In the diocese of Oakland, a Lay Ecclesial Minister is defined as “those persons working in pastoral ministries in the diocese 20 hours weekly or more.” (from the Lay Ecclesial Ministers Council Mission and Guidelines, approved by the bishop and affirmed by the Presbyteral Council in April 1998)

In the parishes, Lay Ecclesial Ministers are full time employees with job classifications M1, M2, M3, M4, M5 or M6.  See appendix E of the Personnel Policies of the Diocese of Oakland.

In the document “Lay Ecclesial Ministry: The State of the Questions" (1999), the US Conference of Catholic Bishops use the following as a working definition:

“In our project and in this report, "lay ecclesial minister" has come to mean the following:

A fully initiated lay member of the Christian faithful (including vowed religious) who is responding to the empowerment and gifts of the Holy Spirit received in baptism and confirmation, which enable one to share in some form of ministry

One who responds to a call or invitation to participate in ministry and who has prepared through a process of prayerful discernment

One who has received the necessary formation, education, and training to function competently within the given area of ministry

One who intentionally brings personal competencies and gifts to serve the Church's mission through a specific ministry of ecclesial leadership and who does so with community recognition and support

One to whom a formal and public role in ministry has been entrusted or upon whom an office has been conferred by competent ecclesiastical authority

One who has been installed in a ministry through the authority of the bishop or his representative, perhaps using a public ritual

One who commits to performing the duties of a ministry in a stable manner

A paid staff person (full- or part-time) or a volunteer who has responsibility and the necessary authority for institutional leadership in a particular area of ministry”