General Summary of the Position
The Office for Persons with Disabilities fosters the full communion of people with all disabilities into the life of the Church in the Diocese of Dallas and serves as a pastoral resource for deaneries, parishes, families and individuals. The Associate Director assists the Director and serves as the principal project management agent for the Community of Disciples Initiative which involves the accompaniment and mentorship of parish leaders within the diocese.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities of the Position
• Under the leadership of the Director, and in close collaboration with the Senior Director
of Ministries, leads the planning, implementation, and ongoing assessment of the Community of Disciples Initiative.
• Build relationships with the Ministries Offices, diocesan parish clergy, and leadership staff to identify possible candidates for each of the cohorts.
• Coordinates and plans each of the six phases of the program (including discernment and ministerial praxis).
• Actively collaborates with the Director of Worship in the concrete design and implementation of the sensory-friendly Masses.
• Fosters an environment for ministry that empowers, welcomes, includes and promotes the full participation of persons with disabilities in the life of our local church.
• Assist the Director in the development of the quarterly report as delineated by the Lilly Endowment agreement.
• Other duties as assigned
Additional Ministerial Responsibilities:
• Leads the initial research of sensory-friendly Masses and formation through aesthetics
best practices.
• Engages in an in-depth study of the sensory-friendly Mass as the initial-ground, a concrete pathway for children with disabilities to eventually join the Christian community in Sunday worship.
• Convokes partners to design and lead parish outreach, sensory-friendly Masses, and
formation formats.
Position Requirements
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Practicing Catholic in good standing with knowledge of the contemporary Catholic understanding of evangelization, disabilities, and Christian anthropology.
• Knowledge and understanding of disabilities, including the US Bishops guidelines and pastoral recommendations.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills both in English and Spanish (preferred).
• Excellent interpersonal, collaborative, and organizational skills.
• Excellent record keeping skills.
• Ability to handle multiple priorities; flexibility in handling a variety of projects and heavy
workload.
• Ability to effectively manage persons and resources. Experience in team-building, goaldirected/data-informed approach, and strategic planning.
• Strong sense of confidentiality.
• Sensitivity working in a multicultural setting with the ability to apply intercultural competencies.
• Self-motivated and self-started, requiring minimal day-to-day direction.
• Periodic travel within the Diocese is requited; one must be licensed, able to drive, and provide own transportation.
Education and Experience:
• A bachelor's degree in Theology or a related field, required
• Minimum 5 years of experience in ministry (parish, diocesan, or national), required
Special Requirements:
• Ability and willingness to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends when
required.
Physical Requirements Specific to the Job:
• Ability to upload, setup and collect sensory friendly mass materials.
DO NOT REMOVE
This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of the duties and responsibilities of the position. The duties and responsibilities of the position may be changed at the sole discretion of the Diocese of Dallas - Pastoral Center.
The Diocese of Dallas - Pastoral Center reserves the right to modify this job description without notice to the employee. This job description is not a contract and does not alter the employee's at-will employment status.
