Pastoral Assistant Music Liturgy

Primary Responsibility

St. Columban Catholic Church in Yelm, Washington is searching for an Organist/Choir director to serve as our PAA for Music and Liturgy. St. Columban’s ordinarily makes use of antiphonal chants and traditional hymns and uses the organ almost exclusively. The parish is in a beautiful, small but growing rural community, with two weekend masses: Saturday evening and Sunday morning. The person in this part time role will also assist with planning and executing all liturgical celebrations at the parish including: all parish liturgies/celebrations and celebrations for the parish including Weddings, Funerals, and Quincenearas as needed.

 Compensation will range from $21per hour to $25per hour equivalent but will be paid on a salary basis. Any offered salary will depend on individual candidate experience.

Please contact Jennifer Langham, [email protected] for more information on how to apply.  

Secondary Music and Liturgy Responsibilities

1. Serves as Choir Coordinator and Leader, including recruitment, training, musical selection, rehearsal, and direction.
2. Plays the Pipe Organ for parish liturgies and events or at a minimum can play piano and is comfortable singing and leading the people’s response.
3. Provides weekly rehearsal time for the choir to prepare for upcoming liturgies and can offer flexible additional rehearsal times as needed, especially for the larger Solemnities such as Christmas and Easter.
4. Has proficiency with computers/technology to populate and provide a monthly list of hymns/antiphons to the choir and provide recordings on the parish website for Choir to practice with.
5. Serves as Liturgy Coordinator to ensure that all liturgical needs for Mass are met or covered including working with the pastor to schedule equitable Mass times for both St. Peter Mission and St. Columban Parish, setting up rehearsals as needed, providing direction on the appropriate readings, and an Order of Mass for any given celebration as needed.
6. Collaborates with Liturgical Ministry leaders/volunteers to communicate liturgical needs and duties for any given liturgy or celebration
7. Maintain volunteer agreements and liability waivers for volunteers under position’s purview and collaborate with Safe Environment Coordinator to maintain volunteer compliance as needed.
8. Other duties as assigned.

Essential Qualifications

1. Level of music proficiency necessary to carry out the duties of this position. 
2. Familiarity with the tradition of Catholic music and the Roman Catholic order of the Mass. 
3. Ability and willingness to create a music program rooted in Catholic musical tradition. 

Other Elements

1. Strong organizational and interpersonal skills. 
2. Ability to recruit and lead volunteers. 
3. Openness to flexible hours, including regular weekend and evening work. 
4. Practicing Roman Catholic preferred.

Any offered salary is determined based on internal equity, internal salary ranges, market data, applicant’s skills and prior relevant experience, certain degrees and certifications.

Benefits: Eligible positions receive a comprehensive package of benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and disability, long term disability, pension, 403(b), HSA, FSA, and generous sick leave, vacation and holidays.