CALLING NEW LEADERS!

Pastoral Associate for Leadership Formation Program starts in October

Participants of the Pastoral Associate for Leadership Formation Program on their graduation day on June 4, 2024. The Offices of Discipleship Formation & Evangelization and Strategic Planning are currently accepting applications for their next cohort starting in October 2025.(Provided photo)

It’s a bittersweet time of the year: outdoor pools are closing, days are getting shorter, and the nights suddenly have a bite of cool to them. But still, fall, with its colorful leaves and sweet cider donuts, brings with it the fun of a fresh season, of starting new again.

And like the changing of the seasons, the Diocese of Albany is preparing to start a new chapter of cohorts for its 2025-26 Pastoral Associate for Leadership Formation Program. Run by the Offices of Discipleship Formation & Evangelization and Strategic Planning, this eight-month program offers insight to the laity interested in learning more about the practical, ministerial and spiritual elements of a pastoral associate’s role.

The program is set to begin on Wednesday, Oct. 8. Applications are due no later than Sept. 30.

Since its first graduate group in June 2024, the program has helped dozens of attendees, a handful of whom were already involved in parish operations but were able to take on additional tasks thanks to the program. 

Born out of the need for additional support to priests, the program seeks to help pastors who are being stretched thinner and thinner, taking on more parishes and subsequently more work. To help free up priests’ time, pastoral associates assist in the day-to-day operations of their church, the needs of which may vary depending on the parish, but will allow pastors more time to focus on their sacramental and spiritual duties.

“There are a lot of churches that need people with the right training, background and skills that can help navigate” parish operations, said Joe Varone, who completed the program in 2024. “I think that was the major benefit of that program. It took people who were involved in ministries a good portion of their adult lives, and maybe you were really familiar with faith formation or liturgy, but not really enough to also understand finances and budget or canon law or HR.”

In March, Varone took an interim position handling operations for the Church of Saint Peter in Saratoga Springs until a full-time pastor was appointed in July. Now, he’s in a permanent appointment, serving as the pastoral associate for parish operations for Notre Dame-Visitation Church in Schuylerville and St. Joseph’s in Greenwich. 

“That program really helped to better understand all the resources available and how to use those resources to best serve each parish you might be assigned to,” he said.

Even if attendees aren’t looking to gain a position at a church, being aware of the ins and outs of operating a church is beneficial across all ministries. 

“I think it’s a great opportunity for lay people who want to be leaders, regardless if you want to fill a position or not,” Varone said. “It grounds you and helps to give you perspective on all the components that need to come together to run a healthy parish or network or diocese.”

Cindy Slutsky, parish manager for St. Ambrose in Latham, took on the role in July this year after completing the program in June. Father Brian Kelly, pastor of St. Ambrose in Latham and Most Holy Trinity and St. Michael’s, both in Cohoes, as well as Vicar for Vocations, approached Slutsky about the program and parish manager position, hoping she could help with some of the church operations he was taking on. 

“It helped all of us develop the knowledge and skills to have this collaborative role with the pastor,” she said.

Both Slutsky and Varone echoed that the camaraderie of the program was one of its strongest aspects. Being able to talk with fellow Catholics seeking to support their parish provided a network of knowledge and support, helping connect each other with different resources and ideas. 

“We were all facing the same challenges, but it was nice to find other aspects,” Slutsky said. “Like I was really strong in HR and safe environment, so I already had that background, but it was learning the pastoral side. I wanted to learn more about canon law, and looking at finances and stewardship, and all of those areas I hadn’t had the chance to learn more about.”

Varone noted that the job, while much like a business manager position, wasn’t the same as a secular job or leadership role. There is an element of pastoral care woven throughout the position, something beyond just managing the church’s business.

“I feel we represent the parish and we’re there to meet with parishioners, to listen to their concerns,” Slutsky said. She tries to be at the parish on weekends too, often taking Hailey (Father Kelly’s dog) out around the grounds so parishioners can say hello.

“A couple of weeks ago, a woman came up to me and said, ‘Can I pet Hailey?’ and I said, ‘Sure,’ and she broke down in tears,” she said. “I spent 20 minutes with her. She just put her dog down and she was devastated.”

To have someone available to lend an ear to parishioners, especially if a priest can’t be present, “those moments are priceless,” she said. 

To learn about the Pastoral Associate for Leadership Formation Program, visit https://www.rcda.org/offices/office-discipleship-formation/pastoral-associate-leadership-formation-program. For any questions, contact [email protected] or call (518) 453-6670.