Black Catholic Ministry Commission
The Brother Booker Ashe Lay Ministry Program is ongoing as it is a three-year course of study which forms students who are laity, religious and clergy in meaningful and effective ministry within the Black community and fosters new leadership among Black people.
During the Fall Semester of the Brother Booker Ashe Lay Ministry Program four students were enrolled in the Lay Ministry Program. Some of the graduates of the Brother Booker Ashe Lay Ministry Program also attended some of the classes during the Old Testament Course.
The ages of the students ranged from 30-50 years. The students were introduced to the Hebrew Scriptures in the Old Testament Course. The students were able to discover biblical references that accent various Church ministries which will help support their understanding of faith ant tradition. They also expressed how they grew to appreciate Sacred Scripture and this was motivation for them to share their understanding and appreciation of Sacred Scripture with others. They were able to lead and participate in discussions groups in their parishes regarding the major events outlined in the Old Testament.
The course helped them to break open the Scriptures and how to share this knowledge with their co-workers. The discussion and sharing of Sacred Scripture became a resource for them to evangelize.
EVANGELIZATION COURSE AND THE END OF THE YEAR CONFERENCE
One of the courses taught during the Spring Semester was the Evangelization Course. One student was enrolled in the Evangelization Course as the other students will re-enroll for Fall Semester. The ages of the students range from 30-50 years.
Evangelization encompasses every activity and every ministry that is part of the life of the Church. The student was exposed to the important documents concerning evangelization and was introduced to the various elements of Catholic Evangelization. The course also provided the student with the tools to implement the best practices and knowledge of evangelization in the parish.
The student looked for the opportunity to evangelize while discussing faith and answering questions regarding the traditions of the Catholic Church with her non catholic co-workers.
The students are required to write a reflection paper on Evangelization and give a presentation during the class.
END OF THE YEAR CONFERENCE
The Planning Team of the Brother Booker Ashe Lay Ministry Program meets with each student at the end of the Spring Semester for an End of the Year Conference. At the Conference the student gave a presentation on her reflection paper regarding evangelization. During her presentation, she stated, that “ the call to evangelization is the need for fellowship in order to share faith with others and that we evangelize one another on a daily basis because of our relationships.”
Members of the Planning Team spoke about following the call to be Lay Ministers and encouraged the student to continue in the Lay Ministry Program. The Planning Team also spoke about ministry in their respective parishes.
