Disciples Who Make Disciples: Fixing What’s Broken in the Church | Ep. 1
Payroll, bookkeeping and maintenance may happen out of sight, but they support a parish’s mission too. In DiscipleUp’s first episode, Khalil Hattar talks with Kris Ziegelhofer and Hilary DiTola about growing into lay leadership. Kris describes moving from human resources into supporting parish teams, despite her fear that she lacked the skills. Hilary recalls hesitating over a finance role before finding purpose in caring for the resources entrusted to the parish.
Their experiences lead into questions about why people leave the Church and what helps them feel known when they return. They discuss hospitality, friendships and inviting people to pray together, while keeping the purpose of discipleship in view. Khalil shares his own reluctance on some Sundays to turn to a neighbor and ask how he can pray for them. The team also considers why leadership needs people who pause, ask questions and bring a different perspective before a decision is made.
In this episode
- Behind-the-scenes work and the parish mission
- Kris and Hilary growing into unfamiliar leadership responsibilities
- Welcoming people and helping them feel known
- Praying with the person next to you at Mass
- Making room for a cautious voice on the leadership team
About the guests
Kris Ziegelhofer
Kris Ziegelhofer works in human resources and parish partner engagement at St. John the Evangelist Parish. Her responsibilities include recruiting, hiring, and payroll for the parish and school, along with serving on the parish’s leadership team.
Hilary DiTola
Hilary DiTola is the parish accountant at St. John the Evangelist Parish, where she handles bookkeeping and the Parish Finance Council. A Purdue University graduate, she has served in Alpha, the parish festival, the soup kitchen and school volunteering. She values collaborating with fellow parish staff.
