PERSONNEL POLICY GUIDELINES FOR PARISHES
JOB DESCRIPTIONS
I. IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
Position Title: Director of Religious Education
Status: Full-Time, exempt, 12 months
Reports to: Pastor
II. PRIMARY FUNCTION OF THIS POSITION
The Director of Religious Education provides overall leadership and direction
for total parish faith formation in a large or medium-size parish.
III. POSITION CONTENT
A. MAJOR POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES AND REGULAR ACTIVITIES
1. Leadership and Administration
The Director of Religious Education manages the following functions and tasks including delegation and supervision of coordinators and support personnel who assist with these duties:
· Stays current regarding Church and Archdiocesan guidelines, trends in theology and catechesis, parish goals and developments, and brings these to discussions with Education Commission, Parish Council and Parish staff.
· Participates and provides leadership for goals-setting and policy development in the area of faith formation.
· Designs strategies, plans and programs to reach established goals.
· Promotes and implements plans and programs with appropriate personnel.
· Communicates the plans, progress and needs within the parish.
· Recruits, trains, supervises and evaluates regular and occasional volunteers to staff programs and serve on committees.
· Administers the Archdiocesan Catechist certification process for parish and school catechists including observation, assessment, application and renewal.
· Establishes an annual calendar for all catechetical programming and negotiates space and facilities for same.
· Creates, submits and monitors Religious Education budget according to the parish budget process; acquires and manages resources for various catechetical ministries and programs.
· Maintains records for all catechetical programs including attendance, fees, staffing, etc.
· Oversees implementation of parish and Archdiocesan policies and guidelines related to Religious Education
· Represents the catechetical ministry within the parish; represents the parish in Archdiocesan and interparish catechetical meetings and functions.
2. Catechetical Programs and Formational Activities
The Director of Religious Education executes all parish faith formation
programs and activities by:
· Recruiting and supervising coordinators for Early Childhood, Parish Elementary Religion Program (e.g. PSR, PREP), Youth Catechesis, Adult Faith Formation, and other formal programs.
o Providing training and support for program coordinators and catechists.
o Overseeing selection of curriculum and resources according to Archdiocesan guidelines.
o Acting as liaison for clerical, facilities and maintenance needs for programs.
o Providing direction and assistance with liturgical and prayer celebrations.
· Working with parish leadership, committees and volunteers to design, plan, promote and implement new program models and occasional events and opportunities for faith formation.
· Supervising preparation and selection of materials for various special programming and other parish needs.
· Providing leadership and direction or resourcing for catechetical and liturgical programs for the parish school including:
o Selection and implementation of religion curriculum
o Scheduling and preparation of school liturgical experiences in consultation with principal, pastor, teachers and music director.
o Rehearsal of student liturgical ministers for liturgies and prayer celebrations
3. Sacramental Preparation
The Director of Religious Education is responsible for the direction and coordination of all aspects of the RCIA process for adults and children, infant Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation and First Penance in conformity with current guidelines and employing a parish and family focus. This may include supervision of coordinator(s). Duties include:
· Recruiting, forming and supervising catechists and teams.
· Developing curriculum, processes and program components.
· Preparing schedules, materials, handouts, planning sheets, etc.
· Providing parent sessions, family/sponsor/candidate workshops, retreats and home activities.
· Coordinating plans and preparation for related rites and liturgies in cooperation with presider, musician and parish liturgist.
· Communicating relevant information to catechists, parents, candidates, pastor, music director, sponsors and parish-at-large.
· Recording data in parish sacramental records.
IV. POSITION SPECIFICATIONS/REQUIREMENTS
A. SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
· Theology
· Organizational Leadership
· Administration and Staff Development
· Catechetics/Education/Evangelization
· Program Development
B. EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE
Certification as a Catechetical Leader in the DRE mode.
Cf. Ministry of the Catechetical Leader document (available from the Office of Religious Education) for description of educational and experience requirements.
V. RESPONSIBILITY FOR QUANTIFIABLE MEASURES
A. The D.R.E. administers a budget of __________.
B. The DRE supervises a catechetical and support staff of ____ who are paid and _____ are volunteers.
VI. WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Position requires frequent evening and weekend work including participation at
meetings of Parish Pastoral Council, Education Commission and _____________
as an ex officio member.
The DRE is an active member of the parish pastoral staff and participates fully at its
meetings and functions.
Director of Religious Education 2 01/2003