Diocese partners with Villanova School of Business offering master’s degree in Church management

CLIFTON  To better serve the pastoral and the spiritual needs of its people, it is important today that pastors, priests, and lay leaders in the Church are equipped with the understanding of how to manage a faith community on an administrative and organizational level.

Expected to graduate in the May 2023, three women serving in different ministries of the Diocese are currently enrolled at the Villanova School of Business (VSB) at Villanvoa University, and at the completion of their studies, they will receive a master of science in Church management (MSCM). The degree program is an innovative two-year, online program to provide students with a high-level skill set in effective Church management.

The three women — Alexandra Carroll, administrative assistant at St. Pius X Church in Montville; Iwona Kaczynski, business and administration manager at St. Catherine of Bologna Church in Ringwood, and Mirian Tanis, cemetery manager of Calvary Cemetery in Paterson and Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Totowa, have learned new practices in how to apply business skills in a Church environment. Recently the cohorts, as they are called, visited Villanova University, in Villanova, Pa. for in-person day with Mass, lectures, discussions, and workshops. The women all come from different areas of the Diocese, backgrounds, and experience but have found common ground in their desire to serve the Church on a different level.

Sharing her experience, Kaczynski said, “The scope of the program is very broad and diverse. It goes from theology through the finances, management, and human resources. It prepares the students to look holistically at the complex problems and blessings of working in nonprofit organizations.”

For Tanis, the MSCM program has allowed her to learn about the Church from a different perspective and she has been inspired by her fellow cohorts in the class. “I decided to enter the program because it was the perfect opportunity to learn about business management as it applies to the Church. The knowledge and experience I gained from being enrolled at Villanova has been the best way to challenge myself,” she told The Beacon.

Carroll stated, “The program has been amazing and I am really enjoying the courses. They are really relevant and I am already able to use what I have learned and apply it to my work at the parish.”

Currently, Villanova is accepting applications for the program for the 2022 cohort which will begin in mid-May. The master’s program is under the direction of the Center of Church Management at Villanova’s School of Business. It is designed for both laypersons and religious or clergy and focuses on two foundational elements — a solid business curriculum and a faith-based approach to Church management.

The MSCM degree is a two-year, 30-credit, part-time course, which is predominantly online with a weeklong residency of study at the Villanova campus at the beginning of the course. The MSCM curriculum includes Leadership, Ethics and Catholic Social Thought; Civil and Church Law; Stewardship and Development; Financial Reporting and Controls; Human Resource Management in a Ministry Setting; Organizational Management; Information Technology in Ministry; Ecclesiology and Church History; Church Security and Facilities; and Pastoral Strategic Planning.

All three women have said the program requires a commitment and the time required is typical as for students in any college in a master’s degree program. “We are treated as full-time pupils,” said Kaczynski, “The program can be challenging since it is one of the prestigious Catholic universities in the country. There are no excuses or shortcuts. All of us, including myself, put a lot of work and time in study, research, zoom meetings, conferences, and papers.”

Chesley Turner, director for the Center of Church Management at Villanova, said, “What we’ve joyfully discovered is that this program attracts and forms new and longtime Church leaders, alike. It fosters creativity, community, and Christ-centered development while giving students the tools to better support the Church they love. The MS in Church management is a real opportunity to access new skills, new ways of thinking, and new companions as we grow and revitalize the Church, together.”

Admission is based on experience, letters of recommendation, and a personal essay. All students need a 3.0 GPA in the MSCM course in order to graduate.

For several years, the Paterson Diocese has collaborated with Villanova for this program. Students from the Diocese of Paterson receive the automatic 50 percent partnership scholarship from Villanova, so the cost is $14,700 or $490/credit. In addition to the partnership scholarship, this year we have a new scholarship available to underrepresented students. Students can apply for an additional $5,000 scholarship during the application process. Those interested in applying should contact Patrick Brennan, Diocesan CFO, about a possible additional 25 percent scholarship that may be available for lay students who enroll in the MSCM program.

Because of these scholarship opportunities, it has been possible for Carroll to study for her master’s degree. “These scholarships have made it affordable and I am very grateful to this partnership,” she told The Beacon.

The MSCM program at VSB is designed to meet the needs of Church leaders and managers including parish business managers, people serving in pastoral ministry roles who would like to provide greater value and support to their parish or diocese and individuals who have worked in business professionally and want to transition to Church work. It is ideal for professionals who cannot take leave of their positions to pursue full-time study.

“Although I presently have two degrees, a bachelor’s degree in speech communi­cation and a master’s degree in communication arts, the master of science in Church management will prepare me to be a better steward of the Church, while enhancing my knowledge and experience,” Tanis said. “As the Church faces a shortage of clergy and decline in Catholics worldwide, I feel empowered and prepared to step into other leadership roles. Villanova affords me a vast network of contacts throughout the world that will allow me to continue to serve the Lord and his Church.”

Carroll added, “I encourage anyone who is looking to make a difference to apply. I want the Church to be successful in the future and the people are the only way that will continue. We have to think of ways to bring the people back to Church and to engage them. We want the Church to be here and thriving.”

Information: Patrick Brennan at [email protected] or Chesley Turner at [email protected]