PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Archdiocese of Philadelphia recently announced that it has again united with Villanova University’s reputed Center for Church Management (CCM). Their shared vision has crystallized into a unique online Master of Science in Church Management (MSCM) degree, promising to arm an international cohort of students with a profound understanding of effective church management strategies.
This two-year initiative is specifically tailored for the workers of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and its associated bodies. Generously backed by Villanova University patrons, qualified students have access to a significant $14,700 scholarship—an aid comprising 50% of the course fees. This baseline scholarship, exclusively reserved for Philadelphians, can be augmented by additional MSCM scholarships from Villanova.
Furthermore, the CCM has a provision to grant fifteen $5,000 scholarships to Hispanic pastoral leaders aspiring to earn an MSCM. This initiative is a conscious response to the National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders, championed by the Lilly Endowment Inc.
“This innovative collaboration with Villanova enables church leaders with a devout passion for our Lord to hone the skills imperative for dynamic missionary discipleship and judicious stewardship of entrusted human and financial resources,” proclaimed Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez.
The MSCM program caters to a diverse array of leaders and managers within the ecclesiastical sector, including parish business managers, pastoral ministry workers who yearn to amplify their value and support to their parish or diocese, and seasoned business professionals eager to transition to church work.
The cornerstone of the program is its dual focus: an in-depth business curriculum infused with a faith-inspired approach to church management. Covering a broad spectrum of managerial topics, such as leadership within religious organizations, civil and church laws, financial supervision, and human resource management in a ministerial setting, students can complete this comprehensive curriculum online via two years of part-time study.
Matthew F. Manion, a MSCM alumnus and The David Grenon Family Faculty Director at the CCM, believes the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Archbishop Perez are sculpting missionaries to disseminate Jesus’ teachings and serve Philadelphia. He asserts, “The CCM is committed to supporting these leaders by equipping them with necessary strategic, financial, and management tools to manage the church’s resources in a Gospel-worthy manner.”
This assertion is backed by a tangible example; Patrick Travers, who now directs the UPenn and Drexel Newman Center at St. Agatha-St. James Catholic Church, graduated just last year. “The Church Management course was a watershed moment for us at the Newman Center. From leadership skills to organizational culture and management, we have consistently applied what we have learned. It’s hard to envision managing a parish or a Catholic organization without the knowledge and skills I gained during my studies,” he says.
To date, 13 students from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia have successfully completed the program, with four currently enrolled. Three of these students are set to graduate this coming spring, while two more candidates are preparing to enroll for the May 2024 intake.
Villanova’s business school has fostered similar partnerships with other ecclesiastical bodies, spanning the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Georgia; Dioceses of Bridgeport, Connecticut; Camden, New Jersey; Cleveland, Ohio; Fall River, Massachusetts; the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Indiana; Miami, Florida; and Dioceses of Nashville, Tennessee; New York, New York; Paterson, New Jersey; and Trenton, New Jersey.
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