Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition Formation and Certification Offerings
The NACC is offering several formation options for Catholic Prison Ministries Coalition (CPMC) constituents to introduce or provide programs for the Pathways. Below, we share several offerings for the coming months.
CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Foundational Pathway Requirements: (minimum of 30 hours formation)
- Academic preparation
- 16 hours of the formation using CPMC Prison Ministry 101 with accompanying reflection booklets
- Clinical preparation
- 8 hours of reflection with an assigned mentor/supervisor to review reflection questions from the webinars and process the experiences in jail/prisons/detention centers, reentry, families of prisoners, parish-based restorative justice work
- Ministry experience
- At least 6 hours of mentoring in multiple settings aimed to help discern understanding and comfort level for the ministry.
- Endorsements
- Pastor or his delegate such as a deacon or pastoral associate
- Mentor
- A person from a ministerial/correctional setting
FORMATION OFFERINGS
For Diocesan Directors of Prison and Pastoral Care Ministries Programs:
1
If your diocese needs a more extensive introduction to all the components of the Foundational Pathway program with your facilitators becoming familiar with the components, then:
We will offer you a 2-hour program for diocesan or parish directors of correctional ministry and representatives of potential facilitators/mentors. The program will include an introduction to the content and method of the Foundational Pathway’s six-session formation program, as well as prepare facilitators and mentors for their specific roles in leading this program. This 2-hour introduction program fee is $60 per line/computer/device. Note that the program may run slightly over 2 hours due to Q&A. Please contact the NACC at (info@nacc.org) if your diocese is interested to learn more about this program.
2
If your diocese needs more support from outside the diocese to offer this program, then:
If you need NACC/CPMC personnel, rather than your diocesan personnel, to offer this program, we can also facilitate a Foundational Pathway program for your diocese with the six 1-hour synchronous ZOOM sessions. We will work with you to set the dates and times. The fee for this program is $1,500. (limit of 12-15 participants). Contact info@nacc.org for more information on this program.
CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Foundational Pathway Requirements: (minimum of 30 hours formation)
- Academic preparation
- 16 hours of the formation using CPMC Prison Ministry 101 with accompanying reflection booklets
- Clinical preparation
- 8 hours of reflection with an assigned mentor/supervisor to review reflection questions from the webinars and process the experiences in jail/prisons/detention centers, reentry, families of prisoners, parish-based restorative justice work
- Ministry experience
- At least 6 hours of mentoring in multiple settings aimed to help discern understanding and comfort level for the ministry.
- Endorsements
- Pastor or his delegate such as a deacon or pastoral associate
- Mentor
- A person form a ministerial/correctional setting
FORMATION OFFERINGS
For individuals who want to participate in this Foundational Pathway program, we have two offerings:
1
General Introduction to Pastoral Care
One 90-minute formation webinar on an Introduction to Pastoral Care Ministry. This webinar is intended for those interested in or just beginning a pastoral care ministry in prison settings. It will focus on pastoral care as a ministry of the Church, who one is as a pastoral care ministry, and some fundamentals of being a listening presence and accompanying another person. The webinar was recorded for future use for parishes/dioceses as a primer for pastoral care. The fee is $30 for the recording. Please contact info@nacc.org for more information.
2
If you are an individual who wants to participate in the NACC/CPMC Foundational Pathway program
The CPMC/NACC Foundational Pathway formation program is intended to be made available through your diocese. However, if your diocese does not have it yet, or if you are an individual working in correctional ministry or one who is beginning correctional ministry, you could, as an individual, take this CPMC/NACC Foundational Pathway Program. This program consists of six one-hour facilitated synchronous ZOOM sessions with expected readings and preparation between sessions. The fee for the program is $150 per person. It will need a minimum of 10 persons to hold the program with a limit of 15 participants. Register here to apply. Programs will be scheduled when a minimum number of participants apply. No fee is required until acceptance into the program. You will receive a certificate of participation upon completion of the program.
CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS
Intensive Pathway Requirements: (minimum of 80 hours of Pastoral Care Program formation)
- Academic preparation
- 20 hours of continuing education in pastoral theology, catechesis, evangelization related to the specific ministry chosen (for example, catechesis, bible study, extraordinary minister of eucharist, etc.)
- Clinical preparation
- 1 Pastoral Care Education clinical/formation experience (Pastoral Care Formation @ least 80 hours) along with clinical setting experience in criminal justice-related setting(s) (hours in jail/prisons/detention centers, reentry, families of prisoners, parish-based restorative justice work)
- Ministry experience
- One year’s ministerial experience, a portion in a correctional setting.
- At least 24 hours of mentoring in multiple settings aimed to help discern the best setting for the gifts brought to the ministry.
- Endorsements
- Local ordinary / or his delegate such as a pastor
- Clinical Supervisor/Mentor
- A person from a ministerial/correctional setting
Who can apply? What do I need?
- Be an employee or volunteer who is actively involved in Catholic jail and prison ministry.
- An endorsement by an individual’s Diocesan Office is required.
- College degree preferred, but not required.
- Completion of ministry foundational/introductory program and listed online CPMC webinars.
- Be a Volunteer, Professional, or Student Member of NACC.
- Payment of $75 per month.
- Complete program application. (Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Class size will be limited to 16 participants.)
FORMATION OFFERINGS
The second formation pathway, the intensive pathway, offers an extended Pastoral Care Education program based on Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) components and structures. Learn more about this program.
