ST. MARY’S
LEADERSHIP DISCERNMENT PACKET
COMMITMENT CATEGORIES – 1, 2, 3
Categories 1, 2, 3 – St. Mary’s has categorized leadership positions to aid your discernment by helping
you estimate how much of an impact – in terms of time and work required – the different positions
will require in your semester.
Please don’t think of the categories in terms of prestige or importance - they are not rankings or
comparatives (as St. Paul tells us, we are all one body with many parts, all essential to the whole).
Points Guideline – A person can accept leadership roles totaling up to three “points” for a semester.
The limit helps ensure leaders can give adequate focus to the position they have committed to and
discerned. It also allows a greater number of people to have an opportunity for leadership. (If you feel
called to lead in ways that would exceed 3 points, please consult a pastoral staff member).
Discernment Guide – Fill out the worksheet in this packet, identifying the different things going on in
your life: the points for your St. Mary’s leadership(s) role, and the needs of school, work, leisure, etc, so
you can discern what ways you are both called and able to be a servant leader in the upcoming semester.
(Remember the “points” only concern leadership roles, so don’t forget to consider the requirements of
groups in which you’re a regular member (non-leadership) as a factor in your discernment).
Commitment & Acceptance – When you have discerned and decided what positions to accept and
commit to, turn in the form at the back of the packet to the advisor for that particular group. If your
total points would exceed 3, you must discuss the Discernment Worksheet and your commitments with
the advisors for the Groups involved before accepting.
Leadership Selection Timeline – The leadership selection timeline is coordinated among organizations
so that everyone can discern and decide at the same time. The dates for the current semester are:
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1 – Applications submitted and Organizations discern candidates:
varies by group
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2 – Organizations turn in selections to pastoral staff advisers:
Tues, March 27
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3 – “Ask Day” (first day that offers of positions can be made to individuals):
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4 – Individual discernment period:
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5 – “Accept Day” (first day individuals can accept a particular offer):
Fri, March 30
Friday, March 30 – Tues, April 3
Wed, April 4
(The form at the end of this packet should be turned in upon acceptance of a position.)
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6 – “2nd Ask Day” (first day groups can call others down the discernment list):
Wed, April 4
Pre-Requisites – Some leadership positions require prior experience in the organization, and others
don’t have any pre-requisites. Inquire for more information about particular jobs you are interested in
(you can find more contact information at www.AggieCatholic.org, or by contacting a pastoral staff
member at St. Mary’s, 979-846-5717.)
3 – HUGE TIME COMMITMENT POSITIONS
-ACT (Advocates for Christ Today) President and VicePresident
-Aggie CAT Co-Coordinators
-Awakening Coordinator
-Awakening Rector
-CSA President and Vice-President
-KACB Director
-KC Grand Knight
- KC Assistant Grand Knight
- KTB President, VP, and Chaplain
-Pastoral Staff Interns
- Pescadores Coordinators
-Revolution Coordinator
-SMYRT Director
-SMYRT Assistant Director
-Welcome Weekend Co-Cordinators
2 – BIG TIME COMMITMENT
-4th Day Co-Coordinators
-ACT Stampede For Need Coordinator
-ACT Work of Human Hands Sale Coordinator
-ACT Special events Coordinator
-Aggie Awakening CMTs and Staff Heads
-Choir Leader
-CSA Officers
-KC Officers & Chairs
-KTB Board Members
-Pescadores retreat Coordinators, Formation Coordinator
-Revolution Team
-Revolution Retreat Team Coordinators
-SMAPL Leadership
-SMYRT Communications / Finance / Events / Meetings
-Spanish catechism coordinator
-The Rock Coordinator
- Welcome Weekend Staff Heads
1 – MODERATE TIME COMMITMENT
-4th Day Team (non-Coordinators)
- ACT Service Coordinator, Treasurer, Secretary, M25
Editor
-Adoration Coordinator
-Ask A Catholic A Question Co-Coordinators
- Awakening ASH
-Awakening Speaker
- Awakening DC
-Choir Member
-Confirmation/RCIA Team Members
-Dark Thirty Leadership
-KACB Chairs
-KTB Member
- Pescadores Treasurer, Secretary, Service Coordinator,
Spirituality Coordinator, Retreat Speakers
-SMYRT Retreat Leaders
- Revolution Retreat Team
- Sacristan Coordinator
- Spanish Catechism teacher
-Theology of the Body Study Group Leaders
- The Rock Leadership
- Welcome Weekend Table Leaders
OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
These are important roles, but they don’t carry points toward the limit:
-Blinn CSA
-Daily Mass Coordinators
-Discernment Group
-Finance Commission
-Head Ushers
-Liturgical Ministers (EM, Lector, Usher, Greeter, Sacristan, Thurifer, Altar linens, Flowers, etc.)
-Mary’s Aggies
-Mission Trip
-Medical Students Group
-Money Counters
-Pastoral Council
-Podcast Coordinator
-Radio station volunteers
-Rosary on the Quad
-Stations of the Cross coordinator
-Traditional Holy Hour coordinator
-Weekend Mass Coordinators
MAKING A GRACED DECISION
Preliminary Considerations
1. Prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit should accompany this process.
2. This discernment isn’t based upon looking for miraculous signs as proof of God’s will in a particular
direction, but rather an attentive listening to the movements of the Holy Spirit within oneself using his/her
God-given faculties of intellect, emotions, will, and spirit.
3. Clarity of a particular direction may come only gradually and sometimes without absolute certainty.
A graced decision always allows for an element of faith and may invite greater trust in God.
4. A graced decision is made in freedom. God is not going to force you against your own will. But God
desires that our will be more and more formed by the seeking of his divine will. As Jesus prayed in the
Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will, but yours be done.”
5. Even the struggling back and forth can eventually lead to a greater ownership and integration of the decision
to be made. Thus, making a graced decision is an act of love.
6. A decision or change of direction should not be made when a person is experiencing ‘spiritual desolation’.
Spiritual Desolation is an interior movement ‘away from God’ often characterized by shame for sin, fear,
excessive anxiety, despair, resistance to prayer, etc. The Sacrament of Reconciliation should be sought by
those experiencing a lack of freedom due to sin. Spiritual direction and/or counseling can be helpful in
sorting through other desolations including those that are psychological.
7. Discussing this process with a spiritual director would be very helpful.
8. A graced decision must be in conformity with God’s universal will and the teaching authority of the Church.
Method:
1. State a proposition. The proposition must be stated as concretely as possible including specific details. The
proposition should also be formulated affirmatively in a way that is attractive to you. An example of a
proposition is “To serve on the On Campus Bible Study leadership team as a small group leader and
publicity coordinator during Fall and Spring semesters.”
2. List the advantages and disadvantages. Make a list of advantages and disadvantages including all the
reasons that bear upon your thinking. Do not discriminate at this point between ‘good’ or ‘bad’ reasons, but
be as comprehensive as possible. The list should not be made hastily, but allowed to develop over a few
days as is appropriate and possible.
3. Observe your feelings. Be attentive to how you feel about the various advantages and disadvantages that
you list. Consider why you might feel that way. Feelings are important to pay attention to because the
indwelling Holy Spirit could be working though them. But feelings are not absolute indicators of God’s
will. Their causes need to be discerned. Feelings can indicate a movement of the Holy Spirit, but could
also be triggered by selfishness, weakness, or brokenness.
4. Begin to sense what reasons are more significant. You’ll notice that some disadvantages may weigh more
heavily upon your thinking and feeling. Take note of this. How does the weight of such reasons compare
with others? It may be that one or a few reasons may be more significant than others.
5. Pray over the list and consider it from God’s perspective. When you pray over the list, what impressions
strike you when the reasons are considered within the context of your relationship with God? You might
imagine yourself speaking with Jesus about the various advantages and disadvantages in the list. How does
he respond? Are there any thoughts or feelings that have changed when you pray with the list?
6. Consider your motives and detect a leaning of your will. Now pull it all together. You’ve thought about
the advantages and disadvantages of your proposition, observed your feelings about them, prayed with
them. Bringing this all together, consider the sources of your motives. Is anything coming from selfishness
or fear? How do you feel God is motivating you? Although your motives may or may not be 100% pure, is
God possibly drawing you in one direction? Consider how the Holy Spirit may or may not be inclining your
will. After being in this discernment process for a few days you’ll notice an inclination or ‘leaning’ that is
relatively more consistent in one direction over the other.
7. Make a Tentative Decision. Live with a tentative decision for a short while to see whether it is affirmed by
peace.
8. Make a Final Decision and carry it forward.
Discernment Prayer
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your Love.
Send forth your Spirit and things are created, and you will renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray:
Father, you taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending them the light of your Holy Spirit.
In that same Holy Spirit give us right judgment and the joy of his comfort and guidance.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
DISCERNMENT WORKSHEET
1) My primary vocation is a student and I am taking ______ hours next semester including
_________________________ as particularly difficult classes.
2) I have special commitment to my family to do/visit /serve ___________________ which involves a time
commitment of ____________________________.
3) I belong to these on-campus/student/professional/pro-life organizations or societies or clubs which
require a time commitment of ________ hours per month.
4) I work _____ hours a week/ am supporting myself financially.
5) On average I sleep ____ hours a night, sometimes as little as ________ hours.
6) I have time for regular exercise/sports Y or N
7) I have a health condition which should be factored into my commitments. Y or N
8) I have sufficient down time to reflect on God’s call for my life now and in the future. Y or N
9) I have sufficient time for regular recreation / for relaxing alone or with friends Y or N
10) I have a regular daily prayer time of _____________ (time).
11) I rate myself on time management as a _______ (from 1 to 10)
12) Hobbies/talents (musical, dramatic, debate, art, etc) that I am developing in myself
____________________________________________.
13) I have enough buffer time for life’s unexpected interruptions? (demands of charity, emergencies, etc) Y or N
14) I have a difficult time saying “no” to others. Y or N
15) I tend to over-commit. Y or N
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If yes: has my over-commitment in the past affected others negatively. Y or N
16) I am experiencing symptoms of burnout. Y or N
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Chronic fatigue - exhaustion, tiredness, a sense of being physically run down
Anger at those making demands
Self-criticism for putting up with the demands
Cynicism, negativity, and irritability
A sense of being besieged
Exploding easily at seemingly inconsequential things
Frequent headaches and gastrointestinal disturbances
Weight loss or gain
Sleeplessness and depression
Shortness of breath
Suspiciousness
Feelings of helplessness
Increased degree of risk taking
17) Do I have conflicting commitments now?
18) I rate myself on ability to handle stress as a _________ (1 to 10)
19) I spend ___________ per week/month in on-going personal study of my faith/ spiritual reading.
St Mary’s Ministry Commitments:
1) List all leadership commitments for this semester at St Mary’s (specific positions):
2)
List other St Mary’s programs/organizations you regularly participate in, but not in leadership.
(The Rock, Cornerstone, trips, general retreats, etc.)
3) List anticipated involvement (and level) in next Aggie Awakening .
4) I am sponsoring a candidate in sacramental preparation? Y / N
5) I am part of the discernment community at St Mary’s? Y / N
6) I am in a household living situation? Y / N
7) Am I receiving regular spiritual direction from a qualified spiritual director? Y/N
I follow his/her guidance? Y / N
ST. MARY’S LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT
(PLEASE TURN IN THIS FORM WHEN ACCEPTING ANY POSITION)
Name
I have gone through and filled out the attached packet to guide my discernment for the leadership
roles for which I am a candidate.
I have prayerfully evaluated the needs of the organization I’m serving and the demands of the
position.
I have also considered the other areas of my life – including my obligations as a student, work,
family, and my other activities and priorities, to get a realistic view of my ability to fulfill this
commitment.
Next semester I will be taking _____ hrs of classes.
Next semester I will be working _____ hrs weekly.
Next semester I will be participating _____ hrs weekly with non-St. Mary’s organizations
My current GPA is at least 2.0 & I am in no danger of failing/losing scholarships. Y / N
If I am in regular spiritual direction, I have discussed it with my director.
After this discernment, I have chosen to accept the following leadership position(s) at St. Mary’s
for the
semester, and pledge to fulfill its responsibilities:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Year
Organization name
Leadership Position / Role
Points
Organization name
Leadership Position / Role
Points
Organization name
Leadership Position / Role
Points
Total points: ______ *
______________
Signed
Date
If during the semester you are experiencing trouble, or anticipate that you will,
please
withwould
your group’s
staffdiscuss
adviser(s)
so they can help
you. and
* If your
totaltalk
points
exceed pastoral
3, you must
the Discernment
Worksheet
your commitments with the advisors for the groups involved before accepting:
__________________________
Advisor’s signature
_________________________
_________________________
Advisor’s signature
Advisor’s signature