The Valley Catholic
in the diocese
May 26, 2015
5
Celebrating Lay Ecclesial Ministry
By Mary Park
The Council of Lay Ecclesial Ministers sponsored its ninth annual Morning of Prayer on April 23 at St. Lucy
Church. Council members, lay ecclesial
ministers, and priests gathered with
Bishop Patrick McGrath for Morning
Prayer. Linda Cunha-Ricchio, Director
of the Institute for Leadership in Ministry, gave a spirited and inspirational
reflection touching on faith, traditions
and our call to ministry.
During the liturgy, Andrew Brown
and Sherry Scott were commissioned
and authorized as lay ecclesial ministers by Bishop McGrath. Andrew currently serves as Director of Religious
Education at St. Lucy Parish. Sherry is
The Way of
Vocation
By Joanna Thurmann
When does faith formation lead to
vocation in the Catholic Church? It is
when you realize God keeps on asking
“Whom shall I send?” And you answer,
“Here I am, Lord. Send me.” In talking
with several deacons, deacon candidates
and those serving in or preparing for advanced lay ministry within the Diocese,
the transition from faith formation to
vocation is remarkably similar.
Some felt they had a calling early on.
Deacon Bob Malone recalls with humor
his high school teacher predicting
he might one day become a priest,
though he himself laughed it off.
Meanwhile, current deacon candidate
Sunny Offorjebe actually spent many
years in the seminary but had to
leave voluntarily due to mitigating
circumstances. For both, the call to serve
the people of God persisted throughout
their lives.
For all, the Institute for Leadership
in Ministry was instrumental in the
decision to continue formation, but it
was just the beginning. Paul Wells, who
is currently preparing for advanced lay
ministry, said he was lit on fire by the
ILM and did not want it to end. Advanced lay leader Lynne Lukenbill felt
the same call and yearning to continue.
“After three years, I still hungered
for a more substantial serving of the
sacraments, scripture studies, and the
mission of Jesus.”
Deacon Ruben Solorio felt similarly
impassioned. But he took two years after
completing ILM and before entering the
diaconate. He wanted to ensure it was
the community sending him forth, and
not just something he desired for himself. Now as the Diocesan Director of
Catechetical Coordinator at St. Thomas
of Canterbury Parish.
A reception followed in the convivial
atmosphere of the parish hall. The previous evening, April 22, the Council sponsored its first social dinner at St. Joseph of
Cupertino, where lay ecclesial ministers
could connect or re-connect with others
in a casual setting. Both events celebrated our Diocesan Lay Ecclesial Ministers,
past, present and future.
Lay ecclesial ministers are actively
involved in many leadership roles
throughout the Diocese of San Jose.
We are blessed in our diocese to have
bishops who have strongly promoted
lay leaders. The Council of Lay Ecclesial
Ministers (CLEM), formed in March
2006, has as its mission to assist the
Bishop in promoting lay ecclesial ministry in collaboration with the ordained.
It is committed to help implement the
teachings of Vatican II concerning the
laity (Decree on the Laity, 1965) and lay
leadership formation as specified in the
Diocesan Pastoral Plan (March 2002).
Ten years ago, the U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops published Co-Workers
in the Vineyard of the Lord, the foundational resource guiding the development of lay ecclesial ministry. Now,
as we celebrate its 10 th anniversary,
the U.S. bishops will host a special Lay
Ecclesial Ministry Summit in June to
re-examine the impact and experience
of this document. Together with an invited group of theologians and lay leaders, the bishops will review the current
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath joins Sherry Scott
and Andrew Brown after they were comissioned
and authorized as lay ecclesial ministers.
Social Ministries, in his ministry at Most
Holy Trinity Parish and in restorative
justice, he says he lives out the diaconate every day, all day. “I am living my
dream to dedicate my life to serving ‘El
Pueblo de Dios.’”
The deacon and advanced lay leader
formation program entails an intensive
four-year commitment to personal, pastoral, intellectual, and spiritual growth,
following the completion of ILM. Aspirants attend one class per quarter
in the Graduate Program for Pastoral
Ministries at Santa Clara University as
well as monthly Saturday sessions at the
diocese. They also participate in spiritual
direction and engage in vocational field
experience outside their usual area of
ministry. Deacon Bruce Zorio says that at
first, he simply thought he could be more
helpful in his home parish. But he now
serves at several others and is very involved in prison ministry. The program
has given new meaning to his life.
And that is probably the most profound similarity of the journey. Vocation
is really about a way of life. Wells, for
example, says the formation program
helps him be a better coach. His sees
coaching as a ministry that affects the
lives of the kids. And Malone says, “All
of my extended community has become
my church.”
Of course, it takes heightened selfawareness and pastoral sensitivity
to ensure that ministers are effective
yet gentle instruments of healing or
growth for others. Deacon candidate
Ray Gans says, “Formation has caused
me to confront my faith in ways I never
expected. My faith is stronger and my
path forward is clearer because of the
challenges