Steward for Pastoral Care Ministries

Position Title: Steward for Pastoral Care Ministries
Reports To: Pastor
Schedule: FTE 1.0 (40 hours per week). Monday–Friday; occasional Saturdays and parish events

Parish Family Description

Through the Partners in the Gospel initiative, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle has integrated parishes and resources into groupings of parish families that are now in the process of becoming new canonical parishes.

St. Michael Parish and St. Michael Parish School in Olympia, WA comprise a truly vibrant multicultural Catholic community that serves approximately 2,800 families, representing 7,000 individual mass attendees per weekend and approximately 440 school students enrolled in pre-k through 8th grade. The past decade has witnessed unprecedented growth in parish life engagement, ministry participation, and school enrollment.

Saint Edward Parish in Shelton, WA is a diverse parish, inclusive of many ethnic cultures and bilingual function,serving approximately 1200 families per weekend, which strongly suggests vitality for years to come.

Position Summary

The Steward for Pastoral Care provides leadership, coordination, and oversight ministries of compassion, accompaniment, responsiveness, encouragement (C.A.R.E.), across Saint Michael and Saint Edward Parish family. This position ensures that parishioners and members of the wider community receive support during times of illness, grief, disability, loneliness, hardship, and life transition.

Grounded in the Gospel call to “love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34), the Steward for Pastoral Care develops ministries that foster dignity, belonging, healing, and connection. The role collaborates with parish staff, clergy, volunteers, community organizations, and ministry leaders to strengthen a culture of care and service within Saint Michael and Saint Edward Parish family and the surrounding community.

Parish Family Responsibilities

Eucharistic Visits to the Homebound 

• Coordinate, train, and support Eucharistic Visitors who bring Holy Communion, prayer, and pastoral presence to parish family members who are temporarily or permanently homebound. 
• Provide ongoing formation, communication, and support for Eucharistic Ministers serving in this ministry. 
• Ensure appropriate pastoral follow-up and communication with clergy regarding sacramental needs. 

Eucharistic Visits to Patients at Providence Saint Peter Hospital

• Maintain regular communication and collaboration with the Director of Hospital Spiritual Care, hospital chaplains, and Eucharistic Visitors.
• Coordinate, train, support, and commission Eucharistic Visitors who bring Holy Communion, prayer, and pastoral presence to parishioners who are temporarily or permanently homebound. 
• Provide ongoing formation, communication, and support for Eucharistic Ministers serving in this ministry. 
• Ensure appropriate pastoral follow-up and communication with clergy regarding sacramental needs. 

Compassion Ministry

• Supervise, train, regularly communicate and assist volunteers. 
• Ensure that no Catholic, or loved one of a Catholic, faces the experience of dying alone.
• Prepare trained, compassionate parishioners who can accompany individuals and families through serious illness, the dying process, death, and the early period of grief
• Work closely with the pastor, clergy, Eucharistic Ministers to the Homebound, hospice, hospitals, and other appropriate professionals. 
• Cultivate awareness of accompanying people not simply toward death, but toward Christ.

Phone Call Ministry

• Supervise, regularly communicate and assist ministry leader and volunteers to ensure every parishioner feels known, valued, and spiritually supported.
• Supervise program offering phone calls of acknowledgement, prayer, and connection. 

Grief Groups

• Serve as staff contact and coordinator for all grief ministries and gatherings within parish family.

Working Hands

• Serve as staff contact to coordinate practical assistance for homebound residents through minor home repairs and maintenance. 
• Support projects such as building ramps, repairing appliances, yard work, and other household needs.

Partnership Organizations

• Chaplains Association for Public Safety - Thurston County (CAPS-TC) serve as staff point of contact for chaplain first responders.

• Project Rachel Ministry: serve as staff point of contact in supporting women, men, and family members experiencing grief or emotional distress following an abortion by connecting them with confidential Catholic post-abortion healing resources.

Pastoral Care and Community Outreach Commission

• Collaborate with Steward for Community Outreach to represent the Pastoral Care and Community Outreach Commission in supporting parish decision-making and ministry development. 
• Work closely with commission members in initiatives such as annual grant distribution to community organizations. 
• Provide pastoral insight, ministry coordination, and recommendations for pastoral care and outreach priorities. 

Saint Michael Parish: Additional Responsibilities 

Support Groups

• Oversee and support faith-based ministries that provide companionship, healing, and spiritual support for individuals and families experiencing grief, illness, loss, and life challenges.

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Grief Support

Saturday Mornings, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm(late November – late February)

• Facilitate weekly meetings and structured grief support cycles
• Coordinate grief support programs for individuals coping with the death of a loved one, illness, or other significant life challenges
• Provide group and individual support grounded in Catholic faith and compassion

Monday Evenings, 6:00 – 7:30 pm

• Supervise, support and stay in contact with group leader; occasionally attend meetings
• Coordinate regular meetings focused on prayer, encouragement, and accompaniment

St. Peregrine Cancer Support Group

Thursdays, 6:00 – 7:30 pm(in person and via Zoom)

• Supervise, support and stay in contact with group leader; occasionally attend meetings
• Support individuals living with cancer, survivors, caregivers, family members, and friends
• Coordinate prayer, sharing, and support opportunities through in-person and online gatherings

St. Dymphna Dementia and Alzheimer's Support Group

Wednesday Mornings, 10:00 – 11:30 am

• Supervise, support and stay in contact with group leader; occasionally attend meetings
• Provide support and resources for families and caregivers of individuals experiencing dementia and Alzheimer's disease
• Coordinate regular meetings focused on education, prayer, encouragement, and accompaniment

St. Catherine of Siena Miscarriage and Infant Loss Ministry

• Provide compassionate one-on-one support for individuals and families grieving miscarriage, stillbirth, or neonatal loss

Our Lady of Lourdes Suicide Loss Support Group

Cycles scheduled according to need and request

• Facilitate 8-week support cycles
• Provide a safe, faith-based environment for individuals grieving the loss of a loved one to suicide
• Offer accompaniment, prayer, and resources to support healing and hope

One-to-One Grief Support

• Provided as needed

All support ministries are rooted in Catholic faith while welcoming people of all religious backgrounds. These ministries provide compassionate peer support and do not replace professional counseling.

Faith and Light: Inclusion & Fellowship

• Serve as staff contact to support the Faith and Light community, an international ministry that brings together individuals with disabilities, families, and friends for prayer, fellowship, and celebration. 
• Promote inclusion, friendship, and meaningful participation in parish life.

Prayer Shawl Group

• Serve as staff contact to support volunteers who create prayer shawls while praying for those who will receive them. 
• Coordinate the blessing of shawls by clergy. 
• Supervise distribution of shawls to individuals experiencing illness, grief, hardship, or celebrating significant life moments. 

Qualifications

Core Competencies Required

• Lead, coordinate, and strengthen ministries of compassion, accompaniment, responsiveness, and encouragement (C.A.R.E.) across both parishes.
• Recruit, train, support, and coordinate volunteers; develop ministry guidelines, resources, and programs.
• Provide compassionate pastoral presence to individuals and families experiencing illness, grief, disability, loneliness, hardship, or life transitions, including home, hospital, hospice, and assisted-living visits.
• Maintain timely communication and appropriate follow-through, connecting individuals with clergy, parish ministries, and community resources as needed.
• Collaborate with clergy, parish staff, volunteers, and community partners to identify pastoral needs and develop effective responses.
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality, professional boundaries, and records; evaluate ministry effectiveness and encourage ongoing improvement.
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Qualifications

• Faith and Spiritual Maturity: A strong, active Catholic faith; a commitment to the mission of the Church; and a desire for continued spiritual and pastoral formation.
• Pastoral Compassion: Demonstrated empathy, patience, prayerfulness, sound judgment, and the ability to accompany people through difficult and sensitive circumstances with dignity and respect.
• Leadership and Collaboration: Experience or demonstrated ability in ministry leadership, volunteer coordination, program development, and collaborative relationship-building.
• Communication and Organization: Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills; effective time management; and the ability to manage multiple priorities, schedules, and timely follow-through.
• Pastoral Discernment and Boundaries: Ability to recognize pastoral needs, respond appropriately to urgent situations, maintain confidentiality, and identify when professional, medical, counseling, or social-service referrals are appropriate.
• Administrative and Technology Skills: Proficiency with standard office applications, email, calendars, spreadsheets, and digital communication tools.
• Flexibility and Initiative: Ability to work independently, adapt to changing pastoral needs, and provide timely support through visits and other ministry activities.
• Education and Formation: Relevant pastoral-care experience, ministry training, theological education, or equivalent experience is desirable, along with a commitment to ongoing learning and formation.

Any offered salary is determined based on internal equity, internal salary ranges, market data, applicant’s skills and prior relevant experience, certain degrees and certifications.

Benefits: Eligible positions receive a comprehensive package of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and disability, long term disability, pension, 403(b), HSA, FSA, and generous sick leave, vacation and holidays.