Secretaries are missionaries
The B.C. Catholic
The Archbishop of Vancouver has praised parish secretaries for their vital role in the local church.
“You are part of a great mission, which is to bring people closer to Jesus Christ and to the Church,” said Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, April 13.
“That’s why what you do matters so much: everything from running bulletins, stapling, entering records, working with statistics and numbers, and so on. All of the tasks you do are important.”
He met about 50 administrative assistants from 37 parishes at an annual development and networking day for them at the John Paul II Pastoral Centre.
“In many ways, you are the face of the Church that many people encounter,” he said.
“They approach you because they want access in some way into the life of the Church. So I really admire you for your patience and for all you do to welcome them, to help them. That’s what our task is here.”
He described the parish secretaries as gatekeepers and urged them to welcome everyone who knocks or calls, whether they attend Mass every Sunday or have not seen the inside of a church in years.
“You are gatekeepers to facilitate entry into the deeper life. What you do really is about Jesus. Sometimes it’s really clear. Sometimes it’s perhaps harder to see.”
Sister John Mary Sullivan, FSE, also encouraged the parish employees, and called them to act as ambassadors of mercy to all they meet.
“Sometimes we get caught in this notion that in order to be missionary, we must go to Africa. The fact of the matter is, in your very parish you are missionary,” she said.
Sister Sullivan said secretaries and receptionists are like the apostle Andrew, who introduced Peter, his brother, to Christ, in a move he didn’t know would affect all of Church history.
“You are called into mission just as the apostles were called into mission. What were they called to do? They were called to bear the Gospel message.”
Especially during this Year of Mercy, parish secretaries and all Catholics are called to be bridges that allow people to encounter God, she said.
“We’re all called to be the face of Christ to others.”
The day-long event also included a session on task and email management, lunch with Archbishop Miller, discussion periods, and a social.
