About the Project
Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership Project
National ministerial organizations are collaborating on sustaining the pastoral excellence of the emerging models of pastoral leadership in the Catholic Church. They believe that, at this time, the life of the Catholic Church depends on ongoing and sustained collaboration at all levels. Their vision is for a more fully collaborative, competent, and mission-focused pastoral leadership, strengthened in their service to parish communities at all levels.
These organizations have researched MARKS OF EXCELLENCE for vibrant parishes and are committed to providing research and dialogue with pastoral leadership in pursuing this excellence.
In order to create a climate in which much needed research, theological reflection, and practical transforming action can take place, the Project has set three goals:
- To provide solid research on the emerging models of parish pastoral leadership;
- To stimulate a national conversation about the use of pastoral imagination
to create vibrant parishes; and - To explore ways in which national associations can collaborate to serve the Church.
Project Initiatives (Phase II: 2009 - 2012):
- Multiple parish ministry
- Development of leadership in and for a multicultural church
- Engagement of the next generation of pastoral leaders
- Parish staffing and compensation models
- The role of finance councils and business managers
- The impact of parish life coordinators on the life of the parish
- The role of the deacon in parish ministry
- Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership Book Series
- Website resourcing and Information sharing
- Development of a learning consortium
- Inter-organizational collaboration and dialogue
Of the original six partners, five have decided it is within their strategic vision to continue developing a contemporary body of knowledge about today's parishes and parish leadership. These five include NALM, CPPCD, NACPA, NCYAMA, and NFPC.
Project initiatives (Phase I: 2003 - 2009):
- National study of lay ecclesial ministry published by NPLC
- Study of the Next Generation of Pastoral Leaders, conducted by Dr.Dean Hoge
- Eight regional leadership symposiums on parish best practices
- Study of parish life coordinators, conducted by CARA
- Bishop focus groups on Canon 517.2, conducted by CARA
- Two symposiums on Canon 517.2: parish life coordinators and sacramental ministers
- Symposium on multiple parish pastoring
- Pilot workshops on multiple parish pastoring
- Website resourcing and Information sharing
- Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership Series published by Loyola Press
- National Ministry Summit
- Ministry Summit Recommendations for the future of excellence in pastoral leadership
- Implications for human resources
- Inter-organizational collaboration and dialogue
Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Program
The Lilly Endowment, Inc.
The Project is in place, and has been renewed, thanks to the generosity of the Lilly Endowment, Inc., which established its “Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Grant Program” in 2002. This program was designed to provide funding to organizations that would establish projects to enhance pastoral leadership in parishes and congregations across the country. Sixty-three separate projects were funded . As a result of being selected to participate, the Emerging Models Project has been able to provide national support by sharing ideas for enhancing parish life with our constituencies and with parishes and dioceses across the country.
