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Welcome to the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization.

by on March 17, 2023

A Message from the Dean

 

Welcome to the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization!

I am excited for the opportunity to join the faculty and staff of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake and to lead the newly established School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization.  This school will build on the existing strengths of the University in the areas of liturgical leadership, lay ministry, diaconal formation and ongoing priestly formation. The needs of the Church are profound and the opportunity to have the most significant impact is at the most local level – the parish.  The School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization is poised to grow its impact and influence on the life of the Church in Chicago and beyond.

We are also excited to expand the work of encounter-based formation that is at the heart of priestly formation across all of USML’s programs. Encounter-based pedagogy will play a key role in meeting the needs of the parishes now and in the years to come.  This unique pedagogical approach focuses not only on the dimensions of formation expressed in Pope Saint John Paul II’s Pastores Dabo Vobis, which are key for all forms of ministerial development, but recognizes that self-reflective experience on multiple interpersonal encounters is essential to the development of theological knowledge, spiritual depth, pastoral skill, and relational ministry.

Sincerely,

Ted Whapham

 

Read more about Dean Ted Whapham in this “At a Glance” bio!

 

About the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization

Fr. John Kartje, President/Rector of the University of Saint Mary of the Lake (USML) and Mundelein Seminary, announced the creation of a new “School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization” effective July 1, 2023. Focusing on the formation of lay leadership and the permanent diaconate, and the ongoing formation of priests and religious, the School will complement the mission of Mundelein Seminary, which is not affected by the restructuring. Under the guidance of a single dean, the new school will both encompass and advance the programs formerly offered by four separate institutes at USML: Institute of Diaconal Studies, Instituto de Liderazgo Pastoral, Liturgical Institute, and Institute of Pastoral Leadership.

The School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization will offer Graduate Degrees and Certificates including:

The Pontifical Faculty of Theology offers both the Doctor of Sacred Theology and the Licentiate in Sacred Theology.

The School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization will offer Parish Ministry Programs in Spanish and in English including:

The School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization will offer Deacon Formation Programs in English and in Spanish

And, the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization will offer Online Short Courses.