Director of Youth Faith Formation - St. Vincent dePaul, Elkhart (Elkhart, IN)
Director of Youth Faith Formation
Job Overview:
The Director of Youth Faith Formation (DYFF) directs and manages the faith formation of the baptized students of our parish and school. Through formation for discipleship and the reception of the Sacraments, the DYFF provides a transformative encounter with Christ for our youth. The DYFF is responsible for roughly 500 students and 40 catechists per year. He/she also facilitates parent catechesis as well as catechist formation. Creativity and new ideas concerning religious education are welcomed to help us provide the best religious formation possible for our parish.
Hours:
- Full-time with flexible hours
- Present for religious education classes (currently taking place on Sundays) during the school year (August-May)
- Present for parent catechesis sessions and parent meetings (periodic weeknights)
Responsibilities and Duties:
- Faith formation of baptized children in grades K-12
- Manage and run religious education classes in parish
- Monitor and support St. Vincent de Paul School’s religious education and Sacramental preparation
- Create/update curricula, maintaining compliance with diocesan standards
- Explore creative ways to improve effectiveness in catechizing both students and their parents
- Volunteer catechists
- Recruit and assign catechists and aides to religious education classes
- Provide regular catechist formation sessions on theology and pedagogy
- Manage difficulties and/or questions coming from catechists
- Work with parish Safe Environment Coordinator to maintain volunteer compliance with all Diocesan Safe Environment protocols
- Parent catechesis
- Oversee catechesis of parents with students in religious education (regularly 8 sessions per academic year)
- Work with Pastor to create yearly curriculum for this program
- Administration
- Supervise the bilingual religious education secretary
- Facilitate communication with parents in conjunction with secretary
- Cooperate with diocesan Office of Catechesis and attend appropriate meetings sponsored by that office
- Publish and update the calendar of events for the RE department
- Manage general and financial needs and procedures of RE department, including budgeting and inventories
Qualifications:
- Education level
- Graduate degree in theology required
- Bachelor’s (or higher) degree in education preferred, but not required
- Language
- Spanish speaker strongly preferred
- Faith
- Practicing Catholic striving to live the moral teachings of the Church
- Thorough understanding of the Catholic faith and the ability/readiness to teach others about that faith
- Willingness to participate in ongoing formation and educational opportunities to keep current on trends in catechetical ministry
- Skills
- Professional demeanor with ability to respect confidentiality
- Must have excellent interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills, and problem-solving skills
- Self-motivated, patient, team-player, and desire to serve others
- Ability to lead both large and small group meetings
- Computer skills, including but not limited to:
- Familiarity and comfortability working within the Google Suite as well as Microsoft Office
- Ability to navigate ParishSoft (training will be provided)
- Familiarity with projectors, speakers, microphones, and televisions
- Basic office skills, including but not limited to:
- Use of copy machine, scanning and sending documents
Physical Demands:
- Able to lift and move up to 20 pounds of materials (for classroom set up, ministry support, basic office tasks, etc.)
- Must have focus and concentration to work on assignments
- Sufficient vocal strength to teach and command the attention of a room
- Able to stand while teaching a catechesis session or leading a parent meeting (30-60 minutes)
Salary Range:
- $45,000-$50,000
- Health insurance is offered (represents another $10,000 in value)
This is a full time position