By Michael Motes

“I feel that the degrees that have been awarded to me have been equally earned by my wife,” says Walter E. Kahnle, youth consultant for the Archdiocese of Atlanta who was awarded a Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) Degree from Emory University’s Candler School of Theology last weekend.

Kahnle’s degree, the highest one offered by the predominantly Methodist school, is the equivalent of a full seminary education and gives him most of the credentials of a minister, minus the ordination rite. He is thought to be the first Catholic in the United States to be awarded the degree.

A native of Albany, New York, Kahnle is married to the former Patricia McNally of St. Louis, Missouri, whom he credits with enabling him to obtain his goal of the high degree.

“When I decided to study for the Doctor of Ministry, it meant giving up a lot of material things, including a well-paying job,” Kahnle recalls. “The only way we could have done it was for Pat to go to work. She teaches social studies at Wheeler High School in Marietta. She actually owns 90 per cent of the degrees I obtained from Emory.”

Kahnle was greatly influenced by the dogma of Vatican II and the emerging role of the layman in the Church that followed.

Following his graduation from St. Bernardine of Siena College in Loudonville, New York, in 1962, Kahnle took a 10-years hiatus from academic life, went to work, married Pat, became the father of son Martin (who just turned five) and served in the Vietnam as a Captain in the Air Force, earning a Bronze Star for meritorious military service.

A Cursillo experience in 1971 became a major factor in Kahnle’s decision to devote his life to the Church by working through youth ministry. He entered the Candler School of Theology aiming for a Master of Divinity Degree which he obtained in January 1973.

In May of that year he joined the Archdiocesan Office of Religious Education as youth consultant. He accredits Father Robert L. Kinast, director of religious education, for allowing a layman to serve as youth consultant and obtaining much of the experience and training Kahnle values in his chosen field.

The Doctor of Ministry program at Emory included 176 quarter hours in four major areas: psychology and sociology; scripture; systematic theology, and Church history, as well as Christian education. Clinical experience included study of urban poverty, drug rehabilitation and mental health programs.

For his doctoral dissertation, Kahnle chose the topic “Youth Ministry: A New Stance for Adolescent Religious Education.”

Kahnle coordinated the “Recycling” weekend for archdiocesan youth earlier this year. Designed as “an enriching Christian experience for youth who are desirous and ready to manifest their Christian commitment more actively and concretely,” Kahnle has planned additional “Recycling” (an acronym for Real Exciting Youth Creating Life in North Georgia) programs for the weekends of November 22 and February 12, 1975, at the Atlanta Baptist Assembly Campgrounds in Dunwoody.

Walt and Pat Kahnle are parishioners of Holy Family in East Cobb County where they are active in (what else?) – youth ministry.

As Kahnle sums up his ministerial role, “To me, all other priorities take a backseat to the religious formation of the adolescent."

His work and educational background have earned him membership in the International Society of Theta Phi, and honor society of theological students and scholars in the field of religion.