Hoping to Hire to Better Serve Families
ROCKFORD—It’s all about needed personnel when it comes to the hopes and plans for funds raised by the “You Will Be My Witnesses” capital campaign earmarked for the Life and Family Evangelization (LiFE) Office of the Diocese of Rockford.
Therese Stahl, director, says her office is “focused on family evangelization” even now, and hopes are to “boost our outreach to families” directly and through parishes.
She acknowledges that she does not know just how much money will be made available to them at this stage of the capital campaign. However, hopes are to be able to hire two full-time employees to research parishes’ specific needs and then develop resources to help parishes fill those needs, in both English- and Spanish-speaking communities, Stahl says.
As a diocesan office, we can help with best practices and effective ways to reach out and involve families in parishes, she says, pointing to the work of forming missionary disciples and intentionally-Catholic families who can, mostly through how they live their lives, both witness to their faith and live “that love of Christ in
the world.”
Those two new positions, with working titles of coordinator of Marriage Ministry and Natural Family Planning and coordinator of Family and Respect Life Ministries will find one employee focusing specifically on marriage preparation and enrichment, visioning the process and forming parish staffers
and volunteers.
That work to support the establishment of strong Catholic marriages — which create a solid foundation for both the Church and society — will include lessons and programs that help children understand the concept of marriage as one of several vocations. As they become teenagers, programs to encourage safe and healthy dating and how to live chastity will be researched and offered along with enrichment programs
for couples.
The other employee will focus on encouraging already-established families and human dignity, a position that Stahl says, “will complement what we (the LiFE Office) already do.”
Additionally, the employee may work to advocate for families in the State of Illinois during this time of anti-family, anti-life efforts, and provide help to accompany families who are struggling to negotiate those State efforts.
“The assistance of a diocesan-level office can really help parishes,” Stahl says, adding that they want to partner with pastors and parishes, listen to them and bring excellent materials to help parishes help their families.
“We need folks here who understand those communities” and are bilingual and bicultural, she says, adding, “We’ll have to see who comes and feels called to apply.
“We’re counting on the Holy Spirit to bring us good people” who have a love for the Church and for doing excellent work.
