Examples of job titles

Presented by Kate Blain, Assistant Editor

Both lay and ordained ministers in parishes require dedication, knowledge, experience, skills and training. The new list of parish ministries and definitions for the Albany Diocese includes:

Pastor: A professional minister, ordained to the priesthood, and sent by the Bishop to lead and officially administer a parish; oversees the entire Christian community within a specific locale.

Associate pastor: A priest who shares responsibility with the Bishop, the local pastor and the parish staff for building the Kingdom through the Christian community.

Sacramental minister: A priest appointed by the Bishop as the ordained minister of prayer and the sacraments for a parish whose central leader is a parish life director.

Deacon: An ordained minister of service and charity who witnesses and proclaims the Good News and leads through prayer and liturgy.

Parish life director: A person professionally qualified as a minister, appointed by the Bishop to lead and officially administer a parish. (Current parish life directors in the Albany Diocese include Sister Mary Kenan McGowan, RSM, of St. John Francis Regis parish in Grafton, and Sister Joan Curley, CSJ, of St. Joseph's parish in Schoharie.)

Pastoral Associate for Administration: Has the delegated responsibility for the temporal affairs of the parish/cluster. Under the supervision of the pastor or parish life director, the administrator organizes and directs the organizational stewardship of the parish/cluster.

Pastoral Associate for Faith Formation: A person charged with the administrative and pastoral leadership of all or a part of a parish/cluster's total ministry of catechesis. The associate works on one of three levels, depending on education and experience: Director of Religious Education (DRE), Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE) or Administrator of Religious Education (ARE).

Pastoral Associate for Liturgy: Provides leadership in the planning, execution and celebration of all community liturgies, and develops and coordinates all liturgical ministries.

Pastoral Associate for Pastoral Care/Social Outreach: Commissioned by the faith community to share in the healing ministry of Jesus, he/she is trained in the pastoral care of those parishioners and their families who are sick, elderly, homebound and bereaved.

Pastoral Associate for Youth Ministry: Responsible for all components or some components of comprehensive ministry to young people in seventh through twelfth grade in a parish/cluster or Catholic school, ministering on one of three levels, depending on education, experience and responsibilities: Director of Youth Ministry (DYM), Coordinator of Youth Ministry (CYM) or Administrator of Youth Ministry (AYM).

(10-10-96)

[[In-content Ad]]