Bishop Joseph A. Galante has announced three appointments to diocesan offices.
Stephen F. Obarski has been named director of the Office of Worship for the diocese. Previously, he served as the director of the Office of Worship for the Diocese of Kansas City – St. Joseph in Missouri from 2004 to August of 2008. In that capacity, he was responsible for diocesan liturgies and liturgical ministry formation, including the formation of lay leaders of prayer and the liturgical formation of candidates for the Diaconate.
He worked with over twenty parishes in that diocese on church building or renovation projects, and has consulted on projects outside the Kansas City – St. Joseph diocese. He also served as a workshop presenter and convention coordinator for the National Association of Pastoral Musicians and the Form/Reform Conference, as well as a speaker to parish groups.
From 1983-2004 he was Music Coordinator for the Diocese of Camden. During that time, he founded the Diocesan Choir and served as Director of Music and Liturgy at Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Westville Grove, N.J.
Mr. Obarski holds a B.A. from Fordham University in New York City, and an M.A. in Liturgical Praxis from LaSalle University in Philadelphia. A church organist for over forty years, he studied organ with the late Earl Ness at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Travis Lawmaster has been named director of the Office of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministries. Previously he served as campus minister and director of Leadership Development for the Archdiocese of Newark in the archdiocese’s Catholic Campus Ministry program, from 2004-2008. There he developed discipleship formation and social justice initiatives for the Newman Center at University Heights, serving students at Rutgers-Newark University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He also developed retreat and training conference programs.
Prior to that, he was assistant campus minister and Instructor of Theology at Servite High School, Anaheim, and Loyola High School, Los Angeles. From 1997-1999 he was a graduate assistant in campus ministry at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio.
Mr. Lawmaster holds a B.A. in history from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, and an M.A. in Theology and Christian Ministry from Franciscan University, Steubenville, Ohio.
Kevin J. Connor has been named director for Lay Ministry Formation. Mr. Connor previously held a number of diocesan positions, including associate director of the Office of Development and director of the Office of Development for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Camden. He also has been Practice Administrator for St. Luke’s Catholic Medical Services in Camden.
From 1990-2000 Mr. Connor served in various finance and administration roles for Frankford Hospital in Philadelphia, most recently as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to that, he was controller and manager of accounting for Abington Memorial Hospital, Abington, Pa.
Mr. Connor is on the pastoral and finance councils of Holy Saviour Parish, Westmont, where he is also an extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and adult leader of the Holy Saviour youth ministry program.
Mr. Connor holds a B.S. and an M.B.A. from LaSalle University, Philadelphia. He is currently pursuing a Master of Theology and Ministry from La Salle.
The three directors report to Sr. Roseann Quinn, S.S.J., the bishop’s delegate for Lifelong Formation. Last year, Bishop appointed Sr. Roseann Quinn to coordinate the faith and spiritual formation efforts of multiple diocesan offices, to bring them together in a single Office of Lifelong Formation, and to integrate them in a way that will advance the pastoral priorities that parishioners said were most important at Speak Up sessions in 2005 and 2006.
“I am delighted with these appointments because they bring to our Lifelong Formation efforts great experience, skill and energy, all of which will be a resource and support for our parishes as they carry out local ministries that will serve the spiritual needs of parishioners at every stage of the lifespan in every part of the diocese,” said Sr. Roseann Quinn.
Last month, the diocese announced a major initiative to help laity engaged in parish work to obtain the educational credentials specific to their area of ministry. Working in partnership with Georgian Court University and the College of St. Elizabeth and other institutions, the diocese’s “Lay Ministry Formation Program” beginning in January will offer college and university degree and certificate courses for parish leaders and staff in the diocese who serve in various pastoral ministries, including religious education, youth and young adult ministry, campus ministry, adult faith formation, Hispanic and Black Catholic ministry, family life, ministry to seniors, and liturgy. Programs also will be offered for lay persons involved in pastoral administration, Catholic schools, and parish business management.
In connection with this week’s appointments, Bishop Galante also announced that the diocesan RCIA Office has been renamed Christian Initiation and will come under the Office of Worship. Campus Ministry will now come under the newly named office of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministries.
For more information about Lifelong Formation in the diocese see www.464edee1fa.nxcli.io