Currently in the U.S., there are over 30,000 lay ecclesial ministers serving the Catholic Church, and another 16,000 studying in ministry formation programs – nearly five times the number of men preparing for ordination to the priesthood.
A long-time advocate of and leading voice in lay ecclesial ministry, Bishop Matthew Clark (Diocese of Rochester) will release Forward in Hope: Saying Amen to Lay Ecclesial Ministry on November 22, 2009. Clark writes, “I offer in this book my personal thoughts on lay ecclesial ministry and stories from my thirty years experience as bishop, forty-seven as a priest, and a lifetime of being a Catholic because I believe we can build a better understanding and wise embrace of lay ecclesial ministry.”
What do lay ministers actually do? According to the 2005 document from the U.S. Bishops titled Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord: A Resource for Guiding the Development of Lay Ecclesial Ministry, more than 40 percent are directors of religious education, one-fourth are general pastoral associates, and others are youth ministers, music ministers, or are involved in liturgical planning. The same document notes that two out of three U.S. parishes now have paid lay ministers on staff.
Clark knows that the function and role of lay ecclesial ministers is still evolving, and is part of an ongoing dialogue within the Church. In the introduction to Forward in Hope, Clark writes, “The meaning, contexts, and distinctions of baptismal and ordained ministries, requirements for formation and accountability, the acceptance of lay ecclesial ministers in the life and mission of the Church, fair employment practices, just compensation, and matters related to due process are but a few of the issues with which we Catholics now must grapple as we seek to incorporate lay people working in professional Church ministries.”
Forward in Hope speaks to these issues, and many more, with the help of several other seasoned ministers including Patrick Fox, Charlotte Bruney, and Anne-Marie Brogan.
If you require review copies, or wish to arrange an interview with Bishop Matthew Clark, please don’t hesitate to get in contact ...
My Rochester readers will be sure to review the book for Amazon and other sites to let potential buyers know what His Excellency's peculiar form of lay ministry looks like in practice.
Posts
4 comments:
HE NEEDS TO RETIRE
I'd love to get a copy of this book secondhand...i refuse to boost the sales of what promises to be poor at best, so i'd require a secondhand copy.
Same here. I'll check it out of the library as soon as it becomes available, but not one penny of mine will go into Bishop Clark's wallet.
~Dr. K
I would not spend money on a book by Bishop Matthew Clark either. Lay Ministry does not look good here in Rochester as its played out under Clarks supervision. Who needs a book on this problem? I also felt offended today to hear he was doing book signings. That whole star-of-the-show thing is so oppostie of holiness. And I'd like to know where ALL of the proceeds are going. How about NONE of them to his pocket! They should be going towards one of the plethera of Catholic schools that got closed here under his tenure (that tenure that goes ON and ON and ON).
~Eliza
Post a Comment