It seems so long ago, but I was once an administrator before answering the call to full-time ministry. One of the things that I learned while supervising others is in delegating responsibility to people, you also must delegate authority for them to make decisions necessary to complete a task or project. I did not freely hand over responsibility and authority to just anyone. I would always assess who had the skills and knowledge needed to complete the task in a way that would be viewed as successful.

As youth ministry leaders we have been “authorized” in some form or fashion to minister to young people. Some of us have been given authorization from our pastors with the words “you are young and have a lot of energy, you should lead our parish youth group.” (A friend of mine says this is being “volun-told” and not volunteering.) Some of us have answered the call to full-time ministry and have been given “full control” of youth ministry in our parish. Some of us may have been “volun-told” but have no say or flexibility with any part of our role as a youth ministry leader. The reality is no matter what our experience, we have been given authorization to conduct our ministry. The unfortunate reality is some of us are given more authorization than others.

Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord, a statement about the development of lay ecclesial ministry by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, states that “authorization is a process by which properly trained men and women are given responsibilities for ecclesial ministry by competent church authority (pg. 54).” This “process” includes proper education specific to a person’s ministerial role, ongoing training such as conferences, and a form of commissioning ceremony in which the parish community can take part in the process of affirming and accepting the role and responsibilities that a person has been given in service to the parish.

How Was I Authorized?

My “authorization” experience did not involve all of these components. The bishop of our diocese and my pastor advocate for and support youth ministry and my parish helps offset the cost of my tuition for school. However, I have never been formally commissioned with an actual ceremony during a Mass or prayer service. Does this mean that I do not feel authorized? By no means! At the very core of authorization is “empowerment.” Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord outlines that lay ecclesial ministers need the tools necessary to minister well. These tools include education, ongoing training, and spiritual enrichment. The document also states that there must be flexibility within each diocese to determine how these things will be put in place in a way that meets the needs of each individual diocese.

How to Achieve Aauthorization

First, empower yourself by reading Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord on the USCCB website.

This document gives great insight about how the United States bishops envision lay ecclesial ministry and how lay ecclesial ministers are to be empowered to fulfill their ministerial roles. It will give you some background so you can advocate for those things you need to minister effectively.

Second, advocate for the tools you need to minister well. Let the pastor or pastoral administrator know that in order to minister well, you need training or certification.

Finally, if you are just starting in ministry, ask your pastor or pastoral administrator to commission you in some way; either at Mass or during special prayer service. This can be done by simply including a special commissioning during the Mass on Catechetical Sunday. This is a wonderful option for anyone in ministry no matter how long they have been in ministry as it will help the people of the parish put a face with a name, title, and responsibility. It is important to note that each diocese is different and that one may need to advocate for youth ministry at the diocesan level. How this is done will depend on the circumstances surrounding individual situations.

As I stated earlier, each one of us has been authorized to some degree, no matter how large or small. The question is, do we feel as if we are authorized and how? If 100 youth ministry leaders were polled today, each one would have very different perspectives about whether or not they feel authorized as well as different stories about their authorization process. I would suggest that we not only look at our parish and diocesan structures for “authorization” but we must also look within our own particular programs and personal lives to determine whether we feel authorized or not.