Job Title: Director of Pastoral Ministries
Parish: St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, Madison
Employment Type: Full-time, Exempt
Reports To: Pastor
About the Role
St. Thomas Aquinas Parish is seeking a faithful and strategic leader to serve as our next Director of Pastoral Ministries. This is a senior leadership role designed for a mission-driven Catholic who can partner with the Pastor to discern the parish's vision, empower lay leaders, and ensure compassionate pastoral care for our community.
The ideal candidate loves their Catholic faith, wants to help others live theirs, and can balance big-picture strategic thinking with a heart for direct, personal ministry to parishioners at all stages of life.
Key Responsibilities
• Pastoral Leadership: Collaborate with the Pastor to articulate and implement a pastoral vision for the parish. Serve as the primary staff liaison to the Pastoral Council.
• Ministry Development: Assess the spiritual needs of the parish through surveys and listening sessions. Launch and oversee new ministries that respond to those needs.
• Lay Formation: Recruit, train, and support volunteers and lay ministers. Foster a culture of vocation and gifts discernment in the parish community through workshops, retreats, and ongoing catechesis.
• Pastoral Care: Provide direct support to parishioners in times of crisis, hospitalization, and grief. Collaborate with the team to ensure the sick and homebound have access to the Eucharist and sacraments.
• Community Outreach: Build partnerships with local agencies to connect parishioners with broader resources and service opportunities.
• Administration: Assist with ministry budgets, ensure safe environment compliance, and maintain accurate records.
Qualifications
• Faith: A practicing Catholic in good standing, with a deep understanding of Church teaching and a commitment to modeling Catholic values.
• Education: Master's degree in theology, Pastoral Ministry, Divinity, or a related field strongly preferred. An equivalent combination of formation and experience will be considered.
• Experience: Minimum 3-5 years in parish ministry, chaplaincy, or Catholic non-profit leadership, with demonstrated success in program development and leadership abilities.
Skills:
o Strong facilitative leadership and consensus-building abilities.
o Excellent organizational and communication skills.
o Proficiency with technology (MS Office/Google Workspace, parish databases like ParishSoft, Flocknote).
o Pastoral presence, empathy, and emotional intelligence.
o Bilingual (English/Spanish) is a plus.
Work Environment
• Typical office hours are 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., with flexibility required for evening and weekend ministry events, meetings, and hospital visits.
• Local travel required for pastoral visits.
• Occasional light physical activity for event setup (lifting up to 25 lbs).
Compensation
Salary and benefits are commensurate with qualifications and experience in accordance with diocesan guidelines.
To Apply
Please submit the following materials to [email protected] with the subject line: Director of Pastoral Ministries Application
• A cover letter expressing your interest and qualifications
• Your current resume
• Contact information for three professional references (at least one pastoral reference)
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
