Stephen Ministry is a ministry at St. Francis of Assisi in which trained and supervised laypeople, called Stephen Ministers, provide one-to-one Christian care to individuals facing life’s challenges, whatever those challenges may be. The USCCB highlights the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching on its website. Of these seven themes, there is one that Stephen Ministry addresses directly: Call to Family, Community, and Participation. Stephen Ministers are ready to walk alongside those in need and provide comfort and support for as long as needed. As it says in James 2:14-17, “Our faith is dead if we ignore others in need.”
Stephen Ministers listen, understand, accept, and pray for and with their care receivers. They are trained in active listening to walk with those dealing with stress, grief, life transitions, or other concerns. They offer empathetic listening, unconditional positive regard, and other resources and referrals as needed. They do not offer advice but create a non-judgmental, completely confidential environment for care receivers to express themselves, ensuring they feel safe and respected.
Those receiving care and the Stephen Ministers meet once a week for about an hour for as long as the care receiver needs it; usually a year. The best and most accurate description of the Stephen Ministry is: People Helping People. Stephen Ministers come from the community to care for the community. In fact, after their training, Stephen Ministers are formally commissioned to serve the needs of the community at large. St. Francis’ Stephen Ministry is part of a worldwide caregiving network, and we are fortunate to have a vibrant Stephen Ministry to address the needs of an active and large community like St. Francis. We have over twenty active Stephen Ministers and five Stephen Leaders here in our parish, ensuring that no one in our community needs to feel alone in their struggles.
Undoubtedly, the many ministries at St. Francis model the Catholic faith to the larger community surrounding our parish, including the Stephen Ministry. By being active in the larger surrounding community and serving God’s creation, we become the face of God to others. Former Pastor David McBriar, as he called us to serve this larger community around us, often quoted our patron St. Francis as saying, “Preach the Gospel at all times, use words if necessary.” The many and diverse ministries at St. Francis put this to practice every day.
Individuals interested in becoming a Stephen Minister or thinking they could benefit from being paired with a Stephen Minister can call 919-847-8205 (EXT 234) or email Stephenministry@stfrancisraleigh.org. They can also reach out directly to any current Stephen Minister or Stephen Leader.