Parish ministry accompanies people through difficult times

Stephen Ministry was introduced to St. Anthony of Padua Parish of Butler parishioners at a Ministry Fair on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023.

Sue Krista is the parish’s Stephen Ministry Coordinator and a trained Leader. “We had a number of people that stopped by and asked questions,” Krista recalled. “Nine people gave me their information, so I think that was a win.”

Krista and St. Anthony of Padua Parish are seeking parishioners who can serve by investing time and compassion in folks who are facing challenges in life. For those interested in joining, intense training is involved, a total of 50 hours spread out over 20 weeks, for 2.5 hours weekly.

Krista went through the ministry’s formation when worshipping at St. Mary’s Parish in Pompton Lakes. Father Joseph Juracek, the pastor of St. Anthony’s, was serving as a parochial vicar at St. Mary’s at that time, and when transferred, he wanted Stephen Ministry at St. Anthony’s as well. Krista then joined St. Anthony’s, and the ministry is now transpiring.

“The Stephen Ministry is absolutely needed, and this is something that a person properly trained can do,” Krista said. She explained further. “They can walk a journey with someone who is suffering, and it could be anything at all. It could be an illness, loneliness, the death of a loved one, loss of a job. What we do is we train the people to walk with someone; it is always male to male or female to female.”

Stephen Ministry was founded in 1975 in St. Louis, Mo., by Dr. Kenneth C. Haugk, a pastor and clinical psychologist. Listening, presence, compassion, and prayer are key attributes of the ministry, and confidentiality is ensured. Questions can be asked from the ministers to those they are paired with, but advice or judgment is not to be offered.

According to Krista, the benefit of the Stephen Ministry is two-fold. Those challenged feel the loving care being extended to them, and they and the minister themselves both experience an increase in faith.

“Ministry grows the faith of ‘care-givers’ and the ‘care-receivers,’ ” Krista said. “We are amazed at how much we grow in our faith as the ‘care-givers,’ and we also always must remember that Christ is the ‘cure-giver.’ We are the ‘care-givers,’ the caretakers of the people in need, and Christ is unequivocally the ‘cure-giver’ for you. We are not trying to fix anybody. We are just there to walk their journey with them.”

Training for Stephen Ministry begins on Wednesday, March 15, 2023. For more information about the Stephen Ministry at St. Anthony of Padua Parish, visit saopp.org/stephen-ministry