From the Desk of Sr. Maureen Abbott, SP

Retiring Director of Ministry Formation

Online classes

Due to the popularity of this approach to learning, we’ve gradually been able to expand our online offerings.  As of the Winter, 2009 semester, seven of the eight Basic Theology courses will be available online.   Consequently, we’ve adjusted our cycle of offerings to accommodate this new addition.  As a ministry formation program, we stress the importance of being a learning community, and insist on the beneficial effect of mingling with students and faculty in face-to-face settings, so limit the number of classes which rely on the cyberspace community to five of the eight courses.

Planning ahead

How’s your portfolio?  Once you set your sights on achieving a certificate, you’ll want to set up a filing system for keeping track of your progress.  Central to this system is your Student Report, which lists all the requirements and enables you to check them off when accomplished.  We are committed to offering all of the courses required for certification in a three-year cycle during the summer session, so you need to build your plans around this basis.  As you evaluate your progress, please feel free to e-mail me with questions about how our system can work best for you.

Thanks and good-bye

As I come to the end of five years of directing this Ministry Formation Program, I want to thank quite a few people.  First of all, thanks go to Archbishop Vlazny for his recognition of the importance of a strong foundation for those who feel called to serve the church community and his support of the program.  I’m grateful to Father Paul Peri, whose vision made possible the renovation of the Griffin Center to serve as such a hospitable home base for our program, and for his 2003 invitation to me to take up its administration.  Father Pat Brennan has continued to provide a listening ear and excellent advice.  Since her arrival on the scene in 2004, Heather Wycoff’s great enthusiasm and willingness to tackle all manner of challenges have made this job fun.  Our amazing and talented faculty have given unstinting cooperation to my efforts to assure that your education meets (and often exceeds!) the national standards endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.  The many priests who have seen the benefit of educated lay ministers and encouraged your participation deserve great credit.  Most of all, my thanks go to you, the students and alumni, who have arranged your busy schedules to attend to your own formation.  You are my inspiration.

I had hoped to be able to announce my successor, but the replacement process is ongoing.  As a half-time director due to the continuing financial problems connected to the bankruptcy, my in-box has always seemed overflowing, or at least my ideas of what to do next.  I’m leaving behind my suggestions for the program’s future development.  If you have any to add, please don’t hesitate to send them on to add to the list.  Meanwhile, the road rises up to meet me, and down that road is the exciting task of rounding out our course offerings with MCP108 Church History.  As instructor, I’ll see you in August!