Director of Religious Education and Faith Formation

Position: Director of Faith Formation
Reports to: Pastor
Location: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish - Osprey, Florida

Summary: This position includes direction and participation in the Diocesan approved youth catechesis, sacramental preparation, Adult Christian Enrichment, and the OCIA program.

Responsibilities for Director of Youth Catechetics:
• To develop and manage the catechetical program and preparation for the reception of sacraments of initiation and Confirmation for both candidates and their parents
• To train and supervise volunteers to assist in the catechetical education of children; to ensure that all volunteers are properly trained and certified in the VIRTUS Child Safety Environment. Schedule regular catechist meetings to promote greater team identity.
• To engage with parents of children in the parish who are in the Religious Education program, and to assist the parents in taking the lessons learned in the program and teaching them to their children in their homes. Also, to proactively reach out to parents whose children are not currently enrolled in the Religious Education program to encourage them to enroll their children in the program.
• To organize special events and community functions to integrate the social, liturgical, and spiritual life of the church into the lives of ALL the children in the parish, i.e. faith carnivals, summer bible schools, Easter egg hunts, blessing of the animals, special liturgies for children.
• To work with the Diocesan Director for catechetics to assure compliance with diocesan regulations and attend diocesan sponsored workshops and meetings.

Responsibilities for Adult Faith Formation and Enrichment:
• To develop and teach in a program of initiation for adult aspirants (OCIA) to the Catholic Faith and Church membership
• To provide a series of educational programs for adult members of the parish seeking to enrich their understanding of the Faith through biblical studies, theological subjects, and social issues among others
• To collaborate with the pastor and parish staff to realize the parish mission through personal contact and community building, planning, and executing the parish goals and objectives.
• Preparation and publication of the weekly parish bulletin. Utilizing the bulletin, both in print and on the parish website, as a means of catechesis.

Job Requirements:
• Master's degree in religious studies and/or catechetics
• Must be a practicing Roman Catholic.
• 5 years of experience working in a Catholic institution with adults and/or youth, and can demonstrate effectively the use of classroom techniques, and familiarity with the curriculum for sacramental preparation.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Strong communication skills both written and oral.
• Ability to work collaboratively with others. Ability to build and maintain positive relationships with co-workers, families, and children.
• Ability to recruit and train volunteer teachers and delegate successfully.
• Experience in Microsoft Office, including Publisher, is essential.
• Commitment to continued personal growth in faith and professional advancement.

The successful candidate will receive a competitive salary for a DRE and, if moving from out of state, will receive generous help toward moving expenses. I know that you aren't a DRE for the great salary that you receive, but I do believe that you should be happy coming to work. And, if you are the successful candidate, you will be joining a happy and cohesive staff team.