Director of Faith and Family Formation

Job Description

This is a full-time exempt position with benefits. Salary DOE, range $52-80k.

TO APPLY: Submit (1) cover letter, (2) three professional references with email addresses, (3) resume, and (4) letter from pastor to humanresources@cbna.org.

PURPOSE
The Director of Faith and Family Formation promotes family ministry, religious education, sacramental preparation, and youth/young adult ministry throughout the diocese by providing resources and opportunities for individual parishes and diocesan regions to strengthen their outreach and catechesis to individuals and families of all ages and social situations. The Office of Faith and Family Formation is born of the reflections found in the apostolic exhortations Evangelii Gaudium (2013) and Amoris Laetitia (2016). The Director performs all duties and responsibilities in alignment with the mission, vision, and values of the Catholic Diocese of Fairbanks.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
• Serves as a primary resource for individuals, parishes and regions regarding various programs and products available for sacramental preparation, religious education, and family ministry in conformity with the USCCB's National Directory for Catechesis, approved catechetical materials and the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
• Works collaboratively with parishes and regions to engage their ministries in incorporating the diocesan vision of encountering Christ, being transformed, and being sent as missionary disciples.
• Coordinates with the Office of Safe Environment and parishes to make sure that Safe Environment training has been accomplished in religious education classes.
• Annually, coordinates with the Office of Safe Environment and parishes to acquire lists of names of all religious education catechists and volunteers. Coordinates with the Office of Safe Environment to ensure all catechists and volunteers have been background checked.
• Helps shape, formulate, and implement initiatives and ideas for evangelization and catechesis efforts that will take into consideration the unique cultures and availability of resources in various regions of the diocese.
• Provides opportunities for the professional and theological growth of catechists throughout the diocese through annual continuing education, seminars, etc.
• Works with various institutions and groups locally to promote and support programs for all stages of the family life cycle: engaged; newly married; families with school aged children; adolescent stage families; boomerang families; empty nesters; end of life.
• Collaborates with other diocesan offices in providing/presenting/coordinating family formation opportunities.
• Serves as advisor to the bishop and other chancery staff on issues pertinent to the mission of the position.
• Remains current in the areas of theology and catechetics, and studies the documents of the Catholic Church, specifically the Catechism of the Catholic Church, papal encyclicals and exhortations, and documents of the USCCB on issues pertinent to the mission of the position.
• Displays a genuine interest and care for the people of the diocese by honoring their cultural context and personality distinctions.
• Drafts and/or updates policy, procedures, correspondence, and other documents and papers related to the ministry of the office.
• Supervises volunteers as needed.
• Provides financial management as needed, to include formulation of annual budget for office.
• Travels as needed to the bush to provide catechetical training and support.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
• Required: Letter of support from your current pastor stating that you are a Catholic in good-standing, regularly involved in the life of the parish. A Catholic who supports, lives, and communicates the teachings of the Catholic faith; availability to work nights and weekends as needed.
• Minimum: B.A. in Theology or comparable field or demonstration of knowledge of the faith appropriate to the position.
• Preferred: Five years' experience in related field; diocesan level experience preferred.

About the Employer

The Diocese of Fairbanks covers nearly 410,000 square miles, the northern two-thirds of the state. Only eight of its 46 parishes and missions are self-supporting. Many parishioners consider themselves fortunate, if they receive sacraments from a priest every two or three months.
The people of the Diocese of Fairbanks are extraordinary and diverse; from the urban "road system" parishes to those in "bush" regions. The diocese embraces many cultures, including Athabaskan, Yup'ik, up'ik, Inupiat, Filipino, Pacific Islands, Latino, and those who were born or chose to make their home in Alaska.