Saints Aquila, Pricilla (left) and Lydia (right)
Pastoral associates in the Apostolic Church, but without the formal title

Vocation of the Pastoral Associate
Like their apostolic ancestors, the pastoral associate is a servant leader who supports the pastor’s sacramental and pastoral vocation by overseeing any combination of human resources, information technology, facility maintenance, finance and front-line pastoral needs of a parish or parish network.  A pastoral associate might develop financial reports, onboard new staff, implement an ecumenical food bank, respond to urgent calls for pastoral help (“doorbell needs”) and everything in between.

Overview of Formation Program
The program consists of a seven-month calendar of events at the Pastoral Center that starts with a Saturday gathering in December and ends with closing Mass and celebration in June. It includes eight, mostly two-week learning modules plus two participant-report sessions that meet Wednesday evenings at the Center and by Zoom (all Zoom from January to the end of March), a Saturday winter gathering, mentoring support and a practicum.

Due to the collaborative effort of diocesan staff and several parish leaders, lectures, gatherings and handouts are offered without charge, but participants will be responsible for obtaining some reading materials.

Upon successful completion of the program, they will receive a certificate of recognition from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, which they may use to pursue employment within the diocese.