Parish Ambassador Program
The University of Saint Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary ambassador program is one of raising awareness, making sure that everyone in your parish recognizes the USML brand and understands our mission in the formation of men as parish priests, lay men as deacons, and lay women and men as lay ministers who serve our parishes. There is no fundraising involved.
Connecting Parishioners to USML
A Parish Ambassador to the University of Saint Mary of the Lake plays a vital role in connecting parishioners within the Archdiocese of Chicago to enriching Catholic educational, formational, and learning opportunities. Ambassadors serve as liaisons, fostering awareness of the University’s programs and events that promote spiritual growth, lay leadership, and deeper engagement with the faith. By sharing resources, upcoming events, and educational opportunities, these ambassadors help parishioners access tools to deepen their understanding of Catholic teachings, develop leadership skills, and grow in their relationship with Christ and the Church.
Time Commitment
Our goal is for Ambassadors to spend no more than 1-2 hours per month on their duties as part of the program. Ambassadors are free to do more if they have the desire and time to provide further support.
Ambassador Checklist
- Establish a relationship with the pastor and other parish staff and leaders. Let them know of your intentions to have a USML presence in the parish. Assure them this is purely an awareness-raising campaign. There is no fundraising involved.
- Developing relationships with key parish contacts is essential to your success as a Parish Ambassador. After establishing a relationship with parish contacts, you can quickly and easily update your promotional message, obtain approval for promotional activities and materials, and share content and communications on behalf of USML. If you don’t know where to start, ask your pastor to refer you to the best contacts within the parish, or even ask for an introduction in person or via email. Try to establish a single point of contact to build an ongoing relationship, and provide your parish contact with regular updates. Always ask for permission or approval through your parish contact. Finally, give your parish contacts sufficient time to accommodate your requests.
- As permitted, submit bulletin, e-mail and pulpit announcements to your parish administration for inclusion in their physical and/or digital bulletin, email communications and Mass announcements. Even better, ask if you can take 5 minutes at the end of mass to speak about USML and invite parishioners to learn more about us, visit the campus or attend an event for faith learning enrichment, Rector’s Mass, Lectures, May Crowing, SPLE programs.
- With pastor approval, hang a USML sign or banner in a parish common space.
- USML will provide you with access to advertising materials, tabling materials for after mass, and banners upon request. Some church leaders may not allow this, so please respect their wishes, but do not be afraid to explain why you think USML content could be beneficial to their parishioners, e.g., free lectures, opportunities for faith enrichment, a serene campus with a beautiful lake and walking trails, hosting retreats and other parish activities.
- Work with your parish administrators to share USML information and branding on your parish website and/or social media. Like USML posts on social media and forward these posts to others in your network.
- Add your parish community, your fellow ambassadors, and USML to your prayer intentions. It is essential to our success!
USML Resources
- Swag bag for Ambassadors: Pins, lanyards, hats, bumper stickers – Wear and display them proudly!
- Letter and Email templates
- Bulletin announcements/Advertising Ads (non-paying) Our marketing department can create copy, or ¼, ½ or full-page ads for you to share with your parishes.
- Mass Announcement scripts
- Marketing Materials/handouts
- Posters/Flyers
- Give-Aways
The Future
- Ambassador Meetings via Teams 3 x Year
- Program Expansion beyond the Board of Advisors
- Handbook
Parish Bulletin Resources
USML Events
Rector’s Classic
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Join Mundelein Seminary for the annual Rector’s Classic golf outing on Thursday, September 18th. This premier event is more than just a game; it’s a celebration of community, supporting future religious leaders, and enjoying a day of camaraderie on the course.
Open to all skill levels! Enjoy a fun-filled day, whether you’re a seasoned golfer or just starting out. Our golf event will begin at Pine Meadow Golf Club. It will include a BBQ lunch, a swag bag at registration, and a special gift for each golfer.
Not a golfer? No problem! Support the cause by attending the evening events. Plus, we’re honoring Father Thomas Franzman this year with the prestigious As Those Who Serve Award. The evening event will be hosted at Mundelein Seminary, University of Saint Mary of the Lake. The event will include a silent online auction, raffle, dinner, and award presentation.
Don’t miss out! Sponsor or purchase tickets today to tee up for a brighter future.
School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization – Lay Education and Formation
Online Short Courses
The USML’s School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization creates and offers a variety of online courses specifically designed to enhance your understanding of the Catholic faith while providing you with practical skills for effective parish leadership.
Learn more about our Online Short Courses by clicking here.
Download a zip file containing JPEG and PDF files of full-page, half-page, and quarter-page bulletin announcements.
