Diocese of Evansville

● Establish a Catholic presence in a recognized leadership role

● Witness to shared responsibility of clergy

● Provide for the pastoral, spiritual, and administrative care of the parish

● Recognize and utilize the variety of gifts present in a parish

● Provide a Vatican II model of Church (e.g. collaboration, team ministry)

● Participate in ecumenical and ministerial associations and dialogues

The following Ministry Description assumes that the implementation of the outlined responsibilities are impossible for one person and would be appropriately delegated to other persons. A significant gift of leadership is the ability to share ministry. Furthermore, the specific ministry description based on this general description will be developed in each parish and reviewed annually.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

The Pastoral Life Coordinator is expected to provide pastoral leadership and service to meet the sacramental, temporal, formational, and other ministerial needs of the parish. To do this effectively, the Pastoral Life Coordinator is expected to administrate all of these areas.

▸ Ministry of Prayer and Worship

▸ Ministry of Education/Formation

▸ Ministry of Pastoral Services

▸ Ministry of Leadership and Administration

Title: Pastoral Life Coordinator

Status: Exempt

Accountable to: Bishop of the Diocese of Evansville

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Pastoral Life Coordinator is appointed by the Bishop, following consultation with the clergy personnel board. The Pastoral Life Coordinator is responsible for implementing the vision and mission of the parish church, working in collaboration with an assigned Presbyteral Moderator and Sacramental Minister.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES:

A. MINISTRY OF PRAYER AND WORSHIP

The Pastoral Life Coordinator

1. Presides at liturgical prayers in accordance with the norm of Canon 230.3.

2. Coordinates the regular celebration of the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist,

Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing, and Reconciliation in collaboration with the

Sacramental Minister.

3. Administers the approved sacramentals, as delegated by the Presbyteral Moderator

and Sacramental Minister, in accordance with Canon 1168 (i.e. imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday; blessing of throats of the feast of St. Blase; blessing of palms; imparting of the blessings prescribed in the ritual to a communicant when acting as a special minister of the Eucharist, RCIA rites).

4. Provides reflections on the Scripture (subject to provisions of the Code of Canon

Law and norms of the local Church) at the liturgical celebrations.

5. Is responsible for coordinating prayer and worship and the spiritual formation for the

people of the parish in collaboration with the Sacramental Minister.

6. Provides assistance and direction to the Parish Liturgy Commission in collaboration

with the Sacramental Minister and the Presbyteral Moderator.

B. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION/FORMATION

The Pastoral Life Coordinator cultivates the art and ability and to help others discern God’s call in their lives and respond to that call with faith and commitment, supporting that response as needed with prayer, formation, advice and encouragement. To this end, the Pastoral Life Coordinator:

1. Oversees the Faith Formation/Education Commission of the Parish Pastoral Council.

2. Oversees all stages of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

3. Oversees the total stewardship of the parish in collaboration with the Parish Pastoral

Council.

4. Oversees that diocesan guidelines/policies are followed in regard to sacramental

preparation, celebration, and record keeping; catechesis for children, young adults, and adults.

C. MINISTRY OF PASTORAL SERVICES

The Pastoral Life Coordinator:

1. Fosters community through pastoral availability, witness and presence.

2. Provides appropriate committees, opportunities, events, resources, and structures

which allow parishioners to cultivate their talents and gifts.

3. Empowers the parish community to participate in outreach to others by ongoing

social justice education on parish, diocesan, and global levels.

4. Arranges for and/or provides appropriate counseling and crisis intervention services.

5. Assists, following specialized training by the Tribunal, those seeking to work on

petitions for Declaration of Nullity or Dissolution.

D. MINISTRY OF LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION

The Pastoral Life Coordinator has a clear understanding of canonical requirements of administration. To that end the Pastoral Life Coordinator:

1. Develops collaboratively a vision and a mission for the parish that is faithful to the

Gospel, inspiring, and responsive to community needs.

2. Serves on both the Parish Pastoral Council and the Parish Finance Commission as an

ex officio non-voting member with the norms of Canons 536-537.

3. Oversees all parish finances: prepares annual report to the diocese, prepares annual

budget, oversees the Catholic Parishes Campaign, in collaboration with the Parish

Finance Commission and Parish Pastoral Council.

4. Coordinates and supervises the ministry of all parish staff members, with fair

administration of just and equitable human resource policies and practices.

5. Demonstrates the administrative ability to manage all parish leadership

responsibilities: serving as liaison between the parish and the bishop and diocesan

offices.

6. Oversees the proper maintenance for parish facilities and buildings.

7. Represents the parish in public functions - liturgical, civic, and ecumenical.

BASIC FACTORS OF ELIGIBILITY

and

QUALIFICATION FOR APPOINTMENT

Applications for the position of Pastoral Life Coordinator in the Diocese of Evansville are open to all adult practicing Catholics who complete the screening process and fulfill the qualifying factors and additional requirements specified in the following:

A. PERSONAL REQUIREMENTS

Candidates for Pastoral Life Coordinator shall have a deep love for God and those

they serve, faith in Christ and commitment to the church, a spirit of hope, the habit

of regular prayer, and a sense of call to ministry as coming from God and affirmed

by the church.

→ Active participant in the Roman Catholic lifestyle and worship

→ Able to work cooperatively with the Bishop, clergy, peers, parishioners

→ Effective communicator, both verbally and in the written word

→ Commitment to on-going personal, spiritual and professional growth

→ Capable of working with the larger picture, working for the common good

→ Ability to maintain confidentiality.

→ Liturgically based spirituality centered on the Eucharistic life of the Church.

→ General good health (spiritual, emotional, physical) to perform the duties and

handle demands of the role described for a Pastoral Life Coordinator.

→ Has no previous criminal record or allegations of child abuse.

B. PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

▸ KNOWLEDGE AND COMPETENCIES

Candidates shall demonstrate proficiency in the five standards with competencies as outlined in the National Certification Standards for Lay Ecclesial Ministers as approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Commission on Certification and Accreditation.

The Pastoral Life Coordinator in a parish shall have adequate initial and ongoing formation (in spiritual practice, academic study of theology and pastoral ministry/leadership skills, prior ministerial background, and life experience) to provide leadership and service for the many areas of parish ministry.

ACADEMIC AREAS PASTORAL/PROFESSIONAL SKILLS

→ Fundamental Christology → Administration Skills

→ The Nature and Development → Communication Skills

of Church → Conflict Management Skills

→ The Trinity → Canon Law and Civil Law

→ Introduction to the Old Testament → Pastoral Care of the Sick/Dying

→ Introduction to the New Testament → Consensus Decision-Making Skills

→ Scripture: The Word of God in Faith, → Discernment Processes

Theology and Ministry → Marriage Tribunal Processes

→ Introduction to Liturgical Prayer → Presiding Skills

→ Introduction to the Sacraments → Group Facilitation Skills

→ Fundamental Moral Theology → Fiscal Management of Church

→ Nature and Development and Related Entities

of Christian Spirituality → Supervision Skills

→ Homiletic Skills

→ World Religions & Ecumenism → Strategic Planning Skills

▸ EDUCATION and TRAINING

The Pastoral Life Coordinator in a parish is expected to have completed or be in process of working toward one of the following to be placed in the pool of qualified candidates for Pastoral Life Coordinator.

• MA in Theology, Religious Education, or a related theological field

• MA in Education or Administration

• MA in any other field

• Certificate from an approved program of study that is equivalent to 12

Graduate credits leading to a Masters

The following components need to be completed if they are not in included in one of the four degree areas on the previous page:

• Twenty-four (24) semester credits in Theology and Catechetics (Hebrew

And Christian Scriptures, Liturgy/Sacraments, Systematic Theology,

Moral Theology).

Note: The diaconate formation program in the Evansville Diocese is equivalent to 12 graduate credits.

• Six (6) credits or 60 contact hours of in-service in the following areas (if

not represented in the MA): administration, learning development, supervision, catechetics, canon and civil law.

• Minimum of three to five (3-5) years of full-time ministry involvement o

Parish staff.

• Minimum of three to five (3-5) years administrative experience.

• Five (5) years of extensive parish leadership and involvement as a

volunteer will be considered.

C. SPIRITUAL ON-GOING FORMATION REQUIREMENTS

Besides the personal and academic components of formation, these spiritual formation component needs to be incorporated into the lifestyle of the Pastoral Life Coordinator.

Communal Spiritual Formation Practices for Ecclesial and Catechetical Ministers: