July 25, 1999

Catching and Keeping Your Volunteers, Part 4 of 4

Part 2: Ten Tips for Volunteer Recruitment

Part 3: The Volunteer Interview: Making It Count

Encounter at St. Abigail's
A Sample Interview
by Christopher Weber

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Anne: Hi. Sorry I'm late.

DRE: Hi, Anne. Come in! Have a seat. Can I get you a cup of coffee or tea?

Anne: No, thanks. I just had some with dinner. I'm sorry for being late; the kids had a surprise soccer practice. Usually they meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but because of the school closing yesterday, they moved it to today.

DRE: No problem. Those things happen. With the change, is this time still okay to meet? We could reschedule -

Anne: -Oh no, this is fine. My neighbor has kids there as well, and agreed to take them home if I don't get back by the end.

DRE: Well, we'll be sure to get you out of here on time. As I said on the phone, our visit shouldn't be any longer than 40 minutes.

Anne: Great.

DRE: Why don't we start with a short prayer?

The DRE reads Matthew 28:16-20, and then offers a spontaneous prayer.

God, thank you the gift of your powerful Gospel, which gives us life. Thank you for the opportunity to share your Word and share faith with our families, our friends, and the people here at St. Abigail's. Be with us today as we discern your call. Amen!

Thank you, Anne, for coming. I appreciate your interest in our catechetical program. I am sure that today's soccer practice is just one part of your family's very busy routine. Maybe we could start there. Could you tell me a bit more about yourself? Your interests?

Anne describes her family, her hobbies, and her family activities. In addition to soccer, her children are in the school band and her daughter takes dance lessons. Anne is also a volunteer for the girl scouts. The DRE takes note of her hobbies for possible ideas when it comes to little appreciation gifts, should she become a volunteer.

Anne: ...and I enjoy gardening. We are just seeing the tomatoes now. We love the fresh vegetables during the summer months.

DRE: You are right -- there is nothing better! Although the zucchini kind of takes over after a while!

Anne: We don't plant any for just that reason; we seem to get plenty from the neighbors!

DRE: It sounds like you are very busy.

Anne: We are, but we enjoy it. That's one of the reasons why we came to St. Abigail's. Our previous parish didn't have anywhere near the activities and programs for families.

DRE: I noticed you at the parish picnic last fall. Your husband helps with the soup kitchen ministry, I believe? We also appreciate all of the feedback you gave during our family sacramental sessions. Involvement in parish life seems important to you.

Anne: Joe and I have always been active in our parish. We both come from families who regularly attended mass. We feel it is important to have some time during the week to reflect upon what is really important in your life. Church gives us those moments, and time to give something back to God. We encourage Jeremy and Carla to take that time, too.

DRE: That's wonderful. You have had Jeremy and Carla in our faith formation program for the past year or so. You obviously enrolled them because their growth in faith is important to you. What are some of the things that you would hope for them to gain by participating in our program?

Anne describes her hopes for her children's faith development. In so doing, it is obvious that she also describes much about her own walk of faith. The DRE then explains that this walk of faith is the primary concern of the catechist. She describes the age levels in the catechetical program, and gives Anne a brief outline of the responsibilities of the catechist, the time commitment and training involved, and some of the rewards of being a catechist.

Anne expresses interest in teaching one of her children's classes. However, she is not sure about the time commitment.

DRE: I can certainly understand your hesitation. Being a catechist demands much of your time and energy. That is why I would ask you to take time to prayerfully consider this ministry. If you decide to pursue it further, you can fill out and return the volunteer application that I have included in the packet. Not everyone who applies is accepted for the ministry of catechist. But I will do all that I can to help you discern the best way to share your faith and gifts.

Anne and the DRE agree to follow up later in the week via phone call. The DRE thanks her for coming by.

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Follow Up: Three Days Later

A couple of days after their interview, the DRE receives Anne's volunteer application. She passes Anne's name past the pastor, and calls the references on her form. Anne's references suggest that she would be an excellent catechist, and the pastor is aware of nothing that would interfere with her performance in this ministry. The DRE then returns Anne's phone call regarding some "concerns".

DRE: Anne, I was very pleased to receive our application form, but I understand you have some more questions about serving the parish as a catechist.

Anne: Yes, I do. Thanks for getting back to me. After we met, I reviewed the packet of materials you gave me. I am very interested in volunteering, but I am wary of the time involved. The sample job description mentions not just the teaching, but also going to training. How often would I have to do that?

DRE: Our parish requires everyone entering the ministry of catechist for the first time to complete a basic orientation before they begin. There are various ways to complete this, but the simplest way is a Saturday retreat option offered in September. This event gives you all of the basics for getting started as a catechist. We also  send people to the Institute in Baltimore, offered the second Saturday in October. I do an orientation session here at the parish in conjunction with a potluck dinner, too. This is a great opportunity to not only receive training, but also meet many of the wonderful people who also serve as catechists. As I mentioned the last time we met, we want catechists to begin this ministry on the right foot and to be prepared.

Anne: Are there other training events throughout the year?

DRE: Yes. Twice a year I extend on of our monthly catechist meetings to a full hour, and give you a mini "update" on important catechetical issues. We schedule these during your regular session times so you don't have to plan another night out. Instead of coming to teach, catechists come to be updated and share. There are also a number of programs offered around the Archdiocese for your growth and enrichment.

Anne: About how many hours of training are required?

DRE: In the first year, we require the basic training, which is six to eight hours, plus the catechist meetings. After the first year, we ask every catechist to take four to eight hours of training a year. Some of these events are offered here at the parish, some regionally, and some by the Archdiocese.

Anne: This seems like an awful lot. What if I can't make it to all of the training?

DRE: As I noted at our meeting, this ministry does involve quite a commitment. At the same time, these are excellent opportunities to grow in your knowledge of the Church and our traditions, your own faith, and the very unique skills needed to be an effective catechist. Once they get into it, most catechists thank me for "making them go"!  Some of this formation can be done at home, with the help of the Echoes of Faith video series. I plan to facilitate some of the sessions here throughout the year, and will also encourage newer volunteers to pair up and work through the material with another, more seasoned catechist.

Anne: I'm eager to learn more about my faith, and to gain effective teaching skills. I just don't want to make the commitment if I can't follow through. Between preparation, weekly sessions, and training, this will require a significant block of time.

DRE: I can certainly appreciate that! And I don't want you to commit to something that won't work. Did your friend Robin talk to you?

Anne: Yes, she did. She was actually instrumental in my volunteering to help. She has thoroughly enjoyed being a catechist, and really wants me to co-teach our daughters' third grade class.

DRE: Do you think that would help wit the commitment factor? You could both prepare the sessions, and then co-facilitate them. You might also decide to occasionally give each other an evening off.

Anne: That might work well. I would feel better about the commitment if I had someone to share it with and to back me up.

DRE: Well, if you haven't already guessed, we have reviewed your application and your references, and we would very much like to have you as a catechist. If you would like to talk to Robin about it...

Anne: I'll give her a call this afternoon.

DRE: And then we'll talk again?

Anne: We'll talk...about getting started as a catechist!

©1999 by the Catholic Education Ministries Center of Central Maryland