Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College invites you to join in faith formation, food, fun and festivities during the Ministers of Providence 20th Annual Assembly, June 7-9. The event, which will also celebrate the 25th anniversary of SMWC’s Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology (MAPT) Program and the 20th anniversary of the Ministers of Providence Organization, will include a world-class speaker, alumna art exhibit, campus tours, mass and commissioning, prayer, a celebration dinner, awards and a drama performance.

During the assembly, Tom Zanzig, a 1993 graduate of the MAPT program, will present “Spirituality, Religion, and the Struggle for Integrity” After devoting more than 25 years to the development of popular youth ministry and religious education materials, Zanzig is now an independent writer, editor, trainer, retreat director and speaker. In the last few years, he has focused his attention on adult faith formation. His presentation will include conversation about how spirituality and religion interact and complement each other in a healthy and whole person and what it means to live our lives with genuine integrity within an institution that at times seems out of touch with “the real world.”

The Assembly will also feature Sandra Hartlieb, a writer, actress and director, who will bring to life several women from the Bible through a dramatic presentation. In July 2007, she premiered her original play, “In Her Own Words,” which reflected on the life of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin using excerpts from Mother Theodore’s journals and letters. In addition to her theatrical endeavors, she is founder and Artistic Director of Sisterhood Christian Drama Ministry in Indianapolis, Ind. The group is involved in mission outreach to prisons, the military and families, and in August of 2009, the ministry will travel to Kenya, Africa.

Jeanne Tessier, a 2006 graduate of the MAPT program, is a gifted artist, and during the assembly, she will present an exhibit of her latest set of works entitled, “Art as Prayer and Prophecy.” In addition to her artistic talents, Tessier is certified by the National Association of Catholic Chaplains and serves as a pastoral care chaplain at Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville, Ky.

Registration fees for the assembly vary but can include housing, meals and activities. For more information, contact Virginia Unverzagt, Ph.D., at vunverzagt@smwc.edu or 812-535-5206.

The MAPT program at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College prepares women and men personally and professionally for service in pastoral ministry. Rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition, the program is useful for persons not in professional ministry who desire a theological foundation for the Christian life. SMWC offers both a Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology (MAPT) and the Graduate Certificate in Pastoral Theology. The curriculum for the master's degree totals 36 credit hours, while the curriculum for the graduate certificate includes a total of 21 hours.

In addition to the MAPT program, SMWC offers graduate programs in art therapy, earth literacy, education, leadership development and music therapy. All of the graduate programs are open to women and men, and they are delivered through distance education, which means that students spend minimal time on campus. For more information about graduate studies at SMWC, contact the Office of Distance & Graduate Admission by phone at 800-499-0373 or by e-mail at gradadms@smwc.edu. More information about the graduate programs at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College can be found online at www.smwc.edu.