Faith Formation and Education
Esselen Peer Ministry
Beginning with the Fall Semester of 2008, the Newman Catholic Center will be offering up to four Peer Ministry Fellowships to UMass undergraduates. The Esselen Peer Ministry program will reach out to UMass students "where they are", in both a practical and a spiritual sense. As fellow students, the ministers chosen will be able to easily identify with their classmates, dorm-mates, or teammates, and therefore easily integrate the Gospel Message into the life of the University.
The Outreach focuses on three key ministries:
MINISTRY OF PRESENCE Simply by living as witnesses to the Gospel in the midst of the Campus and wider community and being "available" and "open" to others Peer Ministers will serve as the "salt of the earth."
MINISTRY OF FELLOWSHIP By reaching out to other students and respecting their level of religious commitment and "curiosity" Peer Ministers will begin to develop in-roads that may yield closer ties between the students and the Newman Catholic Center community.
MINISTRY OF CATECHESIS By merging aspects of Social Justice, RCIA, basic catechism and scripture study, Peer Ministers will invite their fellow students into a deeper relationship with Christ and to a better understanding of the Gospel message and its relevance for them in today's world.
The Basics
The Director of the Newman Catholic Center will appoint or re-appoint up to four Peer Ministers to assist in campus ministry for two consecutive semesters. Preferably, two will be men and two will be women -- usually two incoming juniors and two incoming seniors.
Each individual selected will serve at the pleasure of the Director for one academic year.
Employment will be compensated at a rate of $2000 to $2500 per semester.
Each minister will be expected to devote an average of fifteen hours a week to his/her mission during the school year. However, due allowance will be made for the academic and family demands which should have priority in their lives.
In the summer and at the winter break, these ministers will be trained at an extended retreat/conference held at an appropriate retreat center. Members of the Newman staff will serve as instructors.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible to apply, students must be baptized and confirmed, practicing Catholics in good academic and judicial standing at the University, registered at the Newman Catholic Center, and with a demonstrated interest in reaching out to their fellow students.
Candidates will be selected following an application process which will include interviews with Newman Staff, and members of the Newman Extended Community. Supervision will be exercised through the Center's Campus Ministers to the Newman Center Director. The Campus Ministers will provide specific assignments to the Peer Ministers and work directly with them. In addition, each peer minister will have a mentor from the Newman staff. | More Info: | | Completed Application due to Deacon Richard Talbot by 5:00pm Friday 14 March 2008 |  |  |
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Last update: Tue, 13 May 2008
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