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Maureen O'Brien, Ph.D.Associate ProfessorDirector of the MA ProgramsEDUCATION C.V. [pdf] CONTACT INFORMATION |
COURSES TAUGHT
Theology of Ministry, Ecclesiology, Introduction to Catechetics; Christian Understanding of the Human Person, The Church.
RESEARCH, PUBLICATIONS AND SERVICE
Dr. O’Brien’s current scholarly interests center on the development of identity and vocational commitment among lay ecclesial ministers. She is engaged in qualitative research with these ministers, and has written and presented on such topics as the role of narrative in construction of ministerial identity, the dynamics of lay ministers’ theological reflection and its relationship to practical theology, and effective education and formation for ministers. She is also interested in the role of social justice in ministry and the development of ecclesiology oriented toward the public witness of the church. She has held leadership positions in national organizations for ministry education, including serving as president of the Association of Graduate Programs in Ministry and chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation.
Dr. O'Brien is committed to a style of teaching that engages learners at all levels in active self-construction of meaning. In particular, she brings to her work with the Pastoral Ministry program a passion for developing effective models for ministry education. Theological studies must be truly pastoral—directed toward the life of the Church—and theological reflection must bring together the Christian tradition in dialogue with contemporary culture and individual and communal experience. To that end, the Pastoral Ministry program offers an integrative approach for students who seek to nurture their vocational call, including core course work in theology and related disciplines, along with supervised field placements and ongoing spiritual formation and discernment.
Selected publications
“A Study of Ministerial Identity and Theological Reflection among Lay Ecclesial Ministers,” International Journal of Practical Theology 11 (2007): 212–233.
“A Meal on the Shore: John 21 as Resource for Theological Reflection in Ministry.” New Theology Review 20 (2007): 68–77.
“Practicing New Convergences: The REA and Religious Education into the Next Century.” Religious Education 100 (2005): 366–369.
“Education As Ascetic Practice: Teaching Theology in a Post-9/11 Context.” Horizons 31 (2004): 355–374.
