The University News (Irving, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 17, Ed. 1 Tuesday, March 22, 2011 Page: 1 of 16
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T he ^University5^ News
www.udallasnews.com
University of Dallas, Irving, Texas
March 22, 2011
School of Ministry dean
responds to controversy
Monica Diodati
News Editor
Much controversy has surrounded
the Universityof Dallas' decision
to add a pastoral ministry
degree to its undergraduate
program, particularly questions of whether
the new program will be in line with Catholic
Church teaching. Dr. Brian Schmisek, dean
of the School of Ministry, and Patrick Fagan,
senior fellow and director of the Washington
D.C. based Marriage and Religion Research
Institute, responded to that controversy.
Fagan's article, "TROUBLE at the
University of Dallas?" expressed his
concern about the University of Dallas' new
undergraduate pastoral ministry degree,
and referenced several SOM professors and
their positions on homosexuality, celibacy
for priests and texts chosen for classes. He
called into question these professors' true
allegiance to the Church and linked most of
his claims and quotations to his sources.
"I think you'll notice if you read his
articles - read the links - they don't really
support his charges," said Schmisek.
"I would love it if someone did an in-
depth analysis of the charges he made,
and say, what is a UD student to make of
these charges? We're taught by our UD
education to analyze sources, to read the
text. Do the sources and the text he's using
substantiate the charges he's making?"
Schmisek challenged. "To cite a blog, to cite
something else that's not there - would that
work in a paper at UD? No. But somehow
it sways all these people, that these
charges are so serious they must be true
When asked if the professors at the
School of Ministry receive the mandatum,
a document which, according to the
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops,
acknowledges a professor's commitment
and responsibilitytoteachauthenticCatholic
doctrine, Schmisek said, "You know what,
we do more than that. We have people from
the diocese on our search committee. The
idea that you could somehow reduce this to
a piece of paper is silly. Ex Corde [Ecclesiae]
calls for a close, working relationship
with the diocesan bishop One way they
see RESPONSE, page 3
Setting the stage
Photo by Danny Sauer
A group of students works to build the set for this semester's
mainstage play, "The Wakefield Cycle." The show, a collection
of medieval mystery plays, will feature over 30 cast members
performing on an outdoor stage in front of the Tower from
March 30 - April 8.
Pastoral ministry degree to serve Church needs
Gabbi Chee
Managing Editor
Starting next fall,
undergraduates at the
University of Dallas will
be able to work towards a
degree in pastoral ministry. The
new major was officially announced
March 3, after unanimous approve
by the Board of Trustees.
The pastoral ministry degree is
intended to prepare laypeople to
work in Catholic parishes in roles
ranging from catechesis directors
to youth ministers. The majority
of classes in the program will be
taught by School of Ministry faculty.
This will be the first undergraduate
degree offered by the School of
Ministry, UD's graduate school of
theological studies and pastoral
ministry.
"We're going to be rooting
people in the documents on lay
ecclesial ministry, we're going to
be talking about the role of the
laity in the Church, how it's distinct
from the ordained," said Dr. Brian
Schmisek, dean of the School of
Ministry. Documents studied will
include selections from the Code of
Canon Law, National Certification
Standards for Lay Ecclesial
Ministers, the Rite of Christian
Initiation of Adults and the four
constitutions of Vatican II.
Pastoral ministry majors will
focus in either youth/young adult
ministry or catechetical ministry.
Regardless of focus, all pastoral
ministry majors will be required
to complete the Core Curriculum,
as well as 24 credits in pastoral
foundations of ministry: Essentials
of Catholic Life and identity,
Scripture for Ministry and Worship,
.iturgical and Sacramentc
Ministry and Spirituality, Moral
Theology (taught by the theology
department), Theology and Practice
of Pastoral Ministry, Vatican II
and the Mission of the Church,
The Person of the Minister, and
Administration for Ministry. The
major also requires:
- An upper division theology
course of choice.
A year-long internship
at a parish or diocese with an
accompanying seminar and
capstone project.
Fluency in the Spanish
language.
Schmisek said that about 45
other universities - including
St. Mary's University in San
Antonio, the University of Notre
see PASTORAL, page 5
Special Inside
Student Government resolution,
page 5
3astoral Ministry program to
serve Church needs," page 1 2
"The real attack on our
identity," page 1 2
"A critical examination of
pastoral ministry," page 13
"Students called to act
responsibly," page 1 3
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Chee, Gabbi. The University News (Irving, Tex.), Vol. 36, No. 17, Ed. 1 Tuesday, March 22, 2011, newspaper, March 22, 2011; Irving, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth201542/m1/1/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting University of Dallas.