DIOCESE—The new director of the Life and Family Evangelization Office sees her first day on the job as a sign.

 

Therese Stahl officially began her duties for the Diocese of Rockford on Feb. 14. Stahl comes to the job after serving almost 10 years as the Director of Evangelization and Faith Formation at St. John Neumann in St. Charles. The Feb. 14 date also marked her 19th wedding anniversary.

 

“Given the focus of the office’s ministry, I consider this a sign of the graces that God bestows on us all,” Stahl said of her first day.

 

“I look forward to focusing on the families of all ages, shapes, and sizes in our diocese, helping us all make our Catholic faith relevant and vital to our lives.” —Therese Stahl

“I am humbled that I have been chosen to lead these efforts on behalf of the bishop and the diocese. God is calling me to greater responsibility in my ministry, and I am confident that, with the team formed at the diocese, we can continue to do good things to further God’s Kingdom,” she said.

 

In addition to a long list of experience as a lay minister with parish and diocesan-level experience in administration, Stahl has experience in youth ministry, catechesis training and programming, along with experience and expertise in writing, editing, and managing special interest publications.

 

During her time at St. John Neumann Parish, Stahl also served as a deanery director to the Rockford Diocese, 2014-2016, including being a liaison between diocese and catechetical leaders in the Elgin deanery and working with the vicar of the deanery to ensure quality catechesis for all parishes in the deanery. 

 

She has served as the chair of the Editorial Committee for the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL), 2015-2017, directing a refocus of Catechetical Leadership magazine and restructuring its budget. She also served as the NCCL delegate to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Convocation of Catholic Leaders: The Joy of the Gospel in America, July 2017.

 

Stahl holds a bachelor’s degree in English from St. Xavier University, Chicago, and a Master’s degree in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University, Chicago. She also completed graduate courses at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. She is a certified catechetical leader for the Diocese of Rockford and is currently enrolled in classes in the Diocesan Theological Institute.

 

Excited to use her past experience both in and outside the Rockford Diocese, Stahl said, “I absolutely love the focus of the LiFE Office. We, as the people of God, work on our universal call to holiness in the context of relationships: our relationship with God and our relationships with each other. 

 

“Our families are often the first places we feel and see the reflection of God’s love. We help each other to our ultimate goal of heaven. 

 

“I look forward to focusing on the families of all ages, shapes, and sizes in our diocese, helping us all make our Catholic faith relevant and vital to our lives. This process of bringing our faith to bear upon our lives, of course, begins in the womb and how we welcome our babies into this world,” Stahl said. 

“We must choose life when faced with the decisions 

 

surrounding tough pregnancies. We must root our marriages in the sacrificial love modeled by Jesus Christ. Our families must be beacons of hope in a world that often turns its back upon the hope of Christ. With this vision, as set by the teaching of our beautiful Catholic faith, we can bring souls to Christ. I am eager to jump in!” she told The Observer.

 

You can reach the Life and Family Evangelization Office at 815-399-4300 and email Stahl at tstahl@rockforddiocese.org.