What are the responsibilities and job description for the DIRECTOR OF THE ARCHDIOCESAN SPIRITUALITY CENTER position at Archdiocese of New Orleans?
MINISTRY SEARCH
DIRECTOR OF THE ARCHDIOCESAN SPIRITUALITY CENTER
The Archdiocesan Spirituality Center seeks to hire a new Director as of July 1, 2025.
The Archdiocesan Spirituality Center was established as a ministry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans in 1982 and has been serving and ministering to the clergy, religious and laity in the Archdiocese of New Orleans and beyond for forty-two years. The ministry is dedicated to on-going spiritual direction, directing 19th Annotation retreats, training of new spiritual directors, ongoing formation of active spiritual directors and faith companions, as well as offering days of prayer and workshops.
Housed on the campus of St. Mary Magdalen Parish in Metairie, LA, the Staff is comprised of the Director, two part-time assistant Directors and an Administrative Assistant. Six spiritual directors volunteer their services on a part-time basis; they are an integral part of the Center's mission. The Spirituality Center operates under the auspices of the Archdiocese of New Orleans but is semi-autonomous with a separate Board of Directors and a board-approved annual operating budget.
The Broad Duties of the Director include:
• Promoting and facilitating the Vision and Ministry of the ASC (see below)
• Overseeing the Internship in Spiritual Direction Formation Program-a two-year training program to develop new spiritual directors.
• Serving as the ambassador for the ministry of the Spirituality Center in the broader Catholic community in a variety of ways.
• Establishing and maintaining good communication with the Bishops of Louisiana related to the internship training program
• Supporting the Archbishop of New Orleans in his spiritual leadership initiatives and offering resources to pastors for the spiritual enrichment for their parishioners
• Working with the Board of Directors to accomplish the goals of this ministry.
The Day-to-Day Responsibilities of the Director include:
• Collaborating with the full-time and part-time staff of the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center to provide the following services:
o to organize and participate in programs offered by the Archdiocesan Spirituality Center such as: individual spiritual direction, the formation of new spiritual directors and ongoing formation opportunities for existing active spiritual directors, lectures, workshops, and seminars fostering spiritual development, sponsoring retreats using the facilities of nearby retreat centers, and sponsoring programs which meet the needs of religious, clergy and laity of the Archdiocese.
o To identify, recruit and facilitate the participation of part-time staff members in the programs offered by the Center by recognizing the particular gifts of each spiritual director and calling them forth to enrich the ministry of Spiritual Direction within the Archdiocese.
• Overseeing office operations including managing finances within the constraints of the annual operating budget.
• Developing an annual calendar of programs and planning its dissemination and promotion
• Collaborating with the Louisiana Association of Spiritual Directors (LASD)
• Directly participating in offering ongoing spiritual direction, directing retreats and other programs of the ASC
QUALIFICATIONS DESIRED:
1. A practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church. While the previous directors have been religious sisters, this position is open to lay persons, deacons, sisters, brothers or religious who meet the qualifications.
2. Masters in Theology or Religious Education
3. Advanced training or formation in Spiritual Direction, specifically in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, which is foundational for the Internship in Spiritual Direction Formation Program.
4. Experience in providing on-going spiritual direction, retreats and the 19th annotation retreat.
5. Interpersonal skills and the ability to work with a Board of Directors and staff members. Good verbal and written communication skills
6. Leadership or managerial experience, ideally with a Church-related ministry.
If interested, please send your resume with a cover letter expressing your interest and qualifications for this position to:
Archdiocesan Spirituality Center
Attention: Mr. Lloyd Tate
1005 Airline Pk. Blvd.
Metairie, LA 70003
For more information email: archspirctr@arch-no.org or telephone: (504) 861-3254
Vision and Ministry
The Archdiocesan Spirituality Center is committed to nurturing the spiritual growth of the clergy, religious and laity of the Archdiocese.
The Center is dedicated to the ministry of spiritual direction as a means of encouraging this spiritual growth.
All relationships develop as two persons pay attention to each other. Spiritual direction seeks to enable a person to be more attentive to God. It is a conversation in which the director helps the directee to grow in his/her relationship with God by noticing how God is revealed through the unique circumstances of the directee's everyday life and prayer.
The Center carries out its ministry by:
- individual spiritual direction
- group spiritual direction
- formation of spiritual directors
- formation of faith companions
- supervision and on-going formation for spiritual directors
- weeks of directed prayer
- seminars, workshops and lectures on spiritual topics
The staff can make referrals for pastoral counseling and psychotherapy but the Center does not provide these services.