Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace Parish-Clinton staff members Luann Hosette, left, and Brenda Bertram brainstorm with Deacon Jeff Schuetzle, who serves the parish, during a workshop at St. Patrick Parish in Iowa City last month.
(Editor’s Note: This is the ninth article in a series on multicultural parishes, based on the national research by the authors.)
By Marti Jewell and Dan Ebener
The Catholic Messenger
We are always looking for those unsung heroes who make our world a better place. We encounter them every day and yet their contributions often go unnoticed. This is what comes to mind when we think about our parish staffs. They are the women and men who keep our parishes going, our programs running and often lend a helping hand or a listening ear as they work alongside our pastors to create vibrant parishes.
In our diversity study of 40 parishes for the Catholic Leadership Institute, we interviewed the staff in each parish. We witnessed how they are involved in ensuring healthy, vital and spiritually alive parish communities, providing liturgical, sacramental, catechetical, pastoral and social ministries.
Their creativity and resilience in animating their communities inspires awe. As a staff, they spoke of praying together, discerning the needs of the parish and planning the best way forward. They know you, the parishioners, and try to engage your gifts and talents.
As much as they love what they do, their work isn’t easy. There are plenty of challenges. How else do you get to be an unsung hero? Among the many challenges we heard, three stand out.
One of the challenges frequently mentioned by both pastors and staff is the demand on their time and energy for administrative tasks. Parishes are busy places. Administration, normally unseen and always necessary, takes time. Staff are called on to do a lot behind the scenes for those programs we all love. In addition to their own work, some staff members talk about trying to free up the pastor from his administrative duties, so he is more available for pastoral work. Yet, these extra demands limit their time for pastoral ministry, as well.
A second challenge we heard pertained directly to those serving in multicultural communities. While staff spoke, lovingly, of the richness and gift of the cultural diversity in our communities, they also talked about the challenge of learning to be culturally competent and sensitive. Few of the staff we interviewed are bilingual, although some are actively trying to learn a second language. All share the sadness parishioners feel when there is not a diverse parish staff that mirrors the diversity in the parish community or when the staff is unable to speak the language of a parishioner.
A third challenge has to do with formation for ministry. Pastors often hire from within. Many are gifted parishioners who bring their education and talents to their ministry. While some have certificates or degrees in ministry, many do not. Everywhere, we heard staff asking for more training and formation to do what they have been hired to do.
So, when you get a chance, say thank you to the people on your parish staff who work so diligently to animate the wisdom and gifts of your parish. Together, we are co-responsible for the mission of the Church.
(Marti Jewell, associate professor emerita, is a professor, author and researcher of pastoral leadership. Dan Ebener is a leadership professor for the Master of Organizational Leadership program at St. Ambrose University in Davenport and director of Parish Planning for the Diocese of Davenport).
