Fully recognizing the Second Vatican Council's vision that all seminary training have a pastoral preoccupation (Optatam totius, n.19), the Dominican House of Studies offers, as an integral part of the Master of Divinity program, a three to four year program of supervised pastoral experience and education. A sequence of three courses is designed to gradually introduce the student into pastoral ministry and ministerial identity. Each course requirement presupposes a pastoral placement with a recognized on-site supervisor. A major goal of pastoral field education is the teaching of the art, the discipline, and the skill of theological reflection.

The sequence of pastoral ministry courses begins with a semester long Introduction to Pastoral Ministry for students in I Theology, followed by a semester course in Supervised Ministry (II Theology), concluding with a specifically designed course for Deacon Preaching and Ministry (IV Theology). Each course puts an emphasis on the development of the ability of the student to be purposefully involved in ministry, and engaged in the task of theological reflection. The Deacon Preaching and Ministry course includes direct observation and critique of parochial preaching, as well as classroom preaching.

As an organized element of their education for ministry in the M.Div. program, qualified students sponsored by the Josephite Fathers may take part in a year-long program of Curricular Practical Training in spiritual theology and spirituality, and the pastoral applications thereof.  The Pontifical Faculty recognizes this non-credit program of Curricular Practical Training for such qualified students as an integral part of its Field Education curriculum.

Further information on the Supervised Ministry Program is contained in the Manual of Supervised Ministry. The variety of ministerial placements can be found in the Ministry Resource Directory.