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 April
1, 2002
A Vatican Connection!
CEM Center is named as papal certification facility
I am delighted to announce
that the Catholic Education Ministries Center of Central Maryland is part
of a new pilot program offering certification of catechists and
youth ministry volunteers directly from Rome.
This project is an innovative attempt to promote greater knowledge of the
faith among the thousands of Catholics who teach in the churches and
parishes of the United States. If successful, this certification process
will eventually take the place of the diocesan certification processes
across the country.
How was the Center picked
for this project?
I was surprised, as you must be,
about our selection. In mid-March, I was contacted by Rev. Josh
Inyew,
director of the US Bishops' Association for Pastoral Religion
In Life. He had contacted the Archdiocese in advance,
requesting a small office from which to inaugurate this new program, and
leaders within the Department had suggested us. He explained that he
wanted to start this project on a small scale, in order to work the bugs
out. The Center's 22 parishes and 5 schools provided a perfect sampling
size that would not overwhelm the new Vatican office established for this
purpose. Project directors also wanted to make use of the Center's web
site for its implementation.
The Advantages of Vatican
Certification
In follow-up calls to the
Association's office, I talked to Ms. May B. Knott, Associate
Director. She provided the start up materials and outline of how the
process works. It really sounds great. If successfully implemented,
catechists and youth ministry volunteers would no longer be certified by
dioceses, but by Rome. Regional application centers, like ours, will be
set up in each diocese. Twice a year,
these centers will submit certification applications to Rome's new office
for catechists in the English-speaking world, the Fondatione Orandi
Operatio Locale.
Certification from the
Fondatione will be valid not just here in the Archdiocese, but in any
diocese of the world. This will greatly benefit places like the United
States, where the population is quite mobile. In its initial stages, the
Center will offer basic and intermediate levels of certification, named Certificae
Basicum and Certificae Lopsidum, respectively. If the pilots are
successful, advanced, specialized and possibly even professional levels
will follow.
How does someone get
certified?
Those who already have preliminary
catechist or youth ministry certification in the Archdiocese will receive
equivalency. Watch our April 1 mailing for details. The process will be
ready for initial applications shortly. A unique feature of this process
is that the applications will only be available online.
Am I certifiable?
For a sneak peak at the process, and
to see if you will qualify for Vatican certification click
here: [Application process].
Chris Weber
Director
Catholic Education Ministries of Central Maryland
301-447-3707
Copyright © 2002 by the Catholic Education
Ministries Center of Central Maryland, Emmitsburg, MD 21727. All rights reserved.
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Certification
from the Fondatione will be valid not just here in the Archdiocese, but in
any diocese of the world. This will greatly benefit places like the United
States, where the population is quite mobile.
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