General Information
Spiritual Requirements: We are looking for faithful Catholics who practice prayer, fasting, and almsgiving with a firm desire for sanctity. This also entails either actively discerning, or generously living, their vocation. We strongly encourage all new lay missionaries to perform some form of personal consecration or to join a Third Order (or other pious society).
Intellectual Requirements: Worker-scholars should have both traditionalist and social justice sensibilities, that is, an orthodox adherence to all doctrines of the Church and a dedication to the liberation of the poor. They must be familiar with Catholic Social Teaching, the Catholic Worker Movement, and the work of Tradistae; and they should be open to learning about and living out integralism, liberation theology, distributism, and an ecological/agrarian lifestyle.
Time commitment: Most worker-scholar missions require a minimum of 2-5 hours/week. However, missions marked “higher time commitment” are expected to require around 4-8 hours/week on average.
Support and Stipends: Worker-scholars will be provided access to the networks, resources, and contacts of Tradistae which will aid them in their mission work. They will also be welcomed as guests and considered as members for a number of intentional communities (see “Location” below). While the patron support of Tradistae is small, stipends are currently available to cover costs such as software fees, printing costs, etc. Our eventual hope is to provide worker-scholar missionaries with part-time and full-time work.
Location: At Tradistae, we believe that modern Christians must reject the atomization of industrial capitalism and live in some form of intentional community. Therefore, we intend to help all worker-scholars to (a) found a new community or Catholic Worker where they live, or (b) re-settle in, or next to, an existing intentional community. You can find a list of potential locations here.
How to Apply: To apply, please use our contact page and briefly describe your faith background, state of life, which worker-scholar mission(s) you are interested in applying for, and any other relevant information. You will be contacted within a week for more information. Applicants without a personal referral will also be expected to submit a letter of recommendation (from one’s pastor, spiritual director, or the like) affirming that you are a practicing Catholic in good standing with the Church.
Most Important Worker-Scholars:
Volunteer with the Distributist Congress Steering Committee
Requirements: Promptness, accountability, and good organizational skills absolutely necessary. Ability to network via email, phone, video chat. Well-studied in distributist thought.
Description: Work closely with the Distributist Congress Steering Commitee to organize its opening in-person event bringing together peasants, regenerative agriculturalists, degrowth economists, luddites, localists, post-liberals, and climate activists under the unifying philosophy of Distributism.
Open Worker-Scholar Missions:
Director of Communications
Requirements: Skill in scheduling and composing social media posts and updates for email lists. Aptitude for precise and rhetorical word choice. Timely communication and coordination with Sean.
Description: Manage the social media of Tradistae (Facebook, Twitter, etc) and affiliate accounts (e.g. @PeterUsedToSay). Send mailing campaigns to the Tradistae email list.
Direct Action and Protest Coordinator
Requirements: Skill and enthusiasm for in-person event planning. Proficiency with networking and coordination. Experience with direct action and protests.
Description: Organize the Tradistae presence at various protests and public demonstrations, such as the annual March for Life. We aim to proclaim Catholic Social Teaching by being a visibly Catholic presence in the labor, ecological, peace, and pro-life movements.
Catholic Worker Recruiter
Requirements: Proficiency in networking via email, phone, video chat. Personal charisma, good judge of character, empathetic. Experience in intentional community, parish renewal efforts, and Catholic Worker Movement is highly desirable.
Description: Recruit and support, especially through personal conversations, Catholics interested in creating new Catholic Worker houses, farms, and intentional communities, ideally one at every parish.
Podcast Editor and Producer
Requirements: Skill with recording and Audacity (or other audio editing software), timely email communication, scheduling flexibility, ability to conduct interviews, pleasant conversationalist. Higher time commitment.
Description: Help edit the Tradistae podcast, schedule and conduct interviews, and produce another podcast series on the feed.
Parish Outreach Liaison
Requirements: Proficiency in networking via email, phone, and video chat. Skill in email campaigns and event planning. Experience in parish renewal efforts is highly desirable.
Description: Promote The Catholic Radical newspaper and other resources in parishes. Recruit local parishioners interested in being Tradistae liaisons and identify those interested in founding intentional communities and Catholic Worker houses.
Director of Audio-Encyclical Production
Requirements: Skill with recording and Audacity (or other audio editing software), good speaking/reading voice. Professional email communication and ability to recruit and coordinate volunteers is highly desirable. Higher time commitment.
Description: Systematically record and publish free audiobooks of the social encyclicals of the Holy Fathers for the “Magistereo Podcast.”
Director of Ecological Activities
Requirements: Skill and enthusiasm for in-person event planning. Proficiency with networking and coordination. Prayerfully committed to ecological spirituality, conversion, and education. Experience with organizing public and liturgical prayer is highly desirable.
Description: Promote the Ecological Embertides practiced by friends of Tradistae in parishes and intentional communities. Support others who are promoting ecological spirituality locally. Assist in seeking the imprimatur for traditional ecological prayers.
Research Assistant
Requirements: Proficiency with professional and library research. Ability to organize notes and information.
Description: Provide general research assistance for the Tradistae network.
Art and Media Manager
Requirements: Skill in creating flyers, posters, pictures, and memes. Ability to respond promptly to requests and edits. Ability to edit/produce music, video, and artistic content is highly desirable.
Description: Make posters for events, memes for social media, and solicit or create radical Catholic art for propaganda and prayer. If applicable, produce music for the podcast or videos for the YouTube of Tradistae.
Director of Websites
Requirements: Proficiency with website creation and design. Estimated average of 1-3 hours per week.
Description: Upload and format content on Tradistae.com, edit typos, and update outdated resources. Build websites related to Tradistae and advise new Catholic Worker houses on website creation.
Currently Filled Worker-Scholar Missions:
Easy Essay Editor
Requirements: Skill in editing for typos, brevity, and clarity. Ability to provide timely feedback and communication. Well-studied on Catholic Social Teaching and related topics. Ability to research and write for Easy Essays is highly desirable.
Description: Help edit Easy Essays by Sean for Tradistae.com. Provide research and writing.
Prayer Intention Coordinator
Requirements: Dedication to daily intercessory prayer. Ability to provide timely communication.
Description: Receive and send out prayer requests from the Tradistae network. Pray without ceasing.
