The Youth Ministry Specialization Certificate (YMSC) Program
Course Descriptions Correlated with The National Certification Standards and Competencies for Lay Ecclesial Ministers including Specialized Competencies for Youth Ministry Leaders
Course One: Comprehensive Youth Ministry Essentials
Course Description: This course addresses the essential vision, research, and theory needed to understand the depth and the breadth of ministry to youth in the Catholic Church in the United States.
Course Modules
- A Vision of Catholic Youth Ministry: Participants will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the history, vision, goals, themes, and components of Catholic youth ministry and/or pastoral juvenil as outlined in the U.S. bishops' pastoral plans and related Church documents. Competencies addressed
- YML 1.0 Demonstrate an understanding of the history, mission, vision, goals, principles, themes, components, and dimensions of Catholic youth ministry and pastoral juvenil Hispana as outlined in the U.S. bishops' pastoral plans and related Church documents.
- The State of Catholic Adolescents: Participants will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the developmental needs of youth and young adults within the contexts of popular, ethnic, and family cultures as appropriate to the faith community which is being served.
- YML 2.0 Demonstrate an understanding of the developmental needs of youth and young adults in the U.S. context, with its particular popular, ethnic, and family sub-cultures, as appropriate to the faith community being served.
- LEM 4.4 Employ the use of modern means of communication technology to proclaim the gospel.
- Organizing for Catholic Youth Ministry: Participants will be able to utilize theories, models, processes, and methods of Catholic youth ministry and/or pastoral juvenil in the ministry setting.
- YML 3.0 Be capable of applying the theories, models, processes methods, resources, and best practices of Catholic youth ministry and/or pastoral juvenil Hispana as appropriate to the ministry setting.
- LEM 4.5 Work effectively with others through utilizing leadership skills of collaboration, visioning, planning, communication, decision making, delegation, and conflict management.
- LEM 4.6 Exercise effective supervision of employees (part-time or full-time) and volunteers.
Course Two: Evangelizing and Catechizing Catholic Youth and Their Families
Course Description: This course addresses the youth ministry components of evangelization and catechesis through the lens of family and community, so that students may understand a comprehensive approach to these vital components of ministry with Catholic youth and their families.
Course Modules
- The Component of Catechesis: Participants will be able to utilize the aims, principles, processes, and methods of catechesis with youth in implementing faith formation.
- YML 4.1.1 Utilizing the aims, principles, processes, and methods of catechesis with youth in implementing faith formation.
- LEM 3.1 Scripture and revelation. Know and integrate into ministerial practice a theology of revelation as embodied in Scripture, tradition, and creation.
- LEM 4.3 Implement the principles and processes of evangelization and faith formation as outlined in national and universal Church documents.
- The Dimension of Family and Community: Participants will be able to facilitate the development of community among youth, their families, and within the church and society, including the development of small faith communities by youth from different cultures, spiritualities, or pastoral models.
- YML 4.1.2 Facilitating the development of community among youth, their families, and within the Church and society, including the development of small faith communities by youth from different cultures, spiritualities, or pastoral models.
- The Component of Evangelization: Participants will be able to invite youth into intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and empower them to live and witness as disciples in today's world.
- YML 4.1.3 Inviting youth to and facilitating opportunities for youth to grow in intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and empowering them to live and witness as disciples in today's world.
- LEM 3.7 Spirituality. Know and integrate the history and theology of Catholic spirituality into prayer and ministerial practice.
- LEM 4.3 Implement the principles and processes of evangelization and faith formation as outlined in national and universal Church documents.
Course Three: Engaging Catholic Youth
Course Description: This course examines the necessary theology, theories, and strategies for engaging Catholic youth in faith through specialized areas of ministry including social justice, pastoral care, prayer and worship.
Course Modules
- The Component of Justice and Service: Participants will be able to engage youth in the social mission of the church in accord with Catholic social teaching.
- YML 4.1.4 Engaging youth in the social mission of the Church in accord with Catholic social teaching.
- LEM 3.5 Moral theology and Catholic social teaching. Know and integrate into ministerial practice a theology of the moral life, including Catholic social teaching for the transformation of Church and society.
- The Component of Pastoral Care: Participants will be able to enable healing, and healthy growth and development with youth in their relationships as a vital part of their human and Christian maturity process.
- YML 4.1.5 Fostering healing and promoting healthy growth and development in youth and in their relationships as a vital part of their human and Christian maturity process.
- LEM 2.7 Accept and articulate one's ministerial vocation as coming from God and confirmed by the ecclesial community.
- LEM 3.6 Pastoral theology. Know and integrate into ministerial practice a theology of pastoral ministry as well as guiding principles for the practice of ministry in a given context.
- LEM 4.1 Exercise sound practices of compassionate pastoral care.
- The Component of Prayer and Worship: Participants will be able to enable youth to celebrate and deepen their relationship with the triune God through individual and communal prayer, and participation in the liturgical and devotional life of the church.
- YML 4.1.6 Empowering youth to celebrate and deepen their relationship with the triune God through individual and communal prayer and participation in the liturgical and devotional life of the Church.
- LEM 2.3 Bear witness to the profound significance of Eucharist in one's own life, in the life of one's parish, and in the life of the whole Catholic community.
- LEM 3.4 Liturgical and sacramental theology. Know and integrate into ministerial practice theologies of liturgy, worship, and sacraments.
- LEM 4.8 Develop and nurture the prayer life of the community in which one serves.
Course Four: Advocating, Leading, and Synthesizing Catholic Youth Ministry
Course Description: This course enables students to address key issues as ministerial leaders, as well as synthesize their ministerial knowledge and skills through the development of a ministerial portfolio.
Course Modules
- The Component of Advocacy: Participants will be able to engage the church and broader community in voicing and addressing the rights, responsibilities, and needs of youth.
- YML 4.1.7 Engaging the Church and the broader community in voicing and addressing the rights, responsibilities, and needs of youth.
- LEM 2.6 Demonstrate ability to discern the "signs of the times" and address current realities in the Church and the world in light of the Gospel.
- LEM 4.2 Foster a pastoral ministry that empowers people to inculturate the gospel in their own culture and to foster unity in diversity in the Catholic Church by utilizing human, spiritual, theological, and pastoral approaches proper to each culture.
- The Component of Leadership Development: Participants will be able to affirm and call forth the unique gifts of youth and adults by providing opportunities for their ongoing spiritual and leadership development.
- YML 4.1.8 Affirming and calling forth the unique gifts of youth and the adults serving them by providing opportunities for their ongoing spiritual growth, leadership development, and vocation discernment.
- LEM 4.5 Work effectively with others through utilizing leadership skills of collaboration, visioning, planning, communication, decision making, delegation, and conflict management.
- Program Integration and Reflection: Participants will synthesize their learning and growth through formation and the practice of youth ministry.
- YML 4.0 Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with the faith community in planning, implementing, and evaluating outreach to and pastoral ministry for young people, utilizing the components of Catholic youth ministry and/or mission and principles of pastoral juvenil Hispana as appropriate to the ministry setting.
- LEM 1.3 Engage in programs or practices of continuing ministerial formation and lifelong personal growth.
- LEM 1.2 Identify personal gifts and limitations through self-reflection, collaboration with others, peer feedback, supervisory assessment processes, and/or spiritual companioning.
- LEM 2.1 Give witness to an integrated spirituality formed by Scripture, theological reflection, sacramental celebration, communal worship, and active participation in parish life.
- LEM 2.5 Honor the call to ministry that is rooted in one's baptism by developing ministerial goals that flow from one's spirituality and reflect an integration of Gospel values.