Screening of Volunteers

[prophetdaniel]

Is it unprofessional to mention to the children (Pre to grade 5) that certain assistants are no longer back because the assistants do not even make an effort to go to Mass at a parish near their home? Of course I’d follow with an explanation about why we gather together as a community on Sundays.

 

[puzzleannie]

prophetdaniel:

Is it unprofessional to mention to the children (Pre to grade 5) that certain assistants are no longer back because the assistants do not even make an effort to go to Mass at a parish near their home? s.

no it is not appropriate to give any personal information at all about volunteers, to students or anybody else, that violates confidentiality.

 

[prophetdaniel]

puzzleannie:

no it is not appropriate to give any personal information at all about volunteers, to students or anybody else, that violates confidentiality.

I thought so. I have never done that and will never. The children never ask me anyways.
carol marie:

At my old Protestant church you had to sign a form that stated you were “allowed” to work with children & then they did a background check to make sure. They weren’t taking any chances. Do you think Catholic Churches do that also?

Depends on the country, the parish, and the leadership. I always visit a parish while on vacation. I ask about the training and interview process for volunteer cathecist positions. When I return home I share it with the parish community and the parish priests and nuns. The point is that things are being taken for granted.

puzzleannie:

it’s not a numbers game…One person in the wrong spot can do so much damage it is not worth keeping them on. A child’s faith and spirituality is precious but fragile, and our first job is not to damage it, but nurture it.

I agree. I think I’m too nice by trying to please everyone. The feedback is that I should keep these young people so that they have a reason to come to Mass. My view is leadership in Children’s Liturgy is not a place for that, nor is it a place for people wanting to help out just because they are “bored” during Mass.

 

[Santa_Cruz]

puzzleannie:

In a well run parish all volunteers would serve 3 year rotations, then be asked to step aside for new people to come forward to serve. This would eliminate one of the major problems in parishes - ownership of ministries, i.e. one couple “owns” the 9:00 Mass choir, the same 3 couples are “always” lectors at 10:30, so new volunteers never get a chance, the leadership of parish council bumping among 2-3 people. If the pastoral leaders do not remove catechists who are not doing the job, they are blocking the action of the Holy Spirit who is calling new people.

what helps me is that I am “not from here” which means I am not emotionally tied to the parish and the people, I can be much more clear headed about recruiting, evaluating and firing volunteers.

Oh gosh, I agree so much with you. I have seen it in my church. We have a person who just loves to bragg about all her church work.
I don’t mind background and fingerprint checks. I belive they should be by law.

I think that in California and Colorado it is law.

You know if during the interview you find that the person lived in another State it may be a good idea to background that state also.

 

[puzzleannie]

prophetdaniel:

I
I agree. I think I’m too nice by trying to please everyone. The feedback is that I should keep these young people so that they have a reason to come to Mass. My view is leadership in Children’s Liturgy is not a place for that, nor is it a place for people wanting to help out just because they are “bored” during Mass.

CLOW is not a substitute for catechesis, nor for educating children on the Mass and how to participate. It is intended for very young children, before they make first communion, so that they may hear the gospel proclaimed and have a short teaching on the gospel more suited to their own understanding. If you have regular Masses for pre-schoolers, this can be a valuable time to teach them how to participate and what is going on at Mass. The volunteers should rotate so that the adults do not miss participation in Mass, with an adult homily, on a regular basis. Once children have made first communion their place is in the Sunday assembly with the parish.

for the person who is always bragging about all the service they do for the parish, ideally one person should be engaged in only one ministry, particulary during liturgy. EMHCs should not be lectors, cantors, ushers and vice versa. This policy was very strongly adhered to in a previous parish. For a volunteer recognition dinner we had almost 400 people in a parish of fewer than 2000 families, because most volunteers do only one thing - teach CCD, lector, take care of the grounds, work in the food bank etc.

 

[prophetdaniel]

puzzleannie:

CLOW is not a substitute for catechesis, nor for educating children on the Mass and how to participate. It is intended for very young children…for the person who is always bragging about all the service they do for the parish…

I am aware of the purpose of CLOW. I am trained along with 3 friends by the Archdiocese. We rotate so I am at a full Mass 3 of 4 times per month. Sometimes, I will also go to Saturday service.

After 2 years, I’ve found a few Jrs who I can send for training. I did not send previous Jrs for training 'cos of the high turnover (firing people who were nothing but “all talk”).

This past Sunday I announced training is mandatory. I said “Where will we be if Saint Paul or one of the 12 decided to only spread the Good News when it was convenient or when he felt like it?”

Response :bigyikes: . They are willinging to go. Phew! I am still concerned that people believe I take volunteering “church work” too serious.

I’ll probably be letting go our youngest Jr. I’ve talked to him twice about skipping Sundays to study. I’m not his parents or his godparent.
Santa Cruz:

Oh gosh, I agree so much with you. I have seen it in my church. We have a person who just loves to bragg about all her church work…

This often backfires long-term and everyone finds about it and disapproves of such behavior. The higher the position, the more responsibility, the more humble one is to be. Is this person always trying to be in the spot light? Caller her a bragger tells me she does contribute but needs an attitude adjustment. It could be worse. I deal with people I call “serving in ministry only at one’s convience.” Example: not showing up to do the prep work but showing up to do work at the event and expecting others to fill him/her on what’s going on.