Important Preliminary Information (PLEASE READ)

Principal Investigator: Paul E. Jarzembowski, D.Min.(cand.)
Catholic Theological Union (CTU), Chicago

Faculty Advisor: Steven P. Millies, Ph.D.
Catholic Theological Union (CTU), Chicago

Thank you for your willingness to participate in an academic research study about pastoral leadership in the Catholic Church, exploring and assessing the ecclesial dynamics and the navigation of realities of church work with ordained priests and lay ecclesial ministers. The following survey has been developed by Mr. Paul E. Jarzembowski, a doctoral candidate at Catholic Theological Union (CTU) in Chicago. This survey allows you to be unidentified and your responses will be confidential, to be used only for the express purposes of this particular research project.

Purpose: To better understand the ecclesial dynamics and the navigation of the realities of church work and leadership settings in the Catholic Church across the United States, especially in the particular relationships between ordained priests and lay ecclesial ministers.

Eligibility Criteria: To participate in the lay leader survey, participants must meet the following criteria:
  • Must be a lay ecclesial minister* in good standing in the Catholic Church
  • Must be currently in service within a Catholic parish, institution, apostolate, or community.
  • Must have at least one year of service within one's present setting.
  • Must be 18 years of age or older.
  • Must be able to respond to the survey questions in English.
(*) A "lay ecclesial minister" is defined in Co-Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord (USCCB, 2005) as one with authorization of the hierarchy to serve publicly in the local church, in leadership of a particular area of ministry, in close mutual collaboration with the pastoral ministry of bishops, priests, and deacons, and with preparation and formation appropriate to the level of responsibilities that are assigned to him or her (see Co-Workers, page 10).

Please note that former lay ministers, consecrated religious sisters, (non-ordained) religious brothers, or transitional and permanent deacons would NOT be eligible for this particular study; however, they may be engaged in other ways in this research project.
What Participation Involves:

Participants can take part in an online survey questionnaire that will take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete. The survey includes questions about work environment, ecclesial relationships, positive and negative experiences, formation, and wellbeing.

At the conclusion of the survey, participants will be invited to volunteer to take part in a 60-minute follow up interview (via Zoom); this will mean that volunteering survey participants will need to self-identity. The research team will select interviewees from among these volunteers for 18-20 qualitative research conversations to seek in-depth insights. This element is completely voluntary and not guaranteed for all survey respondents.
Duration: The survey will remain open from June 22 to August 15, 2026. Interviews will be conducted between August 1 and September 30, 2026.

Incentives: As a thank you for the participants’ time, survey respondents will be invited to enter a prize drawing for one of five (5) $50 Amazon gift cards, chosen by random by the principal researcher. Entering this contest will not be associated with any of the respondents’ answers.

Confidentiality: The responses will be kept confidential and used only for research purposes. The survey instrument allows for any personal information to be deidentified in the review process. All data will be anonymized and stored securely. Though every measure will be taken by the principal investigator to ensure confidentiality, there are risks inherent to the technology (data breach, etc.) and every participant is given the opportunity to consent to the risks.

Again, participating in this survey is completely voluntary. Even if you decide to participate now, you may change your mind and stop at any time during the process of filling it out. You may choose not to answer any question, not to continue with the survey, and submit a partially complete form. Because this research involves your feedback on personal stories and experiences within the ecclesial space, feelings of anxiety or trauma may surface. We will protect the confidentiality of your answers by de-identifying any variables or identifiers (i.e., demographic information, email address) and separating it from the data. Information collected in this project may be shared with other researchers assisting with this project.

This survey will close on August 15, 2026.

DISCLAIMER:

This study is part of the personal academic research project by Mr. Paul E. Jarzembowski conducted through the Ecumenical Doctor of Ministry program at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago and has no affiliation whatsoever to any national Catholic organization, association, diocese/eparchy, or ecclesial movement, regardless of how participants were invited or the employers of those involved in recruitment or research.

Should you have any questions or concerns, you may contact Mr. Jarzembowski at pjarzembowski@student.ctu.edu. You may also contact his thesis project director, Dr. Steve Millies at smillies@ctu.edu or the Director of the CTU Interschool Ecumenical Doctor of Ministry program, Dr. Scott Alexandrer at scalexan@ctu.edu.

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1. I have read the above information, and I certify that I meet the qualifications for this survey as outlined in the "Eligibility Criteria" section. (Required.)

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2. I have read the above information and consent to my participation in this study. I understand that this survey will be confidential, unless I give express consent to sharing my name/information at the conclusion of the questionnaire. I also understand the risks involved in taking this survey. (Required.)

 
 14% of survey complete.

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