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  • Staff Level Lay Ecclesial Ministry Certification

    Participant Application Form
  • Applicant Information

  • Sponsor Information

  • A sponsor is a priest, deacon, lay ministry staff member or stable volunteer with whom you collaborate regularly or who can attest to your pastoral, spiritual and human formation.  This person must be:

    • A fully initiated Catholic in good standing
    • Employed or a stable volunteer at a Catholic parish or organization who is certified by the Archdiocese (NB - those certified in previous versions of certification are automatically renewed until June 30, 2028.  If you have questions about this standard contact certification@shms.edu)
    • Someone with whom you regularly interact or who is in a position to know your strengths and challenges in ministry
    • Willing to complete the Sponsor Reference Form
  • Priest and Supervisor Information

    In order to be certified, you must be a stable volunteer or staff member at a parish or school within the Archdiocese of Detroit, and be under the direct supervision of a priest, principal or delegated staff member of that parish or family of parishes.
  • Please enter the information of your DIRECT supervisor at the parish.  If that is your priest, then enter his information.  Otherwise enter the information to whom you directly report as an employee or volunteer.

  • Intellectual Formation

    Standard: Complete the Certificate of Catholic Theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary or it’s equivalent.
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  • Certification Endorsements

  • Lay Ecclesial Ministry Endorsement is an additional credential which can be added to the staff, coordinator or director levels of certification to demonstrate proficiency in a particular area of ministry.

    An endorsement should include at least 6 credit hours of credit-bearing coursework from Sacred Heart Major Seminary, or 90 hours of non credit bearing training from SHMS or other approved schools/organizations/apostolates, or a combination of both.

    Up to 2 credits, or 30 hours of an endorsement can be granted for 5 or more years of supervised employment or volunteer experience provided the applicant can produce examples of their work and a reference letter from a priest or supervisor attesting to their demonstrated abilities in the given ministry.

    Endorsements can be attached to the staff, coordinator and director levels of certification, and upon Certification renewal, 10 training hours related to that specific ministry are required to maintain the endorsement.  Endorsements can be added at any time for those who already have a prior or existing level of certification, even prior to their renewal of certification.

  • Note - documentation of all endorsement requirements must either be apparent on your SHMS transcript, or uploaded in the box at the bottom of this page.  This includes trancripts from other schools/apostolates, certificates of completion, emails verifying approved equivalencies, letters of reccomendation from supervisors for ministry experience credit, etc).

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  • Pastoral Formation

    Standard: 10 hours AOD/SHMS Formation or ministry specific training (evidence: certificates of attendance, letters of verification from presenters).  Note: this must include the online workshops listed below.  The required workshops can completed at http://equip.shms.edu
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  • Spiritual Formation

    Participation in the Sacramental life of the Church, as well as Spiritual Direction, regular retreats or spiritual growth opportunities.
  • While some aspects of our spiritual life are meant for God alone, sharing in the common priesthood of all the baptized, a lay ecclesial minister demonstrates Christian spirituality as foundational to ministry, integrated in service with the people of God, and possessing a sacramental view of the world that recognizes the world can be a vessel of God’s presence and God’s transforming grace.

    During the application, we ask the questions below of both the candidate, the sponsor, and the supervising priest. The witness of these three statements should provide a consistent image of a candidate who earnestly endeavors to conform their heart and soul to Christ and the Church.

    The candidate should reflect on these questions, and encourage their sponsor and supervising priest to do the same.

  • Human Formation

    Standard: The candidate nurtures healthy professional and personal relationships and maintains balance between personal life and ministry
  • The goal of this standard is that all lay ecclesial ministers demonstrate the qualities of human maturity needed for fruitful ministry with the people of God.

    During the application, we ask the questions below of both the candidate, the sponsor, and the supervising priest. The witness of these three statements should provide a consistent image of a candidate who continues to grow in self-awareness and healthy relationships.

    The candidate should reflect on these questions, and encourage their sponsor and supervising priest to do the same.

  • Certification Interview

  • Use the link below to schedule an interview with one of the members of the Certification staff and/or one of the members of the Archdiocese of Detroit Lay Ecclesial Ministry Certification Review Board.

    Once you have scheduled the interview, enter the date and time of that interview in the box below:

    Click here to schedule interview

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