Mission
The goal of the CTU’s Pathways in Professional Ministry program is to support the transformation of CTU students’ vocations, as evidenced by their charisms, talents, and aptitudes, into fully actualized, marketable skills for pastoral leadership in the Church (ad intra) as well as outside the Church (ad extra). The program also offers skills training for mission-driven careers in the nonprofit and business sectors. The services are available to all current students, whether on an ordination track, religious, or lay. Alumni are welcome to access the resources as they transition during their ministry careers and are invited to mentor and coach current students.
Our goal is to help students’ career planning such that every student will have a paid ministry placement waiting for them prior to graduation or be better skilled to provide pastoral leadership in their desired ministry. The Career Services program is guided by a Spirit-inspired mission culture of career readiness.
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1Cor. 12:7)
Vocational Discernment: Navigating Your Career Ministry Journey
The landscape of your vocational discernment is a profound journey
of understanding God’s call in your life, integrating personal gifts, professional aspirations, and spiritual purpose.
This guide of Ten Modules offers a holistic approach to exploring your ministry calling,
recognizing that your career is not just a job but a sacred path of service.
INSPIRATION and MISSION
Career Services for Ministry Lens:
- What inspires you personally?
- How is that expressed? It could be in words, images, videos, music, art, performance, symbols, or objects.
- Purpose, calling, mission, vision, values, goals, ambitions, symbols, and stories, are all welcome.
Reflection Questions:
- What stirs your soul?
- Where do you see God’s fingerprints in your passion?
- How do your deepest inspirations connect to broader ministry needs?
Recommended Practices:
- Reflective journaling
- Contemplative prayer
- Creative expression workshops
- Personal mission statement development
VISION and DISCERNMENT
Career Services for Ministry Lens:
- What is your career vision?
- What is your vocation at this moment, as you understand it?
- How do you wish to be in service (to the Lord)?
- How do you feel called to express your creativity?
Theological Foundations:
- Understanding vocation as a divine conversation
- Ignatian discernment principles
- Listening to God’s subtle invitations
Exploration Techniques:
- Vocational mapping
- Reflective direction sessions
- Discernment retreats
- Collaborative vision crafting
- Assessments:
MARKET / DEFINING A UNIVERSE OF TARGETS
Career Services for Ministry Lens:
- What fields or fields (markets) do you want to explore?
- In what areas of activity can you best give your gift?
- What areas excite your curiosity?
- In what areas do you see the greatest receptivity (economically and otherwise) for your gifts (charisms)?
Ministerial Landscape Analysis:
- Mapping ministry opportunities
- Identifying emerging church and social service needs
- Aligning personal charisms with institutional requirements
Strategic Exploration:
- Informational interviews
- Contextual ministry research
Cross-denominational networking
CAREER SEARCH
Career Services for Ministry Lens:
- What is your job search strategy?
- What is your plan for searching out opportunities?
- How can you make your strategy both effective and efficient?
Holistic Search Strategy:
- Integrating appreciative/reflective intuition with practical job search techniques
- Developing a faith-informed professional network
- Balancing openness with intentional targeting
Search Toolkit:
- Ministry-specific job platforms
- Denominational career resources
Professional development workshops
NETWORKING and BUILDING A TRANSITION TEAM
Career Services for Ministry Lens:
- How will you develop and engage with your network?
- How do you understand your network?
- What is your plan to develop and grow it?
- How will you serve and be served by others in your network?
Relational Ministry Approach:
- Understanding networking as a mutual accompaniment
- Building authentic, reciprocal professional relationships
- Creating supportive ministerial ecosystems
Networking Practices:
- Strategic relationship mapping
- Professional and ministerial mentorship
- Community engagement strategies
- Financial relationship mapping
- Health and wellness/well-being relationship mapping
MENTORS and BUILDING AN ACCOMPANIMENT TEAM
Career Services for Ministry Lens:
- How will you engage with mentors (including coaches, teachers, MasterMind)?
- How will you find them?
- How can you build relationships with them?
- How can you give and receive value with/from your mentors? (and mentees?)
Mentorship as Spiritual Practice:
- Selecting mentors aligned with your vocational vision
- Developing mutually transformative relationships
- Creating accountability and growth structures
Mentor Engagement Strategies:
- Formal and informal mentorship models
- Reciprocal learning frameworks
- Ministerial and professional growth plans
CHARISMS, BRAND and PERSONAL MARKETING
Career Services for Ministry Lens:
- What is your personal “brand” – your offering to the world?
- What is your offering, your unique gift?
- How will you articulate it?
- How will you develop and refine it over time?
Personal Charism Development:
- Identifying unique ministerial gifts
- Articulating your ministeriall and professional narrative
- Personal branding as ministry invitation
Presentation Strategies:
- Authentic self-marketing
- Digital ministry presence
- Communication that reflects spiritual depth
AGILE PLANNING
Career Services for Ministry Lens:
- How will you create an integrated, dynamic plan for your career journey?
- How will you enunciate your big-picture goals? (L1)
- How do you understand the streams of effort required to deliver big goals – and the specific objectives over the next few months? (eg quarter) (L2)
- How will you define your particular actions in the next few days or weeks, linked to the L2 goals? (L3)
- Continually observe and understand your successes and failures, retrospect and refine the plan dynamically
Integrated Life Planning:
- Multi-level goal setting (ministerial, professional, personal)
- Dynamic planning methodologies
- Continuous reflection and adaptation
Application Techniques:
- Ministry-informed resume development
- Cover letter articulation of vocational call
- Interview preparation as a spiritual practice
LEARNING: WITHIN, ACROSS, AND BEYOND YOUR SCHOOL
Career Services for Ministry Lens:
- How is your career ministry journey linked to your learning journey?
- What have been your key learnings that got you to today?
- What do you need to learn to win your next targeted engagement?
- What do you need to learn to succeed and grow in your role once you have secured it?
Lifelong Learning as Spiritual Formation:
- Continuous personal and professional development
- Integration of academic, spiritual, and ministerial learning
- Adaptive learning strategies
Learning Pathways:
- Formal and informal educational opportunities
- Cross-disciplinary skill development
- Reflective learning practices
Recommended Resources (in-progress)
- 1- “The Career Services Roadmap” by Scott Downs and Gerald Doyle
- 2- “Conversations of Inquiry” by Scott Downs and Gerald Doyle
- 3- “9 Questions for Leadership in Life and Work” by Scott Downs and Gerald Doyle
- 4- “Let Your Life Speak” by Parker J. Palmer
- 5- “Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life” by Henri Nouwen
- 6- “The Call” by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
- 7- “Listening Hearts” by Suzanne Farnham
- 8- “Holy Listening” by Margaret Guenther
- 9- “Working from the Heart” by Donna Schaper
- 10- “Vocation: Discovering Your Ultimate Purpose” by Jeff Goins
Concluding Reflection
Vocational discernment is not a destination but a continuous journey of listening, responding, and transforming. May your path be blessed with clarity, courage, and compassionate service.
Recommended Resources
• 1- “The Personal Career Services Roadmap” by Scott Downs and Gerald Doyle
• 2- “Conversations of Inquiry” by Scott Downs and Gerald Doyle
• 3- “9 Questions for Leadership in Life and Work” by Scott Downs and Gerald Doyle
• 4 – “Reflections on Career” by Scott Downs and Gerald Doyle
• 5- “Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life” by Henri Nouwen
• 6- “Holy Listening” by Margaret Guenther
• 7- Being Grounded at Work by Richard Rohr
Ongoing Reflection and Discernment
Vocational discernment is not a destination but a continuous journey of listening, responding, and transforming. May your path be blessed with clarity, courage, and compassionate service.
Depending upon where you are in your career ministry for placement search, we can order the following themes as you choose and elect to do so; “we can begin anywhere – and follow it everywhere.”
To begin a 1v1 conversation and dialogue regarding your career ministry journey, please schedule time with Gerald Doyle:
• Introductory 20-30 minute conversations available
• M-F (mornings, afternoons, and evenings)
• Send a brief email to Gerald Doyle (gdoyle@ctu.edu) with two suggested times
• If this is your first conversation, please request access to the online survey by clicking here.
Career Services ToolKit Request
Ready to get started? Explore your ministry options or next career move.
Contact careerservices@ctu.edu to schedule an appointment.
Or reach out directly to one of our career services team:
Herb Quinde at hquinde@ctu.edu
or Gerald Doyle at gdoyle@ctu.edu.
Ministry Career Guideline
Resources
Learn about CTU's career services for ministry guidelines and checkists.
Job Listings
Jobs
Stay updated and view recent postings for ministry related job opportunities in the Chicagoland area and beyond.
Inspiring CTU Alumni
Inspiring CTU Alumni
Highlighting the work that our alumni do is a vital part of telling the CTU story, and we want to ensure we learn the stories of CTU alumni from all corners of the globe.
Career Services Events
Hesburgh Renewal Program
Peacemakers 2025
2025 Symposium on a Praxis of Reconciliation-Truth-telling: Challenges and Opportunities
Truth-Telling: Perils and Possibilities for Social Healing<br><small>Third Annual Schreiter Institute Symposium on a Praxis of Reconciliation</small>
Catholic Theological Union 57th Commencement Ceremony
2025 Spain: An Interfaith Pilgrimage
