Pastoral Mission and Outreach in a Ministry Context (DP3004C)

Content

This is a Supervised Theological Field Education Unit: a practical unit in a supervised ministry context. This unit offers the opportunity for the acquisition and development of skills for ministry in an intensive pastoral/ministry placement of 12 weeks. As such, it provides practical experience, reflection on that experience under supervision, and participative learning. The model proposed is action-reflection-integration, under supervision. Examples of such long-term pastoral placement would include parish ministry, youth ministry and ministry to Indigenous persons. Professional ministry standards including safeguarding underpin this unit

Learning outcomes

Unit sequence

Prerequisite: Completion of two Field D units plus DP1/2001C and DP1/2002C for BMin students. Corequisite/prerequisite: DP2/3015C Pastoral Leadership for a Safe Church. The unit also requires an interview with the unit coordinator before commencement.

All STFE students prior to commencing their placement will have completed a Learning Module about the University’s Code of Conduct as well as additional learning about Safeguarding, including safeguarding processes particular to their denomination (see corequisite/prerequisite above – Pastoral Leadership for a Safe Church).

Pedagogy

This unit, a practical unit, offers the opportunity for the acquisition and development of skills for ministry in an intensive pastoral/ministry placement of 12 weeks, under supervision. It includes:

• a minimum of 96 hours placement;
• a minimum of 24 hours of theological reflection, integration and supervision, 6 hours of which is individual supervision;
• 12 hours planning and review of placement;
• 18 study hours.

The primary pedagogical framework is action-reflection-integration: in a given ministerial context, students are invited to reflect on their practice, through narrative/verbatim modes of presentation. In the second place, students are invited to engage in weekly pastoral journalling as a way of integrating ongoing reflection into their practice.

Indicative Bibliography

• Cullen, Philomena, Bernard Hoose, and Gerard Mannion, eds. Catholic Social Justice: Theological and Practical Explorations. Continuum, 2007.
• Fini, Christian, and Christopher Ryan, eds. Australian Catholic Youth Ministry: Theological and Pastoral Foundations for Faithful Ministry. Garratt, 2014.
• Garrido, Ann M. Redeeming Administration: 12 Spiritual Habits for Catholic Leaders in Parishes, Schools, Religious Communities, and Other Institutions. Ave Maria Press, 2013.
• Graham, Elaine, Heather Walton, and Frances Ward. Theological Reflection Methods. 2nd ed. SCM Press, 2019.
• Hilsman, Gordon J. How to Get the Most Out of Clinical Pastoral Education: A CPE Primer. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2018.
• Jewell, Marti R., and David A. Ramsey. The Changing Face of Church: Emerging Models of Parish Leadership. Loyola Press, 2010.
• Naughton, Margaret. Clinical Pastoral Education - Coming Home to Self. Peter Lang, 2025.
• Sofield, Loughlan, and Carroll Juliano. Collaboration: Uniting Our Gifts in Ministry. Ave Maria Press, 2000.
• Sofield, Loughlan, and Carroll Juliano. Principled Ministry: A Guidebook for Catholic Leaders. Ave Maria Press, 2011.
• Thompson, Judith, Stephen Pattison, and Ross Thompson. Theological Reflection. 2nd ed. SCM Press 2019.
• Westfield, Nancy Lynne. Thinking Teaching: Stories, Insights, and Strategies to Ignite Reflection, Discussion, and Imagination. Wipf and Stock, 2026.

Assessment