Beth Parsons, longtime director of youth and young adult ministry at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Alcoa, has been named office manager for the Diocese of Knoxville Office of Vocations.
In her new role, Mrs. Parsons will work closely with the director of the diocese’s Office of Vocations, Father Joe Reed. She also will be working with Father David Carter, deanery coordinator for vocations, and Father Michael Hendershott and Father Scott Russell, associate vocation directors, as well as with Sister Mary Charles Mayer, RSM, who is the delegate for religious for the diocese.
For the past 15 years, Mrs. Parsons has served as the director of youth and young adult ministry at Our Lady of Fatima, which has had an active youth ministry program.
And for the past year she also has served as the Smoky Mountain Deanery coordinator for youth and young adult ministry.
In addition to her new role, she will continue as Smoky Mountain Deanery coordinator. A successor has been named to fill her position at Our Lady of Fatima and will begin there in July.
“I am very excited to be working with the seminarian process,” Mrs. Parsons said. “A very important part of my job is promoting vocations. Vocations are a vital part of our Church, and I’m looking forward to assisting in this.”
She said part of her work with the Office of Vocations will be serving as a liaison with the seminarians while they are away at school. Although they are attending seminary out of state, they continue to have responsibilities and assignments when they return to the diocese on breaks, over the summer, and as they near ordination to the transitional diaconate and then the priesthood.
Mrs. Parsons also will be promoting vocations to the religious orders.
“I’m continuing to work with young people, and vocations are the root of our faith. So I’m very excited to be working on this end of the process,” she said.
Comments 1
Congratulations!