Special to The Message
After an extensive search process, Bishop Joseph M. Siegel has appointed Sherie Cooley as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Catholic Diocese of Evansville, filling the position recently vacated by Jeremy Goebel. Cooley assumed her duties March 2.
Bishop Siegel said, “I am happy to welcome Sherie Cooley to the diocesan staff as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. Her many years of experience as a parish director of catechesis and youth ministry will serve her well as she assumes her new responsibilities. I am confident that under her leadership, the Office will continue to provide effective programming and offer important assistance to our parishes and campuses as we respond to the needs of the young people of our Diocese.”
Cooley brings more than 20 years of experience in Religious Education, Adult Formation and Youth Ministry. Most recently, she served for more than 15 years as the Director of Religious Education and Youth Ministry at St. Wendel and St. Francis Xavier, Poseyville, parishes. In that capacity, she developed and directed faith formation for all age groups, including youth and young adult ministry, children and family ministries, adult formation, sacramental preparation, and volunteer leadership and development.
As a long-standing leader of Religious Education and Youth Ministry in the Diocese, Cooley has collaborated closely with the Diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries on a number of initiatives, including Diocesan Youth Days, Senior Nights, March for Life, National Catholic Youth Conference and young adult programming such as Theology on Tap and trivia nights. Her familiarity with diocesan structures and her history of partnership will serve this role well.
Diocesan Chancellor and Chief Operating Officer Dean Happe said, “We are extremely pleased and blessed to have someone of Sherie’s experience, commitment and passion for our diocese serve in this role. I look forward to working with her as she continues to build and strengthen our ministry in such an important area of youth and young adult formation and engagement, working in partnership with our parishes to serve the people of our diocese.”
As the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry, Cooley will assist Bishop Siegel, diocesan leaders, parish pastors and staff, volunteers, college campus ministers and other community partners to identify ministry needs across the Diocese and support parishes in effectively meeting those needs.
Cooley holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies and Philosophy from Indiana University and is a graduate of the Ecclesial Lay Ministry Program at St. Joseph’s College in Rensselaer. Prior to her tenure at St. Wendel and St. Francis, she served as the Coordinator of Elementary Religious Education in West Lafayette and as Youth Ministry, Coordinator of Confirmation Preparation in Bloomington.
Cooley and her husband, Gabriel, along with their three children, Adele, Silas and Clare, are members of St. Wendel and St. Francis, Poseyville, parishes.
Cooley said, “I am humbled and honored to have this opportunity to serve our diocese in this role. We are so fortunate to have such amazing ministers serving our parishes and schools, and I hope that I’ll be able to offer them the support they need to continue to flourish and thrive. A mentor of mine used to tell me that the key to ministry is to ‘find people who can do it better than you,’ and I am excited for the opportunity to build up and empower our young Church to recognize their gifts. I’m inspired by the way the young people in the Diocese of Evansville are seeking to grow in real holiness, and I trust that God will guide me in this work as we all strive to be saints.”