ILEM - The Program
The three year Program is made up of Spiritual, Human, Intellectual and Pastoral Formation.
You can't give what you don't have
SPIRITUAL FORMATION - Without a healthy connection with God, true discipleship to Jesus, dependence on the Holy Spirit, it's impossible to minister effectively. The ILEM Spiritual Formation Program supports spiritual growth through spiritual direction as well as individual and group retreat experiences.
The Group Spiritual Formation Days include an array of topics meant to help the candidate be attentive to God in the day to day and to come to know Jesus more intimately. The topics covered include:
- Praying Our Experiences
- Images of God and Relational Prayer
- Contemplative Prayer
- Finding God in the Darkness
- Discernment of Spirits: Choosing with God
- Incarnational Spirituality
- Saints: Teachers of Prayer
- Paschal Mystery
- Heart of the minister
- Reconciliation: Meeting the Forgiving God
- Unity amid Diversity
- Finding God in All Things
- Spirituality of Social Justice
- Heart of Evangelization
- Beatitude Spirituality
- Eucharist-Presence that Matters
- Deepening the Spiritual Life for the Ongoing Journey
- Jesus: The Way, The Truth, The Life
- Concluding Retreat – in preparation for Commissioning
Leaders need to stand on knowledge
INTELLECTUAL FORMATION - All ILEM candidates study at an accredited Catholic University. Most of them earn a Masters Degree in Theology. Others earn up to 30 credits toward a Bachelor Degree. The ten areas included in their curriculum are at the heart of what's important to Lay Ecclesial Ministry: Introduction to Theology, New Testament, Hebrew Scripture, Church, Ministry, Morality, Pastoral Counseling, Religious Formation, Canon Law, and Sacraments
These courses stretch the candidates and encourage them to think. They learn about the history of our Church and they keep current on what's happening now. They stand solidly on the sure foundation of 2000 years of theological study and Church teaching.
Relationship is key
HUMAN FORMATION - Core relationship skills help build healthy relationships. And those healthy relationships bring about effective ministry. Human Formation Workshops are required of ILEM candidates. These workshops foster the development of the necessary skills for ministry. ILEM created these workshops, but they are open to anyone in ministry. They address such topics as:
- Family Systems and Parish Systems
- Feelings
- Listening
- Addiction
- Boundaries in the Minister
- Boundaries in Others
- Crisis Intervention
- Self-Care
- Collaboration
- Power and Powerlessness.
To relate to others according to the principles presented in these workshops is to step closer to relating like Jesus.
ILEM Candidates roll up their sleeves!
PASTORAL FORMATION - ILEM candidates learn from the Master, the Lord Jesus, through study of the Gospel and spiritual formation. They also learn from "masters" in certificate programs, supervised field work and other experiences that give them the tools they need to be effective in their areas of ministry. There are many Diocesan programs as well as National certificate programs that help candidates learn and practice the skills they will need for ministry.