Study programme in Leadership for Family Ministry and Faith Formation
Background
Ten diocesan workers from around England and Wales are currently being sponsored through the Bishops' Conference Faith in the Future fundraising initiative to undertake post-graduate studies in Leadership for Family Ministry and Faith Formation.
This three year part-time programme, offered by Dominican University just outside Chicago, USA, is delivered through online learning, intensive residentials and private study, enabling individuals to participate wherever they live as well as to combine their studies with their work and home life.
"The pastoral care of marriage and family life is becoming increasingly complex, requiring that leaders have a breadth of knowledge and skills as well as a strategic and sensitive overview. We are delighted that some of the funds raised are being invested in the education of committed individuals who will go on to become a major long-term resource for the care of marriage and family life in England and Wales," said Bishop John Hine.
This summer’s second-year residential was held at Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology in Cambridge, in partnership with Cambridge Theological Federation who made it available to their MA students in Pastoral Theology. A number of diocesan workers in marriage and family life also took the opportunity for some professional development.
A student's reflections
My name's Lisette Blanchet-Ball and I've worked since 2000 in the Southwark diocese, South East Pastoral area in marriage and family life. The main part of my work is marriage preparation but I also get involved with Bishops’ Conference initiatives and big celebrations like the Marriage Anniversary Mass that we hold in Southwark every year.
I love learning, and so immediately I saw this MA as a wonderful opportunity for me to actually learn formally again, after many, many years when all my learning has been informal and job-related rather than academic. I was just so excited by the opportunity of learning about theology, especially the bits that impact on marriage and family life. I felt it would give me a good background for the work that I do.
The experience has been really marvellous on lots of levels. On a personal level it has opened me up to experiences that are very new to me. It has revitalised me, rejuvenated me. On a professional level it has given me much more confidence. I’m using the practical tools obtained very much as a way to improve the quality of, for example, marriage enrichment and for the programme that I'm trying to write now about passing on the faith. On a spiritual level I feel that there has been incredible richness coming from this programme. It’s not just about the academic or emotional or personal elements or even the friendships. It’s at a deeper level. I think we have been exposed to people who are transmitting a quality of spiritual awareness that we can all do with.
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