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March 26, 2025, Chicago – Sister Jamie Phelps, OP, was honored in early March as Founding Director of the Augustus Tolton Pastoral Ministry Program. The program at Catholic Theological Union (CTU) provides Black Catholics with scholarships and professional and spiritual formation to serve Black Catholics in pastoral ministry.

The program is named after Venerable Father Augustus Tolton (1854-1897), the first recognized Black Catholic priest in the United States. He is among six prominent U.S. Black Catholics whose causes for canonization in the Catholic Church have been opened.

Sister Jamie completed her doctorate from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., before becoming a Professor of Systematic Theology at CTU. “CTU is a graduate theology program that prepares men and women for mission all over the world,” she said. “When I came to CTU, I was delighted because it helped me translate my theological study into something that would help people in their involvement” in the Church’s mission. She served at CTU from 1986 to 1998.

Sister Jamie said she and others at CTU realized that few Black Catholics were involved in ministry among Black Catholic parishioners. The Tolton Pastoral Ministry Program was developed in collaboration with Father Donald Senior, President of CTU, and Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, who wanted a place to train Black Catholics in ministry.

“In order to encourage Black participation, we set up the Tolton Pastoral Ministry Program,” along with a scholarship program to provide for tuition and books, Sister Jamie said. “A lot of people were working in the parishes but didn’t have money for the program. I was interested in providing education that grounded them in Catholic theology.” 

Sister Jamie said the program offers a Master’s in Divinity (MDiv) as well as a Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies (MAPS). The MAPS program had a pastoral component, requiring students to participate in practicums in the community and to write about their experience from a theological perspective. 

The goal, Sister Jamie said, was to help students “address the specific needs of Black Catholics in urban settings and to make sense of who God is and who Jesus is in the context of the Black community in the United States in particular.”

Over the years, Sister Jamie said, the program benefited the Black Catholic community. “They have priests, Sisters, and lay people doing more effective, theologically grounded ministry,” she said. Graduates of the program were trained to educate their parishioners about Jesus Christ.

“We developed the method of analysis that was not just left-brain but right-brain,” she explained. “How do you see yourself, your identity in your mission and in your ordinary life? You have to demonstrate your love for Jesus by loving your neighbor. This would compel you to be engaged in justice ministry … helping people to change their behavior to a right relationship with God, neighbor, and self.”

Sister Jamie said the 35th anniversary celebration included dinner and a recognition award for herself as founding director of the program. But she particularly enjoyed the celebration because it brought together former and current faculty members and students of the Tolton Program. “The real highlight for me was seeing [the Tolton Program’s] effects and meeting old colleagues from CTU,” as well as realizing the success of the program: the graduates made a positive impact on Church and society, she said.

During the celebration, she said, “My most profound rejoicing was to recognize that the founding of the Tolton Program was of God – because if it’s of God, it will grow. It has grown and continues to grow.” 

Read more about the celebration and the Augustus Tolton Pastoral Ministry Program in this article in the Chicago Catholic.

 

Caption for above feature photo: Kim Lymore, Director of Catholic Theological Union’s Tolton Scholars Program, holds a photo of Father Augustus Tolton, the first recognized Black Catholic priest in the United States. Seated in front of her are Sister Jamie Phelps, OP, center, with two current Tolton Scholars: Gardis Watts, left, and Kianda Boyd.
Photo Courtesy of Catholic Theological Union
 

By Sister Maria Yolanda Manapsal
Chapter Prioress, Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter

March 24, 2025, Mining, Angeles City, Philippines – In celebration of Women's Month, the Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter and the Dominican School of Angeles City Foundation, Inc., along with social worker Liz Maricarl E. Cordero, came together to address a pressing issue: the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children. 

The presentation was an initiative of the Our Lady of Remedies Mission Chapter, based in the Philippines, in alignment with the Adrian Dominican Congregation’s 2022 Chapter Enactment on Women. The presentation was given to the students in grades 7 to 10 to teach them how to protect themselves against human trafficking, which entraps many children in the area. About 161 people – including student advisors and some Adrian Dominican Sisters – attended the event.

This initiative aims to educate students about the risks of online exploitation and emphasize the importance of open communication regarding Internet safety. Workshops and awareness campaigns can empower parents and children with the knowledge they need to safely navigate the online world.

Liz Maricarl Cordero, a former social worker at the University of the Assumption in San Fernando, Pampanga, spoke on the rights of children delineated by the United Nations, and on the dangers to children of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) serves as a foundational document for children's rights. It emphasizes that every child should be protected from all forms of violence and exploitation. Article 19 states that children have the right to be protected from all forms of violence, including physical, mental, and sexual abuse, and Article 34 states that governments must protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation. This includes protecting them from being forced into sexual activity, prostitution, and pornography. Both articles highlight the need for safeguarding children against abuse, especially in the context of evolving technologies.

As children increasingly engage with the internet for education and social interaction, they become more susceptible to online threats. Predators exploit the anonymity and accessibility of the digital realm, making it essential for parents, educators, and communities to work together to create a safer environment.

Celebrating Women's Month means advocating for the rights of all individuals, especially the most vulnerable among us, our children. Let us commit to fostering a secure community that protects children from online threats, ensuring they can explore, learn, and grow in a safe environment. Together, we can champion the cause of child protection and uphold the principles set forth in the UNCRC, fostering a brighter and safer future for generations to come.

 

Caption for above feature photo: Social worker Liz Maricarl E.Cordero speaks to students at the Dominican School of Angeles City about the dangers of online sexual abuse and exploitation.