Since the Second Vatican Council (1962–65), Roman Catholic faculty and students have played an important role at YDS. Because the majority of the students are members of the laity who cannot at the present time become candidates for ordination in the Catholic Church, no formal programs for priestly formation currently exist at YDS. However, many Catholic students at YDS are enrolled in the M.Div. program and are preparing to serve as lay ecclesial ministers in the Catholic Church. Students enrolled in the M.A.R. and S.T.M. programs are preparing for service in educational and social service environments.
In order to provide a formative experience for all these students, the Roman Catholic Fellowship has been established as an informal body of students, staff, and faculty who gather throughout the academic year for worship, meals, and lectures. Throughout the year different activities, such as small prayer groups or volunteer groups committed to working in underserved areas of New Haven, develop according to the interests and needs of the students. Opportunities for supervised ministry and formation experience are also available through the St. Thomas More Catholic Chaplaincy at Yale. The variety of denominations and traditions represented at YDS allows Catholic students a rich opportunity to engage in ecumenical dialogue and worship in addition to their studies. The Annand Program of Berkeley Divinity School provides occasions for spiritual direction in which Roman Catholics regularly participate. Each of the programs in which the Catholic community engages is intended to deepen the students’ awareness of the ways in which they can serve the church through education, parish ministry, and pastoral care, while also cultivating friendships and support among themselves and the broader YDS community.
Catholic Lay Ministerial Studies Certificate
The Roman Catholic Lay Ministerial Studies Program at Yale Divinity School provides Catholic students with an integrated approach to theological education and preparation for lay ministry in the Catholic Church at Yale Divinity School, encompassing both their program of study and their spiritual formation for ministry. The former is addressed by a required curriculum with distribution requirements similar to those of Catholic seminaries. The latter is addressed by a program of formation for ministry that includes retreats, spiritual direction, community formation, an ongoing colloquium on the practice of ministry in the Catholic tradition, and opportunities for worship and social interaction. This program is informed by the principles outlined in Co-workers in the Vineyard of the Lord: A Resource for Guiding the Development of Lay Ecclesial Ministry, a 2005 publication of the U.S. Council of Catholic Bishops. The program is led by Fr. Ryan Lerner, Director of Catholic Lay Ministerial Studies.
The certificate program in Catholic Lay Ministerial Studies is designed for students preparing for lay ministry in the Roman Catholic Church. Both an M.Div. and an M.A.R. Certificate is available. Candidates must complete the course of studies approved by the Catholic Lay Ministerial Studies Committee, participate in ongoing spiritual direction, participate in the colloquium on formation for ministry, and be regularly involved in retreats and other opportunities for community formation within the life of the Catholic community at Yale.
While specific course offerings can vary with changes in the faculty, YDS is committed to providing courses in the Catholic tradition in the curriculum, including Catholic Liturgy, Catholic Moral Theology, and Theology of Vatican II.
FORMATION FOR MINISTRY
A series of colloquia focused on formation for lay ministry are offered for those in the Catholic Lay Ministerial Studies Program. These colloquia are also open to students not intending to complete a certificate. The specific topics covered vary from year to year, depending on the interests of the leader of the colloquium, but include Catholic church governance, canon law, Catholic Social Teaching, recent encyclicals, catechetical tools and instruction, church finance systems, and RCIA. Those chosen as leaders of the colloquia are familiar with lay Catholic ministry, including persons engaged in various forms of lay and ordained Catholic ministry. Participants are also expected to participate in ongoing spiritual direction, coordinated by the Director of Catholic Lay Ministerial Studies.
COMMUNITY LIFE
Catholic students at YDS meet on a regular basis for community formation, social interaction and prayer. All students seeking to earn the Certificate in Catholic Lay Ministerial Studies are expected to participate in the ongoing sacramental and community life of a Catholic worship community, whether at Saint Thomas More Catholic Chapel and Center, Saint Mary’s Parish, or one of the other local Catholic parishes. Liturgies at Marquand Chapel offer an opportunity to engage in the ecumenical worship life of the Divinity School community.
COURSE OF STUDIES
M.A.R. Certificate:
Colloquium for Ministry Formation (normally 3 semesters)
Holy Scriptures (6 hours)
o At least one course in Old Testament interpretation (3 hours)
o At least one course in New Testament interpretation (3 hours)
Historical and Theological Studies in the Christian Tradition (6 hours)
o At least one course in Systematic Theology (3 hours)
o At least one Theological Ethics course with relevance for Catholic life and thought (3 hours)
Liturgy (3 hours)
o At least one course in Liturgy (if possible, Catholic Liturgy) (3 hours)
Pastoral Care, Spirituality, and Religious Education (6 hours)
o At least one course in Pastoral Care (3 hours)
o At least one other course in Pastoral Care, Spirituality, and Religious Education (3 hours)
M.Div. Certificate:
Colloquium for Ministry Formation (normally 5 semesters)
Holy Scriptures (12 hours)
o At least one course in Old Testament interpretation (3 hours)
o At least one course in New Testament interpretation (3 hours)
o Two additional courses in exegesis, Biblical interpretation, or Biblical theology (6 hours)
Historical and Theological Studies in the Christian Tradition (12 hours)
o At least one course in Systematic Theology (3 hours)
o At least one Theological Ethics course with relevance for Catholic life and thought (3 hours)
o Two courses in the history of Christianity, including either Early Christianity or Medieval Christianity (6 hours)
o One additional course in church history or the history of Christianity (3 hours)
Liturgy and Preaching (6 hours)
o At least one course in Preaching (3 hours)
o At least one course in Liturgy (preferably Catholic Liturgy) (3 hours)
Pastoral Care, Spirituality, and Religious Education (9 hours)
o At least one course in Pastoral Care (3 hours)
o At least two additional courses in Pastoral Care, Spirituality, and Religious Education (6 hours)
SUPERVISED MINISTRY/ CLINICAL PASTORAL EDUCATION
Students receiving the M.Div. certificate must complete a supervised ministry assignment or clinical pastoral education program approved by the Director of Catholic Lay Ministerial Studies. Appropriate settings for supervised ministry include the following:
Hospice Chaplaincy
Hospital Chaplaincy
School Chaplaincy
Elementary/Secondary School Teaching
Social Justice/Social Service/Social Advocacy Ministries
Campus Ministry
Catechetical Ministries
Liturgical and Music Ministries