Why Catholic Ministry Professionals?
“I don’t understand why whenever you get together with you ministry friends, all you do is complain about the work. You guys work for Jesus! It should be the most exciting job ever!” These were the words from my wife that inspired me to begin Catholic Ministry Professionals.
Ministry work is tough. You probably wear a lot of hats (some you never intended to wear). And people? Well, people are messy. It can be easy to get caught up in all of the moving parts of the day-to-day tasks of parish life. When this happens we heap up lists of things that should be dealt with but get saved for a later date. A day when we’re more free. A day that often never comes.
This was my experience when I first began working in professional Catholic ministry. So I decided to get very intentional with my conversations, my work space and time, and my own professional growth. I found that when I did focus on these three things, my ministry became more enjoyable and produced tangible fruit. These are the pillars of the Catholic Ministry Professionals framework.
Intentional Conversations
Jesus didn’t run into people on accident. He seeks out individuals. This is evident in the gospels, and it is evident to those of us who have been called to ministry. If we are to be like Christ, we need to seek out the other and do so strategically, intentionally in order to build the Kingdom on purpose. There are three main conversations we need to get really good at.
Discernment - Your conversation with God is priority #1 in your ministry. Seek first the Kingdom, and the rest will be given to you (Matt6:33). Your ministry belongs to Jesus. Make sure that it is His will that you are accomplishing.
Vision sharing - Once you have discerned God’s will for your ministry, you need to share it with others. Always and everywhere. In meetings, whenever you get in front of your constituents, on every flyer. Everywhere. Soak your parish in God’s call.
Crucial conversations - For every frustration that you have in your ministry, there is conversation that probably needs to be had.
Inentional Space and Time
Have you ever spent the entire morning just getting coffee and answering emails? If yes, you’re like me, and like me you can also probably do better. It’s important that you set up the proper systems and processes to use your space and time intentionally and do good work for the Kingdom.
Space - Is your office set up in a way that allows you to perform the tasks of your job? Are you constantly running to a conference room to meet with people because your office is too full of junk? Is your storage closet set up so you can reduce time spent setting up for ministry events? Does it look the way a professional’s work space should?
Time - How do you communicate with your parishioners? Do your emails elicit a response? Are you spending too much time creating flyers? Are you able to prioritize and eliminate items from your to-do list?
Intentional Growth
We all want to be excellent at what we do. Unfortunately, professional development lacks in most parish settings. Especially for new ministry professionals, this can make you feel like you’re swimming alone in an ocean of parish traditions and politics. If you want become a stellar parish professional and build a thriving parish community, you’ll need to learn how to set goals and seek out solutions to everyday issues.
So, why Catholic Ministry Professionals?
Because you want to avoid burnout, build a thriving parish, and fill your pews with people who love Jesus. Whatever struggles you may have at your parish, joyful ministry exists in the midst of better conversations, better work, and intentional growth.
