-
Location: Stratford and St. Marys, ON
Posting Date: June 3rd.
Closing Date: June 30th.
Avon-Thames Catholic Family of Parishes is seeking a full-time Pastoral Minister with the knowledge, skill and ability to develop and support the liturgical, sacramental, and community life of the parish. The successful candidate will focus on implementing and supporting various aspects of our Pastoral Plan, found at avonthamescatholic.dol.ca/. The Pastoral Minister must be an active, practicing Catholic. He/she will be engaged in a variety of ways depending on their gifts, capabilities and the needs of the community.
Reports to: the Pastor and works in partnership with the Pastoral Team. The Pastoral Minister provides regular updates to the Pastor and the other team members at team meetings, as well as participates to discuss goals, objectives, and activities affecting parish life. He/she collaboratively works with the Pastor to ensure all ministry work is given proper priority.
General responsibilities:- Be present at weekend liturgies as assigned/agreed upon
- Coordinate, facilitate, and participate in all aspects of the RCIA program, preparation and celebrations of baptisms, First Reconciliation, and First Eucharist.
- Develop, implement, and oversee a ministry to the isolated and/or lonely in our parishes.
- Develop, coordinate, oversee, and participate in various programs and activities that help to achieve the commitments of our Pastoral Plan.
- Invite, train, support, and oversee volunteers from our parishes, to utilize their gifts appropriately in achievement of our Mission and Pastoral Plan.
- Carry out other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Pastor.
Qualifications:
The minimum requirement is a Certificate in Pastoral Ministry or a program deemed by the diocese as equivalent. More advanced education (e.g. M.Div., MTS, BA or MA in Religious Studies, Theology or Pastoral Ministry) would be an asset. The successful candidate will also have at least two years of well-documented previous experience in Pastoral Ministry or similar parish work. A valid driver’s license and access to own personal transportation is a definite asset.
Personal Attributes Include:- Friendly personality and ability to work well with others.
- Strong leadership skills to empower and motivate others to convene, manage, and facilitate groups.
- Strong organizational skills, very detail oriented, with ability to implement a plan of action.
- Ability to recruit, train and facilitate volunteers as needed, and in accordance with the diocesan “Called, Gifted and Sent” Resource Manual for volunteer management within pastoral ministry.
- Proven communication skills, both oral and written.
Accountability:
The Pastoral Minister is directly accountable to the Pastor in the exercise of his/her gifts on behalf of the parish community, and also to the Diocese of London in accordance with its established guidelines and policies. Upon successful hiring, the candidate will provide a current police vulnerable sector check and will agree to psychological testing with regards to suitability for ministry, as required by the diocese. The successful candidate will have a 6-month probationary period, following which an evaluation will be conducted as outlined in the Diocese of London Personnel Policy Manual (2006).
The expected norm for this position is a 40-hour work week. However, since the Pastoral Minister’s responsibilities involve work during weekends, as well as some evenings, some flexibility on this expected norm is required. Therefore, a flexible time schedule must be developed collaboratively and approved by the pastor.
Interested applicants are invited to email a resume, a letter of reference from your pastor, and two references from current and/or previous employers, to dbutler@dol.ca or mail to:
Fr. David Butler
Personal and Confidential
c/o St. Joseph’s Church
96 Huron St.
Stratford, ON
N5A 5S6
We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.