Our Q and A with Sister Angela Ann Zukowski, director of the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives at the University of Dayton since 1978, where she is also professor in the Department of Religious Studies. Sister Angela Ann is a member of the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart and holds a doctorate in ministry. She is a Marianist Education Associate and has been teaching at the University for over 35 years.

How would you describe the vocation that each layman and laywoman is called to by God?

Authentic vocational discernment seeks a proper balance between inward listening to our hearts and outward, socially engaged listening with our hearts to the realities of the world in which we live.  Vocation potentially touches and encompasses every level and dimension of our lives.

While some vocation decisions center around life-time commitments in love or work that affect the fundamental direction of our lives, callings (vocation) also come to us in response to very specific challenges or issues that present themselves at particular times of our individual or collective lives. 

Pope Francis has offered us fresh impetus regarding considering our vocation, as called by God.  In his Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad), he beautifully delineates our vocation as a call to holiness.  He states: "A Christian cannot think of his or her mission on earth without seeing it as a path of holiness (Art. 19).”  In his Message for World Mission Day (2019) titled "Baptized and Sent: The Church of Christ on Mission in the World," he invites everyone to rediscover the missionary dimension (vocation) of their lives, 'a faith graciously bestowed on us in Baptism.' He goes on to say: "This missionary mandate touches us personally: I am a mission, always; you are a mission, always, every baptized man and woman is a mission." This idea that each layman and laywoman is a missionary disciple, is a mission, is a fresh perspective for understanding our vocation today.  

Why is faith formation important to the lay vocation, and how do programs like Dayton's empower the laity to pursue their vocation?

Adult faith formation is an essential element for people consciously to grow in the life of Christ, spiritually, intellectually and pastorally.  Catholics are challenged in new ways today to speak about their (our) faith to others. Religious conversations are emerging in every avenue of our lives and this cannot be ignored.  Therefore, developing in adults a better understanding of and participation in the full sacramental and pastoral missionary life of the Church is essential. 

Furthermore, we live in a diverse multicultural society that offers us a rich experience of how the faith is lived, expressed and celebrated in our own time. We see in this society a widespread spiritual hunger -- a quest for meaning and for a deeply personal experience of God and of community.  Secularism, materialism, atheism, nones, ethical relativism, religious indifference, and tensions rooted in religious or cultural pluralism are prevalent in society. 

Ongoing adult faith formation is an opportunity to deepen one's critical reading, reflection and dialogue around the issues that face and challenge our faith today but with a mature, informed mindset.  Many Catholics seem "lukewarm" in faith, or have a limited understanding of what the Church believes, teaches and lives. Others may know about the Gospel message but have not personally experienced the risen Christ (having an encounter with Jesus is one of Pope Francis' key themes in Evangelii Gaudium - Joy of the Gospel).  Ongoing adult faith formation offers laymen and laywomen an opportunity to deepen and grow in their faith experience on many levels.

The University of Dayton's Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation emerged out of the USCCB's challenge articled in "Our Hearts Were Burning Within Us: A Pastoral Plan for Adult Faith Formation in the United States."

Our primary objective is to encourage and support laymen and laywomen to be open to fresh new encounters with Jesus Christ through intentional quality study, reflection and engagement (e-conversations) within e-faith communities of women and men from both the United States and from around the world online. Guided by qualified facilitators (instructor) laymen and laywomen are offered a variety of Catholic topics to address their particular interest to support and enable them to live out their vocation – missionary discipleship with a mature, informed living faith. 

What would you say to encourage more laymen and women to get started in lay formation and become more intentional about fulfilling their vocation?

First, Pope Francis keeps reminding us that our faith is a living faith. It is not a museum piece. Our God is a “living God” calling us into a deeper relationship with him each day.  This dynamic encounter requires that we constantly nurture our spiritual, intellectual and pastoral lives for impact within our faith and local communities.  Nor, is our faith simply a textbook faith but a faith deeply grounded in a relationship with Jesus Christ and expressed as we witness to that which we know and believe.  Each one of us is to “make present the fragrance of Christ's closeness and his personal gaze” to all those we encounter. 

In a culture that is growing more secular, atheistic (and) individualistic, we, as Catholics, need to be well-grounded or rooted in our faith. If we are to practice what Pope Francis calls “the art of accompaniment” with others, particularly those who are seeking to experience a divine encounter, a religious experience, we, ourselves, need to have a balanced, informed and mature faith.  This is no easy task. It takes intentionality, time and sacrifice but the rewards are great. 

It is all too easy these days of polarization, social media, silo mentalities and cultural distractions, to forget about adult faith formation. Yet, there has never been a more critical moment when having the breadth and depth of authentic faith understanding is most needed.  

Second, we witness within our Virtual Learning Community of Faith Formation hundreds and thousands of adult Catholics each year enjoying spending quality time during the week reading, reflecting and dialogue with others around the world concerning their understanding and meaning of faith for them. Imagine engaging in dialogue with Catholic laymen and laywomen during a five-week e-course from Abu Dhabi, Australia, Port of Spain (Trinidad), Canada, California, Texas, Mid-west and more.  One's Catholic adult faith experience (becomes a) “global Catholic experience” – a primer of what it means to be a reflective and mature member of the Catholic faith. 

Third, taking time to discover what we thought we knew but do not, but now we 'do know' in a fresh authentic mature way, is what adult faith formation offers us today. Yes, to embrace our Baptismal vocation, as missionary disciples, in a rapidly evolving milieu, we need to be informed, formed and transformed by the realities of a “living, dynamic and intentional faith experience” in the 21st century.