The Master of Arts in Ecclesial Administration and Management (MEAM) prepares priests, deacons, religious, and lay leaders to manage people, finances, projects, and institutions in service of the Church’s mission.
Fully Online and Asynchronous
30 Credits | 10 Courses
The Church’s mission is spiritual, but carrying out that mission requires responsible stewardship of people, resources, institutions, and apostolic works.
Today, dioceses, parishes, religious congregations, schools, charities, and Catholic ministries face growing administrative, financial, legal, and organizational complexity. Yet many Church leaders receive little formal preparation for these responsibilities.
In many ecclesial institutions, administrative and financial responsibilities are entrusted to a small number of people while future leaders often receive limited formation in stewardship, governance, communication, personnel management, or financial oversight.
At the same time, Catholic institutions are increasingly called to oversee schools, ministries, finances, properties, personnel, volunteers, and apostolic initiatives that require competence, responsibility, transparency, and collaboration.
How can Church leaders be prepared for these responsibilities while remaining faithful to mission, charism, and pastoral service?
MEAM was created to respond to this challenge.
Unlike traditional business programs, MEAM integrates practical managerial competencies with Catholic Social Teaching, ecclesial realities, stewardship, governance, and the mission of the Church.
“These improvements would not diminish the spiritual character of leadership; rather, they support the mission by ensuring that generosity, discernment, and resources are held together with clarity, transparency, and faithfulness.”
— Religious Provincial Superior, United States
MEAM is designed for those entrusted with leadership, administrative, financial, or operational responsibilities within Catholic institutions, including:
Because the program is fully online and asynchronous, students do not need to leave their ministry, apostolate, community, profession, or country in order to study.
“The impact was immediate and transformational.”
Before MEAM, I had never managed a department budget. Today, I oversee budgeting, technology integration, and digital marketing initiatives in my school. The knowledge gained through the program was immediately applicable to my daily responsibilities.
— Deacon Jasen Wright, Parish Director of Operations
Every course is designed to address real challenges faced by Catholic institutions today.
Study from anywhere in the world and organize coursework around ministry and professional responsibilities.
Management education integrated with Catholic Social Teaching and the Church’s mission.
Students may begin the program in any academic term and choose a course load that fits their ministry and professional responsibilities. Most students complete the program in approximately two years, though it may also be completed in as little as one year through a full-time course load.
What students learn can be applied immediately in dioceses, parishes, schools, congregations, and ministries.
Students have joined MEAM from countries including the United States, Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya, the Philippines, Malaysia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Fiji, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
Sponsors and Collaborating Organizations
at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross
✓ Understand the role of administration and stewardship in advancing the Church’s mission
✓ Manage the financial and operational activities of Catholic institutions more effectively
✓ Address organizational and leadership challenges with confidence
✓ Promote transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship
✓ Develop strategies that help prevent financial and managerial crises
Rev. Fr. Anthony Nigel Bernas
Rev. Gaspar Oladosu
Course Number | Course Title | Credits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
CST 501 | Management and Ethics and the Mission of the Church | 3 credit hours | FALL I |
CANL 520 | Governance Structures in the Church and Canon Law of Temporal Goods | 3 credit hours | FALL I |
MGMT 501 | Strategic and Operational Leadership | 3 credit hours | FALL II |
ACCT 502 | Accounting and Asset Management | 3 credit hours | FALL II |
FINA 503 | Finance | 3 credit hours | SPRING I |
MGMT 504 | Fundraising and Stewardship: Raising the Money to Make a Difference | 3 credit hours | SPRING I |
MGMT 505 | Personnel Management and Development | 3 credit hours | SPRING II |
COMM 506 | Communication Strategies in the Digital Age | 3 credit hours | SPRING II |
COMM 507 | Transparency, Accountability, and Crisis Communication | 3 credit hours | SUMMER |
MGMT 600 | Project Management (Capstone Project) | 3 credit hours | SUMMER |
30 Credits | 10 Courses
Courses are delivered in 8-week terms and can be completed from anywhere in the world.
Total Program Cost: $18,660
A limited number of scholarships may be available for qualified applicants.
Additional arrangements may be available for dioceses, religious congregations, and institutions sponsoring multiple participants.
Tuition is paid term by term. Students pay only for the courses in which they enroll during each academic term.
To request information, schedule a conversation, or discuss participation for your diocese, congregation, parish, or institution:
Roberto Dandi, PhD
Chair, Department of Business and Ecclesial Management
