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AGE |
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The minimum age for application is twenty-one years of age. |
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Applicants over 65 will be reviewed on an individual basis. |
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MEMBERSHIP |
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The person must have been a member of the Catholic Church for three years. |
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The person must be confirmed. If the person is a convert, it is important that he or she have a good foundation in the faith. |
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MARRIAGE |
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If married, the person must be in a valid Catholic marriage. This sacramental marriage must be at least five years in length and it must be stable. |
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A person who has been divorced and has received an annulment and has not remarried may apply for admittance to the program. They will not receive a certificate as a lay leader sooner than five years from the date the annulment was granted. |
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A person who has been divorced and has received an annulment and remarried must presently be in a sacramental marriage for at least five years and the marriage must be stable. |
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INVOLVEMENT |
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The person must belong to an identifiable parish community. He or she must demonstrate an ability to work with the pastor and parish team. |
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The person must have shown some involvement in the church, e.g. parish council, Lector, Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist, CCD teacher; active in Cursillo, Marriage Encounter, Beginning Experience or other church related organizations. |
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CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY |
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If there is a history of chemical dependency on the part of the person, he or she must have been a non-user for two years. |
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The person must be involved with some support group, i.e. AA, prayer group, etc. |
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If the person applying is an adult child of an alcoholic, he or she must have recognized and addressed in some manner the issues related to the alcohol dependency which affected his or her life. |
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EVALUATION |
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The person must be recommended by his or her pastor. This will be a written recommendation and must identify the ministry for which the person will receive preparation. This ministry may change over the period of formation, but initially it is important that the person know how he or she fits in on the parish level. |
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The person will be interviewed by the director of the Ministry Formation Program. |
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COMMITMENT |
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A person applying to the Lay Ministry Formation Program must be committed to the program and come prepared to the weekly classes and to the annual retreat provided for the members of the formation program. |
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The length of the formation program will be about four years. After successfully completing the program, a person will be commissioned by the Bishop and receive a certificate as a lay minister and will become a member of the Association of Commissioned Lay Ministers of the Diocese of Rapid City. |
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The following priority of commitment is expected. Family responsibilities come first, job responsibilities come second, ministry and/or formation responsibilities come third. If the first two commitments can not be kept, then one may not be called to be a lay minister at this time. |
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UNDERSTANDING |
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The person must have a clear understanding of the following: |
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This is a four year formation program after which the individual is expected to make a five-year commitment to the diocese. |
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After the initial formation program each person must be willing to commit to the continuing education program provided by the diocese (Pastoral Ministry Days). |
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Each person is encouraged to have a spiritual director and meet with him or her regularly. |
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Expenses incurred during formation, e.g. baby-sitting, mileage to class, and retreat, will be covered by the diocese. |
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Generally speaking, salaries will not be provided for those who are appointed to a lay ministry position in a parish or in the diocese. The ministers can expect that the expenses they incur either doing ministry or fulfilling continuing education requirements will be covered. |
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Classes will meet once a week for two hours. The three volume text Builders of the New Earth will be used. |
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If required, practical formation will be coordinated with other diocesan offices to prepare the person for ministry in a specialized area. |
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Each parish has different needs. The program will try to accommodate those needs by providing formation for the offices which will best support the work of the parish community. The following is a list of offices for which we expect to provide formation. This list is not meant to be exclusive. However, it should be noted that these offices require serious academic and spiritual formation as well as practical preparation. They also require a significant commitment of time. |
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1. |
Pastoral assistant |
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CCD coordinator |
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Director of youth ministry |
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Director of care for the elderly, sick and dying |
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Prayer leader who would preside at communion services, wake services, devotional services, i.e. Lenten services, Stations, etc., for parishes without a resident priest |
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Director of sacramental preparation who would prepare people for baptism and marriage, and train Lectors and Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist |
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Director of ministry to the widowed, separated and divorced: This would include certification by the Marriage Tribunal to assist in the annulment process |
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8. |
Director of evangelization of inactive Catholics |
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9. |
Music ministry |
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10. |
Hospital and prison ministry |
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If a person is interested in the Ministry Formation Program it is suggested that he or she: |
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First talk to their pastor or pastoral team members. Discuss with them the needs of the parish and the areas in which the applicant would like to serve. |
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Then contact Fr. George Winzenburg, SJ for an application form. |
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Complete the application form, furnish the required documentation and interview with the appropriate people. |
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The information will be presented to the bishop, who will make the final decision for acceptance into the Program. |
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Those persons who do not meet all the application requirements may be invited to audit the Lay Ministry Formation Program. Persons wishing to increase their knowledge of the church and theology may also be invited to audit the program. Anyone who audits the program is required to commit themselves to be prepared and be present for the weekly classes. |
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