The US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee on Certification for Ecclesial Ministry and Service has approved the Archdiocese of Chicago’s revised lay ministry standards, including workshop, coursework, and degree requirements for such roles as lay ecclesial ministry, pastoral associate, director of religious education, director of adult faith formation, and director of youth ministry.

The standards have significance beyond the Archdiocese of Chicago, inasmuch as they may serve as a model for other dioceses with rapidly declining numbers of priests. 2,926 diocesan and religious priests ministered in the archdiocese in 1966; by 2021, the number had fallen to 1,357, including retired priests.