Institute for Pastoral Initiatives News

The University of Dayton’s Institute for Pastoral Initiatives (IPI) has helped form leaders in various roles within the Catholic Church nationally (and internationally) for almost 30 years, but one of their latest leadership achievements has come from within their own team! Earlier this year, the National Association for Lay Ministry (NALM) elected one of the IPI’s own staff members, Dorothy Mensah-Aggrey Ph.D., CPO, as Chair of their Board of Directors. This announcement was made during their May Annual Membership Meeting. 

NALM, a collaborative organization of lay, religious and ordained ministers, promotes the co-responsibility of all in ministry while promoting growth of lay pastoral ministry within the Catholic Church, mainly in the United States. NALM also advocates for lay ecclesial ministers and encourages all involved with varied ministries within the Church to maximize their charisms. NALM works closely with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Dr. Aggrey has been with the IPI since 2012 and currently serves as the Associate Director for English Curriculum, working very closely with their primary ministerial effort, the Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation. Here, she works tirelessly to develop and support a wide array of online courses and certificate programs to prospective catechetical leaders, Church administrators, or anyone who wants to develop their understanding of the Catholic faith. Students come from partnering dioceses all over the world, and Dr. Aggrey uses these connections to collaborate and learn more about the needs and desires of the global Church in order to strengthen their ministry to the fullest. She has also availed herself of several University of Dayton Center for Leadership (UDCL) programs and certificates.

At the IPI, Dr. Aggrey has also been the voice of “Interviews at the Vatican,” a series of thoughtful conversations she conducts with prelates during Vatican conferences. She says that “everyone comes to the table with a gift. You never know what will unfold before your eyes. Each day is a gift; each individual, a masterpiece of God’s image and likeness.” This heartfelt message is truly lived out through these interviews, which provide opportunities to showcase and connect with a variety of these masterpiece minds. Here is one she conducted with Archbishop Rino Fisichella, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastry for Evangelization, in 2022:

These connections reflect just a fraction of what is possible when we listen to God’s call for us, as we never know what He might do with our willingness. Sometimes, He places us in just the right place at just the right time. This was proven true for Dr. Aggrey during one of her recent travels, where she had the unexpected blessing of meeting Pope Francis during one of his Papal Audiences (see top image), along with Cardinal Peter Turkson, who heads the Pontifical Academies of Sciences and Social Sciences (see below image). These meetings were gifts from God, and true instances of what she meant when she said, “You never know what will unfold before your eyes.” 

Dr. Dorothy Mensah-Aggrey (left) with Cardinal Peter Turkson (right).

In the (almost) 10 years Dr. Aggrey has been a member at NALM, there are countless other ambitions that have also unfolded before her eyes. She has served on the Communications, Conference and Intercultural Committees, while also collaborating with others for prayer services during virtual conferences. She has served on panels and presented on various themes for NALM gatherings, including the vital document, “Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord.” Her favorite presentation was "On Being Uncomfortably Comfortable."  Apart from serving on committees and panels within NALM, Dr. Aggrey has also been a consultant for the USCCB sub-committee on Certification for Ecclesial Ministry and Service, and served as a consultant for the former Project Read in Dayton. Since becoming the Chair of NALM’s Board of Directors, NALM has already received a $50,000 Capacity Building Grant from Duke Leadership, enabling the association to hire a new executive director to assist the Board, which has been a working Board for several years. 

A committed Marianist Educational Associate, Dr. Aggrey promotes and models life-long learning based on hope as a catalyst for change. The entire IPI team is so proud to have this leader of hope to serve alongside them! Congrats, Dorothy!

Dr. Dorothy Mensah-Aggrey (front left) with a group of other NALM members.