Home Page > Research >

The Research

In 1998, Saint Francis Seminary, in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, received a grant from the Lilly Foundation for a three-year project on youth leadership development, with a focus on vocations, the call to ministry.

The project was called, "Tomorrow's Present."

The Vocations Office and the Office for Schools, Child, and Youth Ministries formed a partnership to offer three years of youth leadership programming. This initial programming provided leadership training to young people in three areas:

Training to present workshops (on Liturgy, ministry, and peacemaking)
Attendance at Youth Forums
Youth-designed leadership projects in faith formation, service, or prayer.

Research was done with young people to determine the impact of the project on their self-perception as church leaders.

The model that emerged is now called, "Transformational Ministry."

The Cycle of Transformational Ministry is

fully described in the book, Changing Lives: Transformational Ministry and Today's Teens. To order that book, click here to download the printable PDF order form.

Click here to read an overview of the research leading to the model of Transformational Ministry, including these concepts:

The four core experiences (Action/Service, Learning, Prayer/Reflection, and Leadership)
The two core relationships (with positive peers and skilled mentors)
The similarities in the research of learning communities, exemplary leadership, and ministry

Dr. Calderone-Stewart has authored 20 books and more than 50 articles.
Read more...

Youth Leadership Programming
1702 West Walnut Street
P.O. Box 05656
Milwaukee, WI 53205

(414) 545-6006 or
(414) 933-1300
info@tomorrowspresent.org