Joan Martinez has been appointed the director of the archdiocesan Department of Pastoral Ministries by Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, and Auxiliary Bishop Michael Boulette, removing the “interim” title that Martinez had in her role as department head for the past several months.
She was named to lead Pastoral Ministries following the departure of Maribel Silva, who resigned earlier this year.
I am very honored and humbled to be appointed to hold the role of Department Head and with God’s help and grace I will continue to serve the archdiocese well. I am blessed to lead a department transforming to serve those in parishes and surrounding pastoral care areas in order to make missionary disciples,” stated Martinez. “I look forward to our work together to build a Culture of Encounter.”
The new department leader has served in a number of roles in Pastoral Ministries and initially began work in the archdiocesan Chancery almost a decade ago as director of Youth Ministry.
A native of California, she holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from St. Mary’s University, as well as a master’s degree in Pastoral Ministry from the same institution. Martinez also obtained a Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies from the Center for Ministry Development in conjunction with the Archdiocese of San Antonio.
Upon graduation from college, she served as coordinator of Youth Ministry for St. Helena Church in San Antonio from 1996 to 2008, where she implemented a parish supported, youth-led comprehensive youth ministry, then assumed the role of Marriage and Family Life minister there from 2008 to 2011, where she created and facilitated a program for married couples to keep them connected to parish life and live the sanctity of marriage.
She also assisted the parish a couple of years ago as a baptismal preparation catechist, providing a welcoming, sacramental preparation for parents and godparents celebrating the infant rite of baptism.
In addition, Martinez worked as a site coordinator in 2001-2012 for Young Neighbors in Action of San Antonio, coordinating a mission awareness experience for 150 high school youth and chaperones focusing on Catholic social teaching.
She came to the Pastoral Center in 2010 as director of the Office of Youth Ministry, where she trained, resourced, and was a liaison to 174 parishes and missions in a comprehensive Youth Ministry model. At that time, the office consisted of three additional employees who coordinated numerous services for adult leaders and conducted youth events and leader training.
Martinez was selected as an Archdiocesan Pastoral Priority Goal Lead in 2013-2014, assessing and developing models of Effective Youth Ministry for the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan.
In 2015 Martinez was named the director of the Office of Pastoral Care Ministries, overseeing six ministerial directors in a new “pastoral de conjunto” model of ministry. The following year, in 2016, she was appointed the director of the Academy for Lay Ecclesial Ministries, supervising two employees in the process of Archdiocesan Certification for Catechetical and Youth Ministry leaders and collaborating with Secretariat directors as well as the Office for Parish Life.
Martinez currently serves as a member of the Catholic Charities of San Antonio Education Board and was previously a member of the Leadership Team Executive Committee for the National Association of Catholic Youth Ministry Leaders from 2009 to 2013.
She and her husband, Pedro “Pete” Martinez, reside in the Stone Oak area with their two daughters, Lucia and Olivia.