Blended delivery is more suitable for pastoral studies than all online learning because it shortens time away from home and work, yet also involves real people. Smiles, grimaces, sighs, and eyes are essential to ministry and education for ministry. At IPM our hopes for our Catholic Church arise within communal prayer, meal conversations, classroom discussions, and evening enjoyments. Our “academic retreat” from busyness at home enlarges our baptismal convictions and our ministerial practices. Frankly, there are no all online seminaries for priests or “virtual” programs for deacons. Collaborative ministries envisioned by Co-Workers in the Vineyard (2005) presume human interaction. Bishops, priests, deacons and lay ministers should learn in actual community.

Our faculty are not talking heads but everyday Catholic leaders. IPM’s professors hold the highest academic credentials and also practice the Catholic faith. They’ve been highly educated in administration, canon law, Catholic doctrine, ministry and theology. They currently live faith in Catholic communities across the Americas. We’re not perfect but we’re convinced that university-styled education is a special experience both to inspire leadership by people who hear God’s call and to ask questions and learn answers about our Catholic wisdom.

Since the 17th century Lasallian Catholic schools have been created to educate people in practical wisdom not elite wisdom. Our studies are cost-effective because Saint John Baptist de La Salle inspires us to make excellent education available to all people who seek it. Operationally speaking, that means our systems are effective but not extravagant. Our faculty are inspired by our Catholic mission and not by high wages and perks. Talk to current students and faculty. You’ll see: they get it.