Program Elements
For the next set of questions only, respondents were asked to indicate whether various
elements are "required as part of the program," "offered as part of the program, but not required,"
"made available, but not a formal part of the program," or "not part of the program, either
formally or informally."
Theological reflection is the most commonly required element in lay ministry formation
programs.
Does your program include the following elements?
Percent responding:
|
"Required" or
"Offered, But
Not Required" |
"Required"
Only |
| Theological reflection |
84% |
78% |
| Faith sharing |
83% |
65% |
| Shared prayer |
80% |
61% |
| Academic courses on spirituality |
77% |
60% |
| Liturgical celebrations |
69% |
45% |
| Days of reflection or recollection |
67% |
50% |
| Retreat |
59% |
48% |
| Mentoring |
55% |
36% |
| Formation director |
45% |
39% |
| Spiritual director |
34% |
20% |
Some 78 percent of programs require theological reflection. Faith sharing, shared prayer,
and academic courses on spirituality are also commonly required elements of lay ministry
formation programs with between 60 and 65 percent of programs requiring each of them.
Participation in liturgical celebrations, days of reflection or recollection, and retreats are
somewhat less likely to be required. Each of these is mandated by about half of the responding
programs.
Interaction with a mentor, formation director, or spiritual director is a required element of
the spiritual formation process in relatively few programs. Only 20 percent of programs require
candidates to have a spiritual director.
The table above shows the elements that are either "required as part of the program" or
"offered as part of the program, but not required." The table below displays the percentage of
programs that do not offer or make available each of these elements in any way. That is, they are
not offered or made available either formally or informally.
Does your program include the following elements?
Percent responding "not part of the program, either formally or informally"
| Formation director |
43% |
| Spiritual director |
35% |
| Retreat |
25% |
| Mentoring |
21% |
| Days of reflection or recollection |
19% |
| Liturgical celebrations |
15% |
| Academic courses on spirituality |
13% |
| Theological reflection |
8% |
| Faith sharing |
8% |
| Shared prayer |
7% |
- Formation directors are neither offered nor made available in 43 percent of the
programs and spiritual directors are neither offered nor made available in 35
percent of the programs.
- Between about one-fourth and one-fifth of programs do not include retreats, days
of reflection or recollection, or mentoring in their programs in any way.
Theological reflection is the most frequently mentioned program element among diocesan
programs, college or university programs, and seminary or school of theology programs. Over
three-quarters of respondents in each of those types of programs reported that the program
includes theological reflection.
Does your program include the following elements?
Percent responding "required"
|
Diocesan |
College |
Seminary |
CPE |
Independent |
| Theological reflection |
78% |
77% |
84% |
82% |
64% |
| Faith sharing |
7500% |
48% |
48% |
100% |
73% |
| Shared prayer |
74% |
35% |
44% |
80% |
100% |
| Academic courses on spirituality |
66% |
61% |
36% |
22% |
70% |
| Retreat |
60% |
29% |
56% |
55% |
27% |
| Days of reflection or recollection |
60% |
28% |
52% |
70% |
80% |
| Liturgical celebrations |
56% |
18% |
40% |
70% |
91% |
| Formation director |
46% |
21% |
76% |
10% |
22% |
| Mentoring |
38% |
32% |
9% |
91% |
36% |
| Spiritual director |
23% |
17% |
44% |
0% |
0% |
- Seminary and school of theology programs are significantly more likely to require
formation directors and spiritual directors and significantly less likely to require
mentoring.
- Faith sharing and shared prayer are much more likely to be required in diocesan,
CPE, and independent programs than in either of the academic settings.
- CPE programs are especially likely to require activities that involve mutual
sharing - faith sharing, shared prayer, and mentoring.
- Participation in liturgical celebrations and days of reflection or recollection are
most likely to be requirements in independent programs and CPE programs.
- With few exceptions, college and university programs are least likely to require
each of these elements.
The table below shows the percentage of each type of program that does not include each
of these elements at all. That is, the element is not required, offered, or made available.
Does your program include the following elements?
Percent responding "not part of the program, either formally or informally"
|
Diocesan |
College |
Seminary |
CPE |
Independent |
| Spiritual director |
37% |
41% |
8% |
36% |
45% |
| Formation director |
36% |
57% |
16% |
70% |
56% |
| Academic courses on spirituality |
19% |
5% |
0% |
44% |
30% |
| Mentoring |
18% |
25% |
23% |
9% |
27% |
| Retreat |
17% |
38% |
8% |
46% |
46% |
| Days of reflection or recollection |
15% |
34% |
0% |
20% |
10% |
| Liturgical celebrations |
15% |
26% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
| Faith sharing |
8% |
13% |
0% |
0% |
9% |
| Shared prayer |
8% |
11% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
| Theological reflection |
8% |
8% |
8% |
9% |
9% |
- Lay ministry formation programs at seminaries or schools of theology are
generally more likely than those sponsored or conducted by other institutions to
offer each of these elements in some way.
- About half of the independent programs do not include formation directors,
spiritual directors, or retreats in any way.
Among those programs that have a formal spiritual formation component, theological
reflection, faith sharing, and shared prayer are even more likely to be required than is the case
among programs overall.
Does your program include the following elements?
Percent responding:
|
"Required" or
"Offered, But
Not Required" |
"Required"
Only |
| Theological reflection |
90% |
85% |
| Faith sharing |
90% |
74% |
| Shared prayer |
86% |
71% |
| Academic courses on spirituality |
84% |
67% |
| Days of reflection or recollection |
80% |
63% |
| Retreat |
76% |
62% |
| Liturgical celebrations |
74% |
51% |
| Mentoring |
62% |
42% |
| Formation director |
59% |
53% |
| Spiritual director |
45% |
27% |
When only those programs that have a formal spiritual formation component are
considered, theological reflection is a required element in 85 percent. Faith sharing and shared
prayer are required in nearly three-fourths and academic courses in spirituality in two-thirds.
Slightly fewer have requirements for days of reflection or recollection and retreats. Other
elements are required by about half or fewer programs. Of the ten elements listed above,
spiritual direction is least likely to be required.