graduate level students. Certificate program participants often include persons who wish to update themselves on current areas of ministry interest, to acquire another professional ministry credential, to acquire ministry leadership skills, to fulfill continuing education requirements, to further integrate their previous ministry studies and/or ministry experiences, and to integrate knowledge from the disciplines of theology, canon law studies, ministry, leadership theory, and psychology.
Admission to the Program
Four criteria exist for formal admission to the Specialized Certificate program. A learner’s admission requires at least one of the following:
- a Masters degree, preferably in pastoral studies, religious studies, religious education, theology, or a closely related field of study; or
- a Certificate awarded by the LIM on-campus or the LIMEX programs
(C.P.S. or C.R.E.), of Loyola University New Orleans. - a B.A. or B.S. degree, plus at least three (3) years of documentable ministry
leadership experience; or - no academic degree, but at least five (5) years of documentable ministry
leadership experience.
Applicants for the Certificate program are evaluated in light of the current academic expectations placed on adult continuing education (c.e.u.) students by Loyola University’s Institute for Ministry (LIM).
The Specialized Certificate program leads participants toward 12 continuing education credit hours (c.e.u.) of specialty-level ministry studies. Successful completion of the program results in the student’s reception of the professional ministry credential called the Specialized Certificate in Parish Life and Administration, awarded by the Loyola Pastoral Life Center (LPLC), in conjunction with the Loyola Institute for Ministry, at Loyola University New Orleans.
Who Should Participate?
This study program is ideal for various ministry leaders – for lay ministry professionals such as clergy, pastoral administrators, and parish coordinators; other local church leaders such as pastoral associates, RCIA coordinators, DREs and religious education coordinators; experienced ministry volunteers; and post-graduate level students. Certificate program participants often include persons who wish to update themselves on current areas of ministry interest, to acquire another professional ministry credential, to acquire ministry leadership skills, to fulfill continuing education requirements, to further integrate their previous ministry studies and/or ministry experiences, and to integrate knowledge from the disciplines of theology, canon law studies, ministry, leadership theory, and psychology.
Types of Participants –
Certificate students – participants who take all six courses, and may begin the Specialized Certificate program with any of the six certificate courses offered at an LPLC extension studies site. Courses are generally offered at each extension location on an ongoing basis.
Non-credit (workshop) participants -- anyone who cannot meet any of the basic admission requirements usually may take part in any course, at any extension location, as a non-credit, workshop participant
Need for and Goals of the Certificate Program
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The Need
In recent decades, the church has been undergoing profound changes and has been rediscovering its mission of service in the world. A corresponding change among many persons -- the ordained, the laity, and many in religious communities -- has awakened in them an awareness that skilled and inspirational leaders in ministry, in local faith communities, are much needed in these times of change.
Ministry leaders, of today and tomorrow, will need a grounding in practical theology, pastoral vision, professional competence, administrative skills, and a grasp of the emergent, pressing pastoral issues in contemporary local churches, in order to respond in very meaningful ways to the people of God.
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Goals of the Specialized Certificate Program
- The Loyola Pastoral Life Center, a continuing education division of the Loyola Institute for Ministry, seeks through the Specialized Certificate in Parish Life and Administration program to serve many people --laity, religious, and the ordained -- who are engaged at a professional or paraprofessional level in the church's work of pastoral ministry leadership. A person who expects to work at the highest possible levels of proficiency in contemporary pastoral leadership must achieve an integration of theological vision and knowledge; a deep sensitivity to the dynamics of the church's institutional life; a critical awareness of and appreciation for the times and cultures within which one works; some skills and specialized knowledge appropriate to a person in church administration; and an awareness of the emerging pastoral issues in Christian life today. The Certificate program seeks to directly address the adult learner’s continuing ministry education need for this type of dynamic integration.
- The Loyola Pastoral Life Center seeks also to serve the many people -- laity, religious, and the ordained -- who are engaged, currently, in ministries in the marketplace and the wider world, but who are qualified for Specialized Certificate enrollment and preparing to engage in pastoral ministry leadership roles in local church communities. Again, an integration of many skills and knowledge areas (described above), through a dynamic and challenging program of continuing ministry education, is required for active ministry within the institutional church today. Persons who want to undertake the challenging, continuing education needed for emerging and essential ministry leadership roles ministries are invited to take part in the Specialized Certificate ministry credential program
Certificate Curriculum (6 Courses)
The Dynamic Parish Today (2 c.e.u.)
In this course, participants reflect deeply on the realities of church, parish, and ministry, as they are experienced today. Traditional and emerging models of church and parish life will be investigated, along with a variety of critical pastoral ministry issues that impact church life and parish ministry leaders in contemporary times.
Effective Leadership & Pastoral Administration (2 c.e.u.)
This course considers key, practical aspects of effective leadership in local faith communities consistent with current theologies on church and ministry. Participants explore and experiment with leadership and ministry-team paradigms in light of the mission of the church and their own ecclesial visions. Special attention will be given to the crucial leadership skills of collaboration, navigating change/transition, and spiritual self-care in modern church life and administration.
Canon Law and Civil Law for the Pastoral Minister (2 c.e.u.)
This course will examine, first, the revised code of canon law in light of historical development of law and the reforms of Vatican II. During this course, special emphasis will be placed on Book Two of the Code, the People of God, and special applications of canon law to the everyday life of the faith community. Next, the course will identify and reflect upon a number of legal issues which persons working parish communities often encounter. Based upon the interests and needs of class members, issues such as the following may be addressed: the non-profit, corporate status of the parish; church property; contracts, insurance, and torts; marriage; divorce; child abuse matters; clergy and parish staff malpractice; and confidentiality issues and counseling liabilities.
Stewardship and Financial Management in Local Faith Community (2 c.e.u.)
To become a “good steward” of local resources, the contemporary administrator must be able to develop a sound strategic plan, identify and acquire resources to implement that plan, and then responsibly manage, monitor, and report on the plan’s execution. Parish stewardship entails carrying out these actions in partnership with a community of Christians striving to build up the reign of God. In this course, participants will develop a stewardship plan for a parish church while giving particular focus to the nature of Christian stewardship, strategic planning, parish fundraising, and principles of financial management.
Presiding Skills for Prayer and Worship (2 c.e.u.)
This course examines the richness and the development of the church’s many worship forms. In particular, course participants focus on the role of the presider and the assembly in each of these worship traditions and then develop presiding skills for leading assemblies gathered for prayer.
Cultural Diversity and Parish Ministry (2 c.e.u.)
This course provides a framework that enables participants to investigate and understand pluralism and cultural diversity in the local faith community as both gifts and challenges. It will also provide the participants with a vocabulary that will enable them to understand their own culture, and the cultures of others, in the environment in which they live and to identify some of the dynamics in cross-cultural situations.
Learning Plan for Extension Courses
The Specialized Certificate in Parish Life and Administration curriculum is composed of six (6) continuing education courses. Actual course descriptions can be found elsewhere on this webpage.
- The Dynamic Parish Today
- Effective Leadership & Pastoral Administration
- Canon Law and Civil Law for the Pastoral Minister
- Stewardship and Financial Management in the Local Faith Community
- Presiding Skills for Prayer and Worship
- Cultural Diversity and Parish Ministry
Ordinarily, each of these distance education courses is presented over two days in a seminar (or workshop) format by a member of the LPLC’s instruction team. These two days of presentation are then followed by a 45-day period devoted to required readings pertinent to the topic of the course and completion of several short, written summaries of what one has learned.
So, to successfully complete each course in the Specialized Certificate curriculum
(via distance education), a course participant must ordinarily do the following:
- Attend and actively participate in all class sessions (usually 15 contact/class hours, often taught over a two-day schedule)
- Complete a post-class, directed reading assignment
- Complete a brief written response to the readings she/he has completed
- Turn in written work in a timely manner.
Successful completion of a Certificate program course, by a properly enrolled continuing education student, will result in the reception of two (2) c.e.u. -- i.e., 2 continuing education units.
For the purpose of definition and explanation, the Loyola University Graduate Bulletin 2003-2005 describes the continuing education credit in the following way:
Persons who register as CEU students will receive continuing education units as defined by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. CEUs are recorded on a Loyola University CEU transcript and kept in the permanent records of the university registrar.
Continuing education credit is determined by class attendance, competent participation in the (extension site) learning group or on-campus course, completion of reading assignments, and other activities necessary for participation in those sessions.
According to the booklet The Continuing Education Unit: Guidelines 1994, by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, “One Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is ten (10) contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience under responsible sponsorship, capable direction, and qualified instruction.”
In the Specialized Certificate extension program, twenty (20) contact hours per course -- the equivalent of 2 c.e.u. -- will normally be calculated by combining fifteen (15) contact/class hours, plus five (5) contact hours for supervised, self- directed study through reading assignments and written responses.
Credits Needed for the Specialized Certificate
Each of the six (6) continuing education courses in the Specialized Certificate program leads one toward reception of 2 continuing education credits (2 c.e.u.). A total of 12 c.e.u. -- representing the successful completion of all six courses as specified in the current Certificate curriculum – is required for the award of the Specialized Certificate in Parish Life and Administration from the Loyola Pastoral Life Center.
For More Information
For more information, contact an extension site coordinator or the Loyola Pastoral Life Center.
E-mail: lplc@loyno.edu
Loyola Pastoral Life Center
Attention: LPLC Coordinator
6363 St. Charles Avenue
LIM -- Campus Box 67
New Orleans, LA 70118
Phone: 800.777.5469
Ph: 504.865.3728
Fax: 504.865.2066