U.S. bishops tap former Kino Institute director for commission

By Andrew Junker | Nov. 17, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

The former director of the Phoenix Diocese’s Kino Institute was recently named vice chair for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Commission on Certification and Accreditation.

Barry Sargent was appointed to the position Oct. 23 and will continue his duties for the next three years.

The commission was founded in 1982 as a means for establishing accreditation standards, policies and procedures for ministry formation programs across the country.

“The bishops saw a need to establish a commission to help them get a handle on not only roles, functions and definitions of people involved in lay ministries,” Sargent said, but also to “help make sure they’re being effective, that they’re being formed properly. It raises the level of ministry.”

The standards for lay ministry formation have grown organically over the past two decades, Sargent said. National organizations like the group comprised of chaplains would build a curriculum and then work with the Commission on Certification and Accreditation on fine-tuning.

Now, there’s a good base for these groups to build on, said C. Vanessa White, chair of the commission.

“The different ministry programs would look at themselves and see if they meet those standards,” she said. “If they do, then the commission would approve them for accreditation.”

The process also involves site visits to the various programs, one of the challenges for the commission, which is filled with leaders who often have additional commitments.

“We really take this work very serious,” White said. “It takes a commitment and someone who has an understanding of ministry formation. I think Barry does have that, which was why we, as a commission, affirmed his stepping into the role of being vice-chair.”

Sargent has already worked closely with the commission for a number of years, but his new role will require his input and planning for the group’s twice-a-year meetings. In three years’ time, Sargent will become chair of the commission.

And while the new responsibility adds to an already full plate — Sargent helps run Faith on Fire, a local formation and retreat ministry — he said he looks forward to the challenge.

“You go throughout the country and realize the amazing work that local churches are doing,” he said. “It’s really pretty exciting.”