General Statement of Duties
The personnel of the Tribunal, the judicial department of the Diocese of Baton Rouge, collaborate with the bishop in his work of ministering “justice based upon charity” (Pope St. John Paul II, Sacrae discipli-nae leges, par. 25) to the people of the larger community, so that its work might be seen and appreciated as a pastoral ministry of healing.
The Tribunal Secretary/Receptionist/Notary functions as receptionist and secretary for the Director of the Tribunal office. H/She also sees that the paper and digital files of the Tribunal are properly set up, maintained, communicated, and archived. As such, h/she is appointed an ecclesiastical notary for the Diocese of Baton Rouge (cf., e.g., Dignitas connubii, art. 61).
Education and Experience Requirements

• The Tribunal Secretary/Receptionist/Notary must be a practicing Catholic, adhering to the doctrines and canon laws of the Roman Catholic Church. In particular, his/her marital status must be legitimate in accord with these. The Code of Canon Law requires, further, that any ecclesiastical notary “must be of good character and above reproach” (can. 483, §2; also DC art. 63), and maintenance of proper confidentiality as regards the Tribunal’s very specialized work (can. 1455, §1).
• Sufficient education and English-language skills, and experience and expertise in secretarial and/or office management, are required. Ability to understand and appropriate – and in due course articulate at least minimally – the matrimonial and procedural canon law of the Church is expected, with training in this provided by the Judicial Vicar and Director of the Tribunal.

Other Qualifications

• It is essential that the Tribunal Secretary/Receptionist/Notary be technology-literate, including scanning, use of email, our word-processing program (currently Microsoft Word 365), and a specialized database-and-mail merge program (currently ZPD Solutions’ CaseMaster system).
• Because of the secretarial and receptionist duties inherent in the position, accurate data entry, and good verbal skills (especially on the telephone) are essential.
• The ability to collaborate with the Tribunal’s small staff within its office suite is of course essential.
• Knowledge of spoken and written Spanish, and other language skills, are a plus.