Career Center

The Graduate School of Theology and Seminary (SOT/Sem) at Saint John's University invite applicants for the full-time (1.0 FTE), benefit eligible position of Director of Ministerial.    

The Director of Ministerial Formation (DMF) teaches courses in pastoral theology and is responsible for curriculum development and oversight of the ministerial formation and field education program of the School of Theology and Seminary. The formative curriculum involves an array of specific activities (e.g. practicums, supervised ministry, formation workshops and events, theological reflection groups, spiritual companioning groups, assessing ministerial readiness, developing intercultural competencies, portfolios) in relationship to the USCCB’s outline of human, pastoral, intellectual and spiritual formation for ordination and lay candidates for ministry. The Director also teaches up to three graduate courses in the area of pastoral/practical theology, thus sharing in vital work with faculty colleagues.   The area of specialization is open. The Director collaborates with faculty and administrators in the School of Theology, including the director of admissions, priestly formation, the diocesan deaconate formation program, and the faculty for liturgical music. The Director of Ministerial Formation works in collaboration with the Associate Director of Ministerial Formation to deliver a set of comprehensive formation experiences to SOT/Sem students.  The Director will supervise and direct the Associate Director’s work in the ministerial and field education components of the formation program.

Institutional Inclusion Visioning Statement

The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University believe that an excellent liberal arts education requires an understanding and appreciation of cultural difference and that everyone deserves to feel safe and morally valued. To that end, we will challenge our own practices and systems. Our commitment to an inclusive environment will be incorporated into all decision-making processes. We dedicate ourselves to cultivating an equitable, inclusive community founded on respect for all persons. 

CSB and SJU offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits program. For further information regarding CSB and SJU, visit http://www.csbsju.edu/about.

Responsibilities

Ministerial Formation 

1. Oversee and implement the Ministerial Formation program including its design and evaluation. Work with and provide resources for students in pursuit of their vocational and ministerial goals, while determining their readiness for ministry.
2. Advise incoming students regarding formation and field education requirements and monitor students’ progress throughout the degree program.
3. Prepare students for spiritual companioning groups and assist lay ministry students in finding spiritual directors.
4. Develop formational events (workshops, formation days) in the overall context of the formation curriculum.
5. Oversee the ministerial assessment process (e.g., portfolios) that identifies areas of competence and readiness for ministry, which takes place at mid-degree and upon graduation.  
6. Attend to the particular formational needs of distance learning students and advocate for hybrid formational opportunities. 

Field Education

1. Identify and cultivate field education placement sites and ministerial residencies for students.
2. Prepare students to participate in theological reflection in their areas of ministry practice during their placement (e.g., youth and campus ministry, religious education, pastoral care, social concerns, and preaching).
3. Identify and trains supervisors who will mentor, guide, and evaluate student performance in ministry.
4. Assist students in selecting placements and a supervisor for field education, and Clinical Pastoral Education.
5. Make visits to students’ field education sites, observe their ministry, and, with the site supervisor, offer feedback and assessment. 

Teaching and Administration 

1. Teach up to three courses per year in pastoral/practical theology.
2. Collaborate with the faculty and administrators to integrate formation and field experience with the curriculum; attend faculty meetings and represent the formational concerns of students to the faculty.
3. Assist Admissions with assessment of candidates for ministry degrees.
4. Collaborate with the directors of Priestly Formation and the Liturgical Music degree in designing and implementing a formation curriculum for students in each program.
5. Serves on committees as needed in the SOT, diocese, and community (e.g., Spiritual Direction Certificate, Seminary Advisory Committee, CentraCare CPE Advisory Committee, Diocese of Saint Cloud Deaconate Advisory Committee).

• Master of Divinity or M.Div. equivalent
• Experience in Roman Catholic ministry (e.g., parish, hospital, school, campus ministry, social justice)

Preferred: 

•  Doctor of Ministry (DMin) or Ph.D. in pastoral or practical theology. 
• Specialization in pastoral/practical theology in one of the following areas: pastoral care, pastoral counseling, missiology, ministerial leadership or administration, preaching/homiletics, spiritual formation, chaplaincy, youth or young adult ministry, or a specific area of applied or contextual theology. 
• Experience in Ministerial Formation and Field Education supervision

To Apply

Applications are accepted on the institutions' website by clicking on "Apply". Applicants are asked to provide the following materials:

1. Cover letter (outlining, experience in formation work, areas of teaching interests and resonance with the SOT/Sem’s mission, including its commitment to intercultural ministry with diverse student populations)
2. Curriculum vitae
3. Statement of teaching philosophy
4. Three reference contacts. 

If you require special accommodations to participate in the Saint John's University hiring process, please contact us at (320) 363-5500 or employment@csbsju.edu. 
 
 It is the policy of SJU to conduct pre-employment background checks.  An offer of employment is contingent upon a successful background check.
 
 Saint John's University are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers.  

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About Saint John's University

The College of Saint Benedict (CSB), a liberal arts college for women, and Saint John's University (SJU), a liberal arts college for men, are located in the central lakes area of Minnesota, surrounded by more than 3,000 acres of pristine forests, prairies, and lakes. The campuses are minutes away from St. Cloud, an increasingly diverse regional center with a population of over 100,000, and 70 miles from Minneapolis and St. Paul. Some CSB/SJU faculty and staff choose to reside locally, while others commute from the Twin Cities. Both St. Cloud and the Twin Cities offer a wide range of fine arts, cultural, dining, recreational, and sporting opportunities. CSB and SJU are Catholic colleges in the Benedictine tradition enlivened by values of community, hospitality, stewardship, and justice. The schools are dedicated to cultivating an equitable, inclusive community founded on respect for all persons. Students, staff and faculty from many diverse belief systems and backgrounds collectively bring a rich dimension to the academic, cultural, and religious experience at CSB/SJU. We welcome faculty who devote themselves with passion and integrity to their disciplines and to a transformative ed...ucation of their students. With a total enrollment of approximately 3600 students, faculty members develop relationships with students in small classroom settings and have opportunities to work closely with students on research projects, experiential learning experiences, and study abroad programs. Recent initiatives to create a dynamic general education curriculum and to develop plans for a new teaching and learning center demonstrate strong institutional support for faculty development. CSB and SJU offer competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits program.

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