Partners in Lay Ministry Certification

The Archdiocese of Detroit (AOD) recently adopted Sacred Heart's Certificate in Catholic Theology (CCT) for the theological formation component of lay ecclesial ministry certification. The thirteen-credit certificate, which consists of six introductory theology courses, is combined with ministerial formation modules and an internship to comprise the complete certification program.

Thanks to a generous scholarship package, including an endowment that Sacred Heart has established for tuition assistance for students seeking the CCT for purposes of certification, students will only pay about ten percent of the total cost of the theological formation. The Certificate in Catholic Theology consists of these courses:

• Introduction to Catholic Faith
• Introduction to Sacred Scripture
• Introduction to Catholic Church
• Introduction to Liturgy and Sacraments
• Introduction to Moral Theology
• Introduction to Spirituality

The archdiocesan certification program has received approval from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Ecclesial Certification. According to Bishop Arturo Cepeda, who sits on the USCCB committee and serves as director of the AOD department that oversees ministerial certification, The Archdiocese of Detroit is a leader, and is perceived as a leader, by dioceses all over the nation, as setting a high standard for the formation and certification of lay ecclesial minsters. Because of their important contributions to our parishes and other apostolates, lay ecclesial ministers need and deserve the type of holistic formation that the archdiocese now offers.

If you are a lay minister currently working in the archdiocese and would like to pursue certification, please contact Sean Calvin at 313-596-7312 or [email protected]. Those who wish to pursue certification for future employment opportunities should also contact Sean.