Pastoral Associate

Summary & Purpose:

Under the leadership of the pastor, the Pastoral Associate is responsible for guiding the parish community into an active and ongoing personal relationship with Jesus.  Embracing the New Evangelization and the parish vision of making missionary disciples, this person will support pastoral staff in helping others come into a more intimate understanding of the Catholic faith which will grow and be lived out their entire life –   wherever they are on their faith journey (active members, inactive, or unchurched) and across and within ethnic groups.

The main areas the Pastoral Associate will serve are evangelization, sacramental formation, ongoing catechesis, worship, renewal and formation of ministries, and the outreach and welcome of those not active or connected with the parish.

Responsibilities:

Evangelization

• In concert with the Pastor, Clergy, Staff, and councils and committees, helps to shape, formulate, create a budget, and direct activities that fulfill the parish’s vision for lifelong growth in faith.
• Establishes, monitors, and adjusts an effective overall pastoral plan as a member of the Parish Leadership Team.
• Implements ways to reach out to those active, inactive, and the unchurched in our community.
• Offers regular support, encouragement, and presence to volunteer ministers and promotes ongoing evangelization opportunities for them.

Formation

• Guides the parish’s Formation programs from birth through adult to form missionary disciples.
• Guides the formation of catechists to be evangelists and researches ways to reach segments of our parish with new models of accompaniment.
• Oversees and enhances the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

Liturgy & Sacraments, Stewardship, & Christian Outreach

• Supports the clergy and Music Director by providing guidance and recommendations to ensure our Sunday experiences and other liturgical expressions draw people to encounter Jesus in the Eucharist as well as create a dynamic and inspiring worship community.
• Supports the Sacraments Coordinator to ensure that every family, couple, and individual who seeks and receives the sacraments of matrimony or baptism or a funeral has an exemplary experience from the moment of the initial inquiry to the completion of the liturgy.
• Oversees activities that renew and grow stewardship in light of discipleship within the parish.
• Help coordinate Christian Outreach by establishing a structured mechanism to identify outreach opportunities supported by a robust volunteer recruitment plan that also provides early and pre-evangelization opportunities in our local community.

Supervision

The Director will supervise and create a healthy staff environment for paid and volunteer staff including:

Director of Religious Education, Youth Minister, Fellowship & Ministry Coordinator, Director of Music, Pre-school Director, Sacraments Coordinator, Adult Formation Coordinator

The Director will supervise other functions including:

Family & Marriage Formation, Christian Outreach, Stewardship, Leader Training

Performance Appraisal:

Pastor will conduct an initial appraisal within 90 days of employment followed by an annual appraisal.

Working Environment and Expectations:

Position is Full Time and often requires working evenings and weekends as necessary. This job operates in a professional office environment along with events in the church, classrooms, or off-campus.

Qualifications:

• Proven ability in developing a vision and implementing initiatives designed to create an evangelizing parish culture.
• Must have a broad understanding of and ability to articulate Church teaching regarding evangelization, catechesis, prayer, sacraments, stewardship, and ecclesiology.
• Demonstrates a spiritual maturity, defined as a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church who is faithful to the Magisterium, consistent in one’s prayer life, regularly receiving the sacraments, and able to speak of one’s relationship with Jesus.
• Working knowledge and understanding of the New Evangelization.
• Must have the ability to work with diocesan offices and personnel and maintain confidentiality.
• Must be able to communicate effectively with a wide variety of people using the spoken word, both within one-on-one coaching/apprenticing situations and in large group settings.
• Understands the cultural challenges impacting the faith of youth, millennials and young families, as well as knowledge or experience in ways to address these challenges.
• Strongly prefer a master’s degree in pastoral ministry, religious studies, theology, religious education, or related field, or commensurate ministry experience. Minimum 5 years experience.
• Compliance with Diocesan background check and Safe Environment training.
• Director must be proficient in Office Suite and traditional and innovative communication technology; willing to learn new software and programs/apps.
• Ideally is fluent in Spanish or at least demonstrates experience working in a multi-cultural environment (Mass/events currently offered for English, Hispanic, Portuguese, Polish, Filipino).

Location:  St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church, 2252 Woodruff Rd, Simpsonville, SC 29681.

Please forward your resume, letter of interest, salary requirements, and referrals to:

Rhonda Stokes at rhondas@smmcc.org.