PASTORAL ASSOCIATE

A Pastoral Associate is a professional minister who collaborates with the pastor or pastoral life
coordinator and parish team/staff to implement the mission of the parish.  This role is accomplished
by participating in the comprehensive planning, implementation, and evaluation of the parish goals
and objectives.

A Pastoral Associate is:
 • a person of faith and prayer, actively participating in Roman Catholic worship
 • articulate and confident in matters of faith - clear, empowered, and calm
 • able to relate well with all ages and all groups within the parish
 • clear in communication
 • able to cooperate with peers and authority
 • flexible and adaptable; able to live with a certain amount of ambiguity
 • eager to participate in on-going spiritual formation and educational opportunities

Areas of Ministry
A Pastoral Associate may do some of these areas of ministry in any given parish.

Liturgy and Sacraments:
 • Prepares and leads communal prayer at wake and cemetery services, ecumenical gatherings,
   and prayer services with various groups in the parish
 • Provides in-service training and faith formation to parish liturgical ministers
 • Oversees scheduling of liturgical ministers
 • Provides marriage preparation for engaged couples
 • Processes marriage annulment cases
 • Provides Baptismal preparation catechesis for infant baptism
 
Pastoral Care to the Sick and Bereavement Ministry:
 • Oversees and/or provides pastoral care to the hospitalized, homebound,
   and/or nursing home residents
 • Coordinates bereavement ministry at time of death and during the on-going grief processes

Spiritual Formation:
 • Provides on-going formation for parishioners through retreats, missions, spiritual direction,
   prayer days, and study groups
 • Provides counseling and/or refers to professionals
 • Develops a process for welcoming and integrating persons into the parish community
 • Provides on-going personal presence at parish worship and social events
 
Administrative:
 • Coordinates the writing, editing and mailing of the parish newsletter
 • Coordinates financial, facilities, and personnel management as required
 • Serves as liaison with the local Ministerial Association
 • Attends parish, deanery, and diocesan meetings pertinent to the role
 • Assumes responsibility of other tasks as delegated by the Pastor or Pastoral Life Coordinator

Professional Readiness
Depending on responsibility:

Bachelor or Master Degree in Pastoral Ministry Theology, Religious Education or related field
 or
Bachelor or Master Degree in unrelated field
with
Completion of components in
Diocesan Certification Program
(academic, pastoral/professional skills,
spiritual formation)

Minimum of three years of ministry experience
demonstrating highly developed interpersonal
and pastoral skills

Successful Completion of Diocesan Internship 


For more information call or write:
The Catholic Center
Office for Adult Formation, Diocese of Evansville
4200 N. Kentucky Ave., P.O. Box 4169
Evansville, IN   47724-0169
Phone: 812-424-5536
Fax: 812-421-1334
www.evansville-diocese.org