Inside ML

“I do”

This issue of ML offers features focusing on different aspects of the challenges of pastoral ministry. We who acclaim “I do” to that call to ministry face unique situations. Stefani Catone considers discernment and the community’s role in calling forth leaders in ministry. Jake Empereur presents current perspectives on the sacrament of the sick, including the question of who should be the “proper” minister of anointing. Anne Bannon offers a reflection on the ministry of the word, with insights on both the value and risk of proclaiming out of our own brokenness. Prayer and contemplation are essential components of a life in ministry, though it seems to become more difficult with each passing day to find the time and space to meet this need. The winners of our Visual Arts Awards in the Devotional Art & Spaces category speak to this need with designs that enkindle sacred encounters. On the “nuts & bolts” side, ML looks at the “tools of the trade” of pastoral ministry — the education and reference essentials for ongoing ministry. Each of these features is intended to help support and sustain all who courageously answer the call to pastoral ministry, for ultimately “I do” isn’t the whole answer — it’s just the beginning. Our true response is our everyday witness and action, our “Amen” to God’s call. ML

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