At The Catholic University of America one of the important leadership positions is that of Student Minister. The Pastoral Staff is grateful that you are thinking of applying for this position of service.  It is important to ask the question, "What is God asking of me?" The first step in trying to discover that answer is to: STOP and commit to a process of discerning God’s desire for you at this time.

Before you consider filling out the application READ the application carefully. Be mindful of the details like deadlines and training dates as well as the more essential elements of the application: Position Description, Ministry, Prayer and Community Responsibilities. Read through the Application Questions. Now read the position description, including the three areas of responsibility one more time.

Ask yourself:

• Did I realize that this position requires me to spend at least 20 hours a week developing three different areas of my life: Prayer, Community and Ministry?
• Am I open to learning how to grow as a person of deep personal prayer and as an intimate friend of Jesus Christ? Am I open to learning how to lead public prayer and praying with my particular community and my residents? Do I understand that prayer in community (adoration, weekly community Mass, Tuesday Night House Mass, Sunday Mass and scheduled community prayer each week) opens me up to new relationships and is a place that is sacred for all involved?
• Do I understand that my ministerial community reminds me that ministry is never an individual adventure? Community supplies me with a place to pray and a place to give and receive support. Am I prepared to listen and not always demand to be heard? Am I prepared to put others first, pitch in with whatever needs to be done, while at the same time letting others know when I need help? Am I open to sharing my “successes and challenges” in community?
• Will I keep in mind that ministry is rooted in prayer and community? Am I prepared to knock on doors and establish relationships with my residents? Am I open to share my relationship with Christ with other?

Ask God to help you answer truthfully the questions above. Ask Him to see if your desire to be a Student Minister is life-giving and coming from your heart’s longing to serve God through serving others?

Then, “Be still and know that He is God.” You will not be able to do ministry for very long if everything you do depends upon you. Consider where and how has God indicated that I might make a good student minister? Have others told me so?  Do I have a sense of peace when I imagine myself making ministry a priority in my life?

After you have gone through this reflection process – now might be the time to begin the written application process.