The following announcement was released today by Sr. John Mary Fleming, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Catholic Education at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, announcing me as the new Assistant Director for Certification of Ecclesial Ministry and Service, effective July 16, 2018. I will succeed Dr. Harry Dudley, the founding Assistant Director in this important position which oversees developments in certification standards for lay ecclesial ministry in the U.S. Catholic Church. I look forward to sharing more about this important work in the coming weeks. I am excited and honored to join the staff of the Secretariat in this role and to work closely with the Committee on Catholic Education, the Subcommittee on Certification for Ecclesial Ministry and Service and the many national and regional ministry organizations and dioceses which contribute to the development, formation and support of lay ecclesial ministers across the United States.

May 15, 2018

Dear Colleagues,

At the end of July Dr. Harry Dudley, Assistant Director for Certification of Ecclesial Ministry will be retiring from the United States Conference of Bishops. In the 7 years that Dr. Dudley has been in the Secretariat for Catholic Education and under the direction of the Subcommittee on Certification for Ecclesial Ministry and Service, he has developed and launched the review and approval process for certification of lay ecclesial ministers at the diocesan and national organization levels. This was a herculean task which Dr. Dudley accomplished in collaboration with other offices at the USCCB and other national organizations. We are so grateful for his expertise during the establishment of the Subcommittee on Ecclesial Ministry and Service and the work of the new office. We wish Harry and his wife, Pat, a blessed and well-deserved retirement.

We are also pleased to announce that Dr. Marc DelMonico will be the new Assistant Director for Certification of Ecclesial Ministry beginning July 16th. Dr. DelMonico holds a doctorate in Historic and Systematic Theology from The Catholic University of America. He is an adjunct professor at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. In addition to his academic background, he has served at the parish level in Virginia, Maryland and New York in the area of lay ministry in RCIA, liturgy, outreach and pastoral care and planning. He has worked in interfaith and diocesan professional training programs in Washington DC and also brings background in digital media and communications. Marc has published on topics such as social justice, liturgy, and leadership. I know you join me in welcoming Dr. DelMonico to the United States Conference of Bishops.

Dr. Dudley and Dr. DelMonico will be working together to ensure a smooth transition of the office and projects related to Certification for Ecclesial Ministry and Service.

In Christ,
Sister John Mary Fleming, OP
Executive Director, Secretariat for Catholic Education
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops