Supervised Ministry
STM students complete supervised ministry placements in in diverse real-world settings—parishes, nonprofits, schools, prisons, and religious organizations. Supported by expert supervisors and peer discussions, they deepen their pastoral skills and explore the richness of ministerial practice.
The STM Approach
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The Supervised Ministry program guides students in choosing ministry placements that reflect their personal and professional interests. Faculty directors and placement supervisors work with individual students to help them form, develop, cultivate, and deepen their pastoral skills.
Supervised ministry is a core component of our master's degree programs. For information on its role in a particular program, please visit the respective program's page.
“What we strive to do in our program is encourage students to ask how they are being called into service, what they need to be faithful in that work, and how to name—with nuance!—the parts of their journey they see as marked by God. We want them to be able to leave their time with us better able to explain their call, explore how to serve with skill, and excite others with their stories of God's work in their life.”
Recent Placements
Campus & School Ministry
Boston College High School
Boston University
Emmanuel College
Newton Country Day School
Stonehill College
Ursuline Academy
Parish Ministry
Holy Family Parish
Our Lady Help of Christians
San Damiano House of Prayer
St. Cecilia Parish
St. Catherine of Genoa Parish
St. Mary of the Angels Parish
Nonprofit & Government
Center for Ignatian Spirituality
City Mission
Mass. Correctional Institutions
KV Kids
Refugee Immigration Ministry
The United Nations
Health Care
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital
Cleveland Clinic
Franciscan Hospital for Children
McLean Hospital
St. Elizabeth's Medical Center
Clinical Pastoral Education
Students can also fulfill their supervised ministry requirement through Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE), an interfaith professional education for ministry. CPE brings students and ministers of all faiths into intense involvement with persons in need, with the support of supervisors who have undergone professional training beyond hospital chaplaincy. Email Marcia Ryan to learn more.
International Placements
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Campus Ministry in Santiago, Chile
Through BC's partnership with Chile's Pontificia Universidad Católica [PUC], STM students support the efforts of the campus ministry department to offer a pastoral presence across the university, with the goal of forming a culture of discipleship integrated with teaching, research and service. Conversational Spanish is required.
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Teaching in Kigali, Rwanda
STM students serve at Ecole Notre Dame des Agnes (ENDA), a co-educational school for children in pre-K–sixth grade. ENDA's principal, Sister Anna Murekatete Beata, is an STM alumna who earned a “Pillars of Peace” prize from UNESCO for her humanitarian work. Sister Beata serves as the practicum supervisor for the students, whose primary responsibilities involve providing ESL lessons for the teachers at the school and religious education for the children.
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Ministry of PResence in Tijuana, Mexico
Located on the Mexican Border in Tijuana, Casa del Migrante is a hospitality center for migrants, deportees and asylum seekers from Mexico, Central America, and other areas. Casa provides diverse support services and homemade meals to in-house residents and former residents. For STM students, this is mainly a ministry of accompaniment and presence. Language skills are very helpful, but not required. Students are able to join language classes each week.