So I Send You Pilot Program
So I Send You is a five-year pilot program (2026-2030) led by the Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry (CSTM) in partnership with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston (RCAB), forming 160 pastoral leaders across 16 parishes. Grounded in the synodal vision of the Church outlined in the 2024 Final Document of the Synod on Synodality, the initiative blends theological formation, spiritual renewal, and practical leadership development at the service of local ecclesial communities and parishes in the RCAB.
Christian communities today live in a time of rapid, disruptive change, as they also face various demographic, financial, pastoral, and cultural challenges. Through a robust partnership, this project seeks to animate key questions in response:
- How do we imagine our parishes flourishing and thriving for current and future generations, and what kind of pastoral leadership will support and sustain our hope for continuously vibrant and missionary churches in the Boston area?
- How do we form pastoral leaders who can help our ecclesial communities respond to the signs and challenges of the times?
So I Send You provides educational and formative spaces where pastoral leaders come together to boldly and courageously discuss concrete pathways for creating together flourishing parishes where:
- The Gospel is proclaimed with conviction and tenderness;
- Differences across cultures, languages, and generations enrich one another;
- Pastoral leadership is shared, collaborative, and Spirit‑led;
- Parishioners feel valued, and included in discernment processes;
- Missionary witness flows outward from parishes into neighborhoods, families, and the margins of our society, within and beyond the Archdiocese of Boston.
Participating parishes will engage in a yearlong formative program, which will include:
- Multilingual, well-researched, and practical materials to foster synodal leadership;
- Eight sessions, including workshops, retreats, and online courses, blending theology, pastoral skills, spiritual renewal, and practical leadership tools and insights;
- Support from CSTM faculty and graduate student interns;
- Opportunities for graduate theological studies;
- A network of pastoral leaders and a supportive learning community of peers across the Archdiocese.
Any parish from RCAB that is committed to exploring synodal leadership for a flourishing missionary church.
Interested individuals must contact their pastor to apply.
Each parish selects 10 pastoral leaders representing:
- Ordained and lay ministers;
- Cultural communities: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole;
- Ministries: Music, Youth Ministry, RCIA/Adult Ed, Social Justice, devotional groups, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Ushers, etc.
Application Timeline
Application deadline: May 31, 2026.
To Learn more, please contact: Program Director, So I Send You: Father Gandaf Walle, SJ; soisendyou@bc.edu; 617-552-8447.
Assistant Program Director, So I Send You: soisendyou@bc.edu;
RCAB liaison: Wendy Rodriguez Mejia; 617-746-5791; Wendy_Mejia@rcab.org