Preparing Religious and Lay Leaders
for the Mission of the Church
A fully online and asynchronous master’s degree integrating stewardship, leadership, governance, and Catholic mission.
The on-line Master of Arts in Ecclesial Administration and Management (MEAM) at Catholic International University was created for clergy, religious, and lay people serving in Catholic institutions around the world.
Applications now open for Fall I 2026.
Application Deadline: July 31, 2026
Classes Begin: August 17, 2026
Request information or schedule a conversation:
dr. Roberto Dandi, rdandi@catholiciu.edu
Good stewardship is part of the Church’s Mission
In many religious congregations and 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, or the practical management of apostolic works.
At the same time, religious communities are increasingly called to oversee schools, ministries, finances, properties, personnel, and apostolic initiatives that require competence, responsibility, transparency, and collaboration between religious and lay professionals.
How can the Church prepare future leaders for these responsibilities while remaining faithful to mission, charism, and pastoral service?
The Master of Arts in Ecclesial Administration and Management (MEAM) was created to respond to this need.
Unlike traditional business programs, MEAM integrates practical managerial competencies with Catholic Social Teaching, ecclesial realities, stewardship, and the mission of the Church.
Designed for Ecclesial life
The M.E.A.M. is specifically designed for:
religious sisters
and brothers
priest
and deacons
treasurers and
formation leaders
diocesan
personnel
lay collaborators
serving Catholic
institutions
The program is fully on-line and asynchronous in other terms you don’t need to attend live classes but can do so when free.
Participants do not need to leave their ministry, community, apostolate, or country in order to study. There are no mandatory live class attendance requirements, allowing students to organize their studies according to their ministry responsibilities and time zones. This format makes the program accessible to students serving around the world in different time fuses.
Why M.E.A.M.
Designed for Ecclesial Life
- Fully online and asynchronous
- No relocation or interruption of ministry required
- Compatible with community life and apostolic responsibilities
- International learning community
- Practical and immediately applicable formation
- Designed specifically for religious, clergy, and lay collaborators serving Catholic institutions
Flexible Format
1
The M.E.A.M. program is structured to be compatible with the realities of ecclesial life and apostolic service.
Students may complete the program in one year through a full-time course load or in approximately two years through a part-time format better suited for those already serving in ministry, professional responsibilities, or community leadership.
2
All courses are fully online and asynchronous. There are no live class attendance requirements, allowing students to organize their studies according to their ministry responsibilities and time zones.
Participants do not need to relocate, interrupt their ministry, or leave their community in order to complete the program.
3
Tuition is paid term by term, and students pay only for the courses in which they enroll during each academic term. The academic year is divided into five terms, allowing participants to distribute the cost of the program over time according to their pace of study.
4
Individual courses may also be taken independently from the full M.E.A.M. degree program, allowing students or congregations to begin with specific areas of formation most relevant to their needs.
Curriculum
A Practical 10-Course Program
- Management and Ethics and the Mission of the Church
- Governance Structures in the Church and Canon Law of Temporal Goods
- Strategic and Operational Leadership
- Accounting and Asset Management
- Finance
- Fundraising and Stewardship
- Personnel Management and Development
- Communication Strategies in the Digital Age
- Transparency, Accountability, and Crisis Communication
- Project Management (Capstone)
A Global program serving the Church
The program, fully on-line in English is open
for students from any part of the world.
Testimonials
“The M.E.A.M. program has been a truly meaningful experience for me, both personally and in my ministry. What I appreciated most was how thoughtfully the program was structured. It made it possible to study while still fully committed to my pastoral responsibilities.”
Fr. Gaspar, Nigerian priest serving in the United States
“These improvements would not diminish the spiritual character of leadership; rather, they would support the mission by ensuring that generosity, discernment, and resources are held together with clarity, transparency, and faithfulness.”
Religious Provincial Superior in the USA
“The courses are directly benefiting my diocese, and I encouraged my bishop to recommend similar formation for other priests.”
Fr. Lemon, Zambia, Diocesan Priest
“The impact of the program was immediate and transformational.”
Deacon in the USA serving as Parish Manager
International Collaboration
The Catholic International University collaborates with ecclesial and academic partners committed to strengthening leadership and stewardship in the Church.
MEAM is connected to the annual International Workshop on Transparency, Accountability, and Evaluation in the Catholic Church held in Rome, organized together with the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross and the University of St. Thomas (Minnesota).
IMC Consulting is a Collaborative Partner of the MEAM program.
About The University
Founded in 1983 as Catholic Distance University, Catholic International University has over 40 years of experience in Catholic distance education and global formation.
Today, the university serves students worldwide through fully online programs in theology, liberal arts, business, and ecclesial management.
Tuition & Scholarships
Standard Tuition
- $560 per credit
- $62 technology fee per credit
- 3 credits per course
- 10 courses total
- Estimated total program cost: approximately $18,660
A limited number of scholarships may be available for qualified applicants.
Additional arrangements may also be discussed for congregations wishing to sponsor multiple participants.
Please note: Students do not pay the full program cost upfront. Tuition is paid term by term, and students pay only for the courses they enroll in during each academic term.
The academic year is divided into five terms, allowing students to distribute the cost of the program over time according to their pace of study.
Fall I 2026
Important Dates
Application Deadline: July 31, 2026
Registration Opens: June 1, 2026
First Day of Class: August 17, 2026
Last Day of Class: October 9, 2026
Request Information
To request information, schedule a conversation, or discuss possible participation for your congregation or institution:
Dr. Roberto Dandi rdandi@catholiciu.edu
In addition to online meetings, in-person conversations may also be arranged in Rome with congregations and ecclesial institutions interested in the program.
For Fall I 2026,
- Application Deadline: July 31, 2026
- Classes Begin: August 17, 2026