Links to Helpful Organizations
The National Association of Church Personnel Administrators (NACPA)
NACPA is a membership organization dedicated to the development and promotion of just personnel practices rooted in gospel values. Members include clergy, religious, lay men and women from across America and the World who share this dedication. NACPA provides publications, workshops, surveys and consultations which focus on the human resource needs of dioceses, parishes, religious congregations and other church related organizations. NACPA believes that people are the most valuable resource in every church organization”
Mission:
The National Association of Church Personnel Administrators advocates for workplace justice rooted in Gospel values. To accomplish our mission we:
- promote comprehensive church personnel systems which integrate Catholic social teaching and sound management principles;
- strengthen working relationships among church leaders, ministers and employees;
- develop church personnel and human resource skills and competence;
- identify and address church and societal issues which affect the Church in its role as employer
The National Association for Lay Ministry
The National Association for Lay Ministry is a professional organization
that supports, educates and advocates for lay ministers and promotes the development of lay ministry in the Catholic Church.
Why Join NALM?
As part of this leading professional organization, you will be supporting and advocating for lay ministers and promoting the development of lay ministry in the Catholic Church. Membership is open to anyone who is interested in being part of this mission. Our members represent a wide range of ministers (lay, religious & clergy) serving in the parish, diocesan and academic setting.
Membership Benefits:
- Professional development opportunities
- Newsletter Lay Ministry
- E-mail bulletins (monthly)
- Discounts on products, seminars and our Annual Conference
- Networking with others involved in lay ministry
- Access to members only section on this web page
National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management
The Leadership Roundtable is an organization of laity, religious and clergy working together to promote excellence and best practices in the management, finances and human resources development of the Catholic Church in the U.S. by greater incorporation of the expertise of the laity.
Mission:
The mission of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management is to promote excellence and best practices in the management, finances and human resources development of the Catholic Church in the U.S. by greater incorporation of the expertise of the laity.
Guiding Principles
The work of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management is centered on three guiding principles. These principles are grounded in church teaching:
- The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management will provide an avenue for greater incorporation of the expertise of all the faithful, especially in the areas of church management, finance, and human resources. By virtue of baptism, lay people have not only the right but the duty to offer their gifts and talents in service of the church.
- The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management seeks to work in collaboration with the U.S. bishops and other church leaders, promoting dialogue and fostering the full utilization of the unique gifts of lay experts in management, finance and human resources.
- The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management will seek to identify best practices in the areas of management, finance and human resources that can help address specific needs within the church. The organization will then work together with all of the faithful to further fulfill the church’s mission by promoting, adapting and applying these best practices.
Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership Project
Six national ministerial organizations are collaborating on sustaining the pastoral excellence of the emerging models of pastoral leadership in the Catholic Church. We believe that, at this time, the life of the Catholic Church depends on ongoing and sustained collaboration at all levels. These organizations have identified six marks of excellence for vibrant parishes and are committed to providing research and dialogue with pastoral leadership in pursuing this excellence.
Their vision is for a more fully collaborative, competent, and mission-focused pastoral leadership, strengthened in their service to parish communities.
In order to create a climate in which much needed research, theological reflection, and practical transforming action can take place, the Project has set three goals:
- To provide solid research on the emerging models of parish pastoral leadership
- To stimulate a national conversation about the use of pastoral imagination
- to create vibrant parishes
- To explore ways in which national associations can collaborate to serve the church
http://www.emergingmodels.org/
Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate
CARA is a national, non-profit, Georgetown University affiliated research center that conducts social scientific studies about the Catholic Church. Founded in 1964, CARA has three major dimensions to its mission:
- to increase the Church's self understanding
- to serve the applied research needs of Church decision-makers
- to advance scholarly research on religion, particularly Catholicism
CARA has more than 40 years of experience in quality social science research on the Catholic Church. We offer a range of research and consulting services for dioceses, parishes, religious communities and institutes, and other Catholic organizations.
CARA’s longstanding policy is to let research findings stand on their own and never take an advocacy position or go into areas outside its social science competence.
All CARA researchers have advanced degrees in relevant academic disciplines as well as pastoral experience. CARA researchers are Georgetown faculty members and are active in the academic community publishing and presenting research about the Catholic Church.
The CARA Inspiration: "In pastoral care, sufficient use must be made not only of theological principles, but also the findings of the secular sciences, especially of psychology and sociology, so that the faithful may be brought to a more accurate and mature life of faith" --- The Second Vatican Council Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World (Gaudium Et Spes).
National Pastoral Life Center
Mission Statement: Promoting Excellence in Pastoral Leadership by serving the needs of pastoral leaders in parishes and dioceses.
History (http://www.nplc.org/about/history.php)
The history of the National Pastoral Life Center is wrapped up in the life of its founder Monsignor Philip Murnion. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of New York by Cardinal Francis Spellman in 1963 two days before Pope John XXIII died during the recess of Vatican II. This was a challenging time for the United States with the civil rights movement and for the church with the changes soon to come from Vatican II.
A tremendous legacy is entrusted to the NPLC from its founder who on the occasion of the NPLC’s twentieth anniversary said there is “No time like the present!” This legacy of being attentive to the signs of the times is being carried out in eight project areas: CHURCH magazine, Publications, Pastoral Services, the Catholic Common Ground Initiative, The Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors, Conference for Pastoral Planning and (Parish) Council Development, Consulting Services and Resources and Research Analysis.