A two-day Parish Social Ministry Regional Training workshop will be held April 27-28 in St. Anthony of Padua Church, 156 Maxwell Ave., Hightstown. The workshop, which will be hosted by the Catholic Charities offices for the Trenton and Metuchen Dioceses along with Catholic Charities USA, will feature a panel of speakers including Msgr. Kevin Sullivan, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New York on April 27.

The following day’s presenters include Lucreda Cobbs of Catholic Charities USA who will speak on advocacy; Jan Jamroz of Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, N.Y., who will speak on outreach, and Rachel Lustig of Catholic Charities USA, who will speak on leadership development.

Msgr. Sullivan was appointed executive director of Catholic Charities in the New York Archdiocese in 2001 after serving as chief operating officer for five years and in other leadership positions for more than 17 years. He continues to represent the Catholic Charities agencies in public policy discussions about issues such as immigration, welfare reform, job development and foster care. He served as a member of the New York City Council Speaker’s Commission on Homelessness, the Public Policy Committee of the New York State Catholic Conference and has provided expert testimony about human service issues before congressional committees.

As senior director of policy and legislative affairs for Catholic Charities USA, Cobbs works with membership to inform the organization’s public policy agenda, to engage the broadest local participation in Catholic Charities USA legislative work and provide advocacy training for local Catholic Charities agencies. In addition, Cobbs is responsible for developing legislative policies and strategies on immigration, juvenile justice, prisoner re-entry, hunger and senior policy.

Catholic Charities Parish Social Ministry in the Diocese of Rockville Centre, of which Jamroz is director, works closely with the Catholic parishes on Long Island in training and supporting pastors, parish staff and volunteers who serve the needs of their communities through their PSM programs.

Jamroz served on the Catholic Charities USA Parish Social Ministry Leadership Team from 2003-2009. This team, with representatives from many dioceses, supports and promotes Parish Social Ministry across the country with training, conferences, publications and resources.

As senior vice president of Mission and Ministry at Catholic Charities USA, Lustig is responsible for directing efforts to build mission-inspired leadership at Catholic Charities and its extended network in order to build a more just and compassionate society. She leads a team that forms leaders to reduce poverty in a manner that reflects the values of Catholic social teaching. These efforts are focused through the Parish Social Ministry, Catholic Identity, Racial Equality/Diversity and Training departments of Catholic Charities USA.

The workshop will conclude Saturday afternoon with a keynote address on “Let’s Do Justice Today” given by Jay and Maureen Jorgensen of St. John Vianney Parish, Colonia.

The Jorgensens became interested in Catholic Social Teaching through their involvement in the JustFaith program in St. John Vianney Parish, Colonia, where they served as co-facilitators of the program, and are currently involved in the parish social justice ministry. The Jorgensens’ presentation focuses on the Scriptural basis of social justice and its interrelationship with civil laws and the three major religious traditions.  The couple also shares their own personal journey to social justice awareness. 

In addition to the presentations, the workshop will feature a “marketplace of ideas” in which innovative ideas on parish ministry are going to be highlighted. Among the presenters will be Deacon David Papuga founder of the Career Transition Partnership, which is an employment training program. Deacon Papuga serves as business manager in Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Moorestown.

Registration fee for the workshop is $75 before April 13 or $100 after April 13. Fee includes continental breakfast and lunch. Limited scholarship assistance is available.

To register, visit: www.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org/PSMtraining.

For more information, contact Joyce Campbell, Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton, at 609-394-5181, ext. 1138 or e-mail: [email protected]