Director of Young Adult Ministry: Ashley Johnson

Dear Parishioners and Friends of Divine Mercy Parish,

I am very pleased to announce that Ashley Johnson has joined Divine Mercy Parish on a volunteer basis as our Director of Young Adult Ministry. Ashley began some preliminary work with us in January, and she will continue to collaborate with our Pastoral Associate, Dylan Mitchell, as we journey in discipleship with the young adults of Divine Mercy Parish.
In their Pastoral Plan for Ministry with Young Adults, Sons and Daughters of the Light, the USCCB calls for all young adults to take their place as the children of Christ, the light of the world. The reality is that from the late teens, through the twenties, and thirties, many young adults experience a wide variety of changes that greatly affect the course of their lives.This can include but is not limited to studying higher education, moving from one’s childhood home into a new home, finding a career, getting married, and raising children. Amid such vast shifts and movements within one’s life, young adults need the support of the Church to help them continue to live as sons and daughters of the light.

In his apostolic exhortation, Christus Vivit, Pope Francis outlines the two modes of this ministry: outreach and growth. Outreach in the sense of invitation into a life with Christ and growth in terms of helping young adults who have already accepted this invitation to grow in their personal relationship with Christ (n. 209). As Director of Young Adult Ministry, Ashley will be responsible for developing and implementing a robust program for the young adults in our community that will provide opportunities for both outreach and growth.

Ashley currently serves as a volunteer Core Team member and Catechist for the Divine Mercy Youth and Confirmation programs. She works as a Process Specialist at S&B Engineers and Constructors. She earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from The University of Mississippi in 2019. During her time there she served as President of Campus Ministry where she developed and implemented two campus ministry retreats which still take place today while also teaching PSR for three years. She has a great joy and zeal for meeting the youth and young adults in our parish and is excited to bring them new opportunities to grow in their walk with Christ.

Join me in welcoming Ashley to our Pastoral team!

Fr. Robert T. Cooper, Pastor
Divine Mercy Parish and St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School