Bishop's 2016 Ministry Scholar

The Reverend Laura Marie Piotrowicz, Rector of St. John’s Anglican Church, St. Catharines (Port Dalhousie), has been appointed as the Bishop’s Ministry Scholar for 2016.

"I'm excited to have the opportunity to continue my formal education in the Doctor of Ministry programme at Trinity College (Toronto School of Theology); I hope my studies will be of benefit to the broader church," said Laura Marie Piotrowicz. "This programme is indicative of the nature of the diocese as a whole and of Bishop Michael personally: to faithfully support and encourage one another in our many acts of ministry."  

During her studies, Laura Marie will study the correlation between personal prayer practices and emotional exhaustion, with an eye towards prayer as a necessity in the daily life of clergy.

A Bishop’s Ministry Scholar is a licensed cleric or lay worker serving in the Diocese of Niagara who is pursuing excellence in ministry by undertaking studies in the Doctor of Ministry programme at Trinity College, Toronto School of Theology in the University of Toronto. The scholarship supports Doctor of Ministry students enrolled at that college with up to four years of fully-funded tuition (through a 15% diocesan tuition subsidy and the remainder from College bursaries). As many as four clergy or licensed lay workers employed by the Diocese of Niagara can take part in the programme at any given time. Laura Marie Piotrowicz is our second such Scholar, joining the Reverend Canon Susan Wilson who was appointed in 2014.  

Information about this programme can be found on the diocesan website or through contacting the Reverend Canon Terry DeForest, Vision Advocate and Director of Human Resources and/or the Reverend Canon Dr. Darcey Lazerte, Rector of St. Simon’s, Oakville.

Applications for the programme are due each year by October 15.