New Lay Ministry Certification Site

Portal for all things relating to standards and certification

The Alliance for the Certification of Lay Ecclesial Ministers (the Alliance) has launched its website: www.lemcertification.org. The site is designed to be a “one-stop-shopping” site for lay ecclesial ministers seeking certification. Information found on the website includes the standards themselves, an overview of the certification process, and all forms required for the application.

The Alliance received approval for its revised standards for lay ecclesial ministers for the new national certification process from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation (USCCB/CCA) this fall. The website is the primary tool for making the national certification process accessible to lay ministers across the country. All of the materials pertaining to the standards and certification process are available on the site. In addition, a paper edition of the standards is forthcoming in the spring.

While certification will be centralized through the website, each Alliance partner will manage the process for different ministries. Partner ministerial responsibilities are:

• NALM: Pastoral Associates and Parish Life Coordinators
• FDLC: Directors of Liturgy
• NCCL: Catechetical Leaders
• NFCYM: Youth Ministry Directors
• NPM: Directors of Musical Ministry

NALM Executive Director Christopher Anderson will oversee the process for pastoral applicants and Carol Walters of the Archdiocese of Chicago will be chair of NALM’s review committee that will complete the assessments. If you have questions about the process, please contact Christopher Anderson at the NALM national office, 202-541-5356, Chris will be glad to discuss the process informally with members or formally for those looking to begin the application process.