March 19, 2014

In a March 11 letter to priests, deacons, catechetical leaders and pastoral ministers, Bishop Terry R. LaValley announced the promulgation of a document on Pastoral Life Coordinators.

“Providing pastoral leadership to our people is a growing challenge as the number of diocesan priests serving the Diocese of Ogdensburg continues to decline,” he said. “Pastoral Life Coordinators will be assigned as a given location might warrant so that the presence and pastoral care of the Church continues to be offered where a resident priest is not available.”

Pastoral Life Coordinators will provide for  pastoral needs of parishes without a resident pastor in collaboration with the canonical pastor.

The Parish Life Coordinator is responsible for the following tasks:
• To provide sacramental preparation for Baptism, First Penance, First Holy Communion, Confirmation and  Marriage
• Arrange and prepare liturgical celebrations, assist the priests in the celebration of the sacraments and other liturgical ceremonies and prepare funerals and all details surrounding funerals and cemeteries
• Be responsible for providing faith formation for children, youth, and adults, providing leadership for the parish faith formation program
• Implement all diocesan mandated programs and services with special concern for Virtus and safe environment programs
• Make regular visits of the homebound, the local hospital(s) and nursing homes and arrange for a priest to visit these locations as needed.
• Provide youth ministry
• Be responsible for evangelization efforts
•Supervise and execute, as needed, parish record keeping, including but not limited to sacramental books, cemetery records, financial records; be responsible for parish finances along with auxiliary accounts and prepare the annual Spiritual Report, Financial Report, and other reports that may be required by the Diocese of Ogdensburg
•Report to the Diocese, state, and federal authorities as required
• Undertake all parish business and personnel activity
• Have an equal voice to that of a pastor at all deanery and diocesan meetings
• Maintain parish physical property and grounds-keeping
•Be active in support of the closest Catholic school and its various programs and serve ex officio on education councils associated with the parish
• Preside over the Finance Council and the Pastoral Council as would a pastor and facilitate other advisory groups/committees
• Be present at parish functions and provide parish social life (coffee hours, dinners, etc)
• Insure parish social outreach
• Supervise and evaluate all parish employees
• Closely work in harmony with the sacramental minister/pastor

In order to be appointed a Pastoral Life Coordinator, a candidate must possess a Master’s degree in Church Management or its equivalent from an accredited Catholic institution of higher education.

Bishop LaValley said, “In our Envisioning Leadership Team meetings, the building up of vibrant communities of faith and the assurance of quality pastoral care have been topics of much discussion. Diocesan pastoral planning is emerging as one of the three priorities that will be established for our Diocese for the next five years.

“We cannot continue business as usual,” he said. “We must be willing to study and try new approaches and employ new strategies to maintain vibrant Eucharistic communities of faith in the North Country.”