The Ministry Training course is a opportunity for Catholics in the Diocese of Darwin to receive training that will equip them to lead ministries and outreach work in parishes and the wider community. The course seeks to create strong leaders through a combination of a solid theological foundation, a personal encounter with God and practical experience.

The course is based on the three principles of encounter, formation, and mission

Encounter

The participants will be encouraged to take part in a scripture-based discipleship group to give them an
encounter with Jesus through the Gospels. 

Formation

The ministry training course will consist of four intensives and an elective unit

20^th March           – Unit one – The Joy of the Gospel – For the last 50 years, the Popes have been calling us to rediscover the power of the Gospel message. However, many Catholics are still not sure what that Gospel message is or how it is able to impact the lives of those they are ministering to. This session will look at the content of that message, how we proclaim it in a secular world and how we can minister in the power of the holy Spirit.

17^th April              – Unit Two – Missionary Disciples ––Pope Francis has been regularly using this term ‘missionary disciples’. This session will look at the stages of conversion, the process of maturing as a disciple and the implications of ministering to people in a secular post-modern age.  

15^th May               – Unit Three Theological foundations of mission – Pope John Paul II used the term ‘the New Evangelisation’ to describe a whole new way of thinking about the mission of the church in a post-modern world. This session will look at how the principles of the new evangelisation turn our understanding of ministry upside-down and help us to bring Christ to the world.

19^th June              – Unit Four – The practice of ministry leadership – The message of he gospel needs to be supported by great leadership, strong vision, effective strategy and good communication. This session will look at the practical elements that will help a ministry to grow.

Elective unit – If we have enough interest in the course, we will run a couple of
elective units in the second half of the year focussing on certain practical
aspects of ministry such as music, youth, or parish renewal

Mission
The participants will be asked to lead an outreach program in their local parish or community as way of gaining experience in ministry. 

The three formation units will be run as 4 intensive lecture units.  The lecture intensives will be held one Saturday each month beginning in March. These sessions will run from 9am-3pm. We hope to make the course available online for those who are not able to join us in person. 

There will be no cost for the course, but we will recommend certain books that you may want to purchase to help with your formation. 

The course will be run the priests and brothers from the Missionaries of God’s Love. The lectures will be held at Holy Spirit parish in Casuarina.