VISION AND MISSION

iLLUMINARE: Ministry to Ministers at The Benedictine Center of St. Paul’s Monastery, St. Paul, Minnesota

The Project

iLLUMINARE: Called for Service, Formed in Christ—MINISTRY TO MINISTERS serves experienced lay ecclesial ministers by providing them with sustained ongoing formation and spiritual renewal, and serves the Church by enriching congregational life through the cultivation of pastoral excellence among Church ministers.

The Vision

iLLUMINARE: Called for Service, Formed in Christ is founded on the understanding that ministry, originating in baptism and the call to service,  is sustained through the disciplines which summon the minister to the spiritual vision of discipleship and the call to holiness that are at the heart of Christian ministry.  The activities of the Project reflect the conviction that excellent ministers:

• Find their center in Christ’s invitation to follow him
• Constantly seek to understand the lessons of ministry
• Are formed and sustained in community
• Return frequently to their theological and spiritual traditions
• Learn to manage time by setting aside time for formation

The Purpose

The purpose of iLLUMINARE: Called for Service, Formed in Christ is four-fold:

• to offer experienced lay ecclesial ministers intentional, systematic, and sustained advanced formation that addresses theological, spiritual, personal, and professional growth
• to call forth and nurture ministerial excellence among those who have responded to the vocational call to ministry
• to enrich and sustain healthy congregational life through service to Church ministers
• to contribute to the ongoing development of a theological and pastoral understanding of the nature and practice of excellent ministry

The Setting

The Benedictine Center was created by St. Paul’s Monastery in 1983 with a clear vision that, guided by the wisdom of the Rule of St. Benedict, it be a place where people are welcomed and remembered in prayer, re-awakened to God’s activity in their lives, strengthened in their ministry and work, and encouraged to integrate and balance all aspects of life. iLLUMINARE: Called for Service, Formed in Christ embodies the Center’s conviction that enriching and supporting Church ministers will enhance their practice of ministry and enrich their relationships with their ordained and lay colleagues and those they serve. The core disciplines of iLLUMINARE are founded in Benedictine values and spirituality.

The Format

iLLUMINARE participants are formed into groups of twelve members called a ‘cohort’. Each cohort meets for three-four days quarterly for two years at The Benedictine Center for prayer, theological reflection, dialogue, study and mutual support. In addition, iLLUMINARE members participate in spiritual direction. iLLUMINARE Ministry Renewal Days complement the cohort facet of the Project, providing day-long opportunities for reflection and prayer for ministers.  

The Outcomes

The outcomes of iLLUMINARE:

• participants experience the impact of a disciplined approach to systematic, intentional and ongoing ministerial formation
• participants’ ministry reflects a more comprehensive understanding of and commitment to pastoral excellence
• participants gain insight into the nature of vocational call through thoughtful conversation with theologians and spiritual directors and through the narratives of vocation shared by each participant
• participants are more conscious of the value of ongoing formation, are active in promoting it among their colleagues, and are attentive to opportunities for mentoring new ministers in its disciplines
• participants contribute to the Church’s understanding of lay ecclesial ministry, ministry formation, and essential qualities of contemporary pastoral leadership
• pastors gain an appreciation of the need for ongoing ministerial formation and a new understanding of the vocational call of their lay colleagues as well as being encouraged to minister collaboratively with them
• congregations are enriched as ministers continue their ministerial formation and develop pastoral skills and insights that result in excellent ministry