On Support of Religious Ministries

(formerly Support for Religious Personnel)

Rationale
To ensure that the Catholic schools of the diocese remain true to its mission of Catholic
education, each school shall be provided religious ministries by the religious personnel
assigned in the parish where the school is located inasmuch as each school is a ministry of
the parish.
I. The religious ministries will include among other things the following:
1. Catholic Steward Leadership is to be provided by priests assigned as Catholic school
director and in some schools, in partnership with religious sisters.
2. Priests and nuns are to ensure the following:
a. Since the staff are the primary people in touch with students and parents,
their mature Catholic life is important; hence, the school has to continuously
grow the school staff in Catholic faith, a ongoing formation shall be provided
including Catechetical formation, spiritual retreats and recollections, spiritual
guidance, opportunities for lay apostolate to instill a sense of mission
[example of apostolates: Catechetical instruction in public schools and among
adults in the parish, program for persons with disabilities, building of Basic
Ecclesial Communities, parish liturgical ministries, etc. This is especially true
in relation to the schools duty to provide Community Extensions Services
which serve at least two purposes: the social responsibility of the school
community and the avenue where which staff and students actualize the
value of classroom learning], liturgical celebrations.
b. To provide programs and set-up structures so that students and parents
(preferably including the whole family) and/or guardians will also continuously
grow in their Christian life. The program includes among other things ongoing
programmed Catholic formation, Christian steward leadership seminarworkshops, spiritual directions, spiritual retreats and recollections,
opportunities for apostolates [This is especially true in relation to the schools
duty to provide Community Extensions Services which serve at least two
purposes: the social responsibility of the school community and the avenue
where which staff and students actualize the value of classroom learning],
liturgical celebrations.
c. To ensure that all school stakeholders become actively involved with the
parish community and become co-evangelizers in the whole parish.
II. Support for Religious Ministries
1. Support for religious ministries of religious sisters are to be remitted directly to their
Congregation who shall ensure that all the needs of the school religious ministries are
provided. Religious sisters are accountable to their superior for all these provisions.
2. Support for religious ministries of priests in parishes are to be directly to the
Diocesan Finance Office who shall ensure that all the needs of the school religious

ministries are provided in each school by the priests of the parishes. Priests are
accountable to the diocesan bishop for this provisions.
ecr/nov2013