Like the previous seven decades, in the past twenty years, the fields of Catholic youth and young adult ministries have greatly evolved from models of CYO and youth groups, to a comprehensive programmatic ministry model, and today a renewed focus on relational ministry and accompaniment. With all of these changes, one must wonder if anything has been lost in the transitions.
Similar to major corporations checking their networks for vulnerabilities, a review of the web of ministries is needed; especially in the rapidly shifting network of pastoral leaders. This study seeks to both understand and identify ways to support these leaders serving in this critical ministry for the Church. Important elements of this research will include their call to ministry, intent for future service, ministerial identities, and the current realities of ministry to young Catholics.
Learn more about this project here: ministrytrainingsource.org/Network-Vulnerability
This project is currently seeking funding partners. Contact us to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
Researching for the Saint Meinrad Young Adult Initiative
In December 2016, Saint Meinrad received a $1.38 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to begin a five-year initiative intended to improve parish outreach to young adults and to better engage them with the Catholic Church. Thirteen Catholic parishes were selected as partners to work towards improving their young adult engagement. In the Winter of 2021, MTS was invited to assist Saint Meinrad in this initiative as researchers, reviewing the 13 parishes, the initiative as a whole, and what the national church can learn from this experience.
Learn more about this project here: https://www.saintmeinradyai.org/
Researching for the Center for FaithJustice NeXt Level
NeXt Level, a project funded by the Lilly Endowment, is a transformative experience for parishes focused on empowering youth, developing intergenerational relationships, and living out the gospel through youth-led parish-wide campaigns rooted in the Catholic tradition of service and justice. At the beginning of this project, MTS was invited to lead the research element so CFJ could regularly make adjustments and learn as the program went along.
Learn more about this project here: https://faithjustice.org/explore/next-level/
Synodality: Being a Listening Church
Online Series
TENTATIVE FOR LENT 2022
Pope Francis has encouraged Catholics across the world to become a “listening Church.” While the upcoming Synod is the genesis for this project, improving pastoral listening beyond the synod can have a major impact on the growth of the Church. To do this well, ministers will need to be trained and have an understanding of facilitating listening sessions or gathering feedback. Our intent is to develop an online training series called “Synodality: Being a Listening Church.” This will train leaders and facilitators of dioceses, parishes, and other organizations in the art of pastoral listening and ethnography. At the conclusion of this series, participants will have the know-how to be an authentic listener in conversations or as a facilitator of listening sessions that can provide valuable information for measuring their ministries. This can be used to respond to the Vatican’s request for data towards the synod, or it can be used to justify decisions for individual ministries, parishes, dioceses, or even families.
This project is currently seeking funding partners. Contact us to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
Consulting on the development of an upcoming Discipleship Tool.
Consulting services with a client in the development of a pastoral tool to help Catholics visualize the way they follow Jesus in their daily lives.