Lay Degree Includes Spiritual and Ministerial Formation
Sacred Heart's lay formation program "begins with the whole person where they are and nurtures their growth areas," says Dean Patricia Rennie.
Mrs. Rennie is Dean of the Institute for Ministry, which oversees admissions and formation in Sacred Heart's diploma and degree programs for lay students. Since the fall of 2000, women and men preparing for ministry through the MAPS curriculum (Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies) also receive extensive spiritual formation.
The MAPS formation program has four features: spiritual direction, mentoring, theological reflection and monthly formation gatherings.
"We believe the formation components prepare a person 'wholistically' for ministerial work," says Dean Rennie. "They grow not only in theological skills, but spiritually as persons of prayer and commitment to Jesus, and ministerially as servant-leaders of the People of God."
There is no comparable document for the laity such as the Program for Priestly Formation, which guides seminarian formation. However, the National Association for Lay Ministry (NALM), which collaborates with the USCCB, has designed a set of competency-based standards upon which Sacred Heart's MAPS program is based.
