Passion for Church teachings, public policy guide ICC associate director
By Victoria Arthur (Special to The Criterion)
Alexander Mingus was one of a handful of Catholics at his Alabama high school when he answered a call that would set the course for his life.
At 18, he was named by Bishop Robert J. Baker, then the leader of the Diocese of Birmingham, Ala., as one of the first “Catholic Agents of the New Evangelization.” The prelate had noted the young man’s dedicated service to his parish and zeal for his faith in a state where Catholics comprise only 4% of the population.
“This was something totally unexpected, but something that I embraced wholeheartedly,” Mingus said. “And perhaps it put a mark on me to someday be working with Catholic bishops in some capacity.”
Indeed, the experience proved to be providential. His faith journey eventually brought him to Indiana, where he was recently named associate director of the Indiana Catholic Conference (ICC), the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Indiana for more than 50 years.
In this role, the now 24-year-old will help in representing the five Catholic bishops across the state and promoting the Church’s position on important issues at the Indiana Statehouse and through various other channels, including traditional and social media.
Mingus will work under the leadership of Angela Espada, who has served as executive director of the ICC since January.
“I am the parent of a millennial, and I know that this group includes many who are thoughtful, caring and compassionate people who want to do good,” Espada said. “Alexander is one of these people who also brings a passion for service to the Church that is both reaffirming and refreshing to see. His desire to combine service with upholding the Church’s social teachings in the public square will benefit not just Catholics but countless others in Indiana.”
His recent move to the Hoosier state is a homecoming of sorts for Mingus. Although his parents still reside in Alabama, his mother is a South Bend native. She met her future husband when she was studying at the city’s Indiana University branch and he was a student at the University of Notre Dame.
After high school, Mingus himself decided on Catholic higher education, following in his brother’s footsteps at the University of Dayton in Ohio.
There, while pursuing a double major in political science and human rights studies, he was offered an internship with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB)—an experience that would be pivotal. Based in Washington, D.C., Mingus had the opportunity to meet with legislators on Capitol Hill and witness how matters of faith can influence public debate and decision-making at all levels of government.
“It’s there that I learned about the work of the Catholic Church in public policy, and where I was first exposed to the idea of Catholic conferences like the ICC in general,” Mingus said. “I always had a great interest in my faith, as well as in public policy and government, and this internship helped solidify that bringing these areas together could be a future career path for me.”
Following graduation in May 2018, Mingus took a role with the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Dayton, where he spent the next two years as manager of ministry formation. In that capacity, he learned about serving the poor and effectively advocating on their behalf, often looking to the Ohio Catholic Conference for direction.
He also helped to start a street ministry for young adults and served as a liaison to the Federal Emergency Management Agency and area faith-based organizations in the aftermath of the 2019 Memorial Day tornadoes in Dayton, which destroyed thousands of low-income homes.
In his various endeavors at St. Vincent de Paul Dayton, Mingus was “a tremendous listener” with a “great capacity for empathy,” according to his supervisor, Michael Vanderburgh.
“Alexander cares deeply about every person he encounters,” said Vanderburgh, the society’s executive director. “He is quick to strike up a conversation with a stranger and eager to be of service to anyone in need. Alexander also became an expert in Vincentian spirituality, providing spiritual formation opportunities for members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society.”
At the same time, Mingus was pursuing a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Dayton—and planning a future with his fiancée, Emily Freyberger. The two had met at the university as undergraduate music ministers, sharing a love not only for music but for their common Catholic faith. Mingus proposed to the native of Carmel, Ind., on Easter Sunday 2019, setting in motion his eventual move to Indianapolis and the ICC.
After perusing the ICC website in the fall of 2019, Mingus reached out with an e-mail to inquire about any employment opportunities. Again, divine providence was at play. Mingus had no idea that Glenn Tebbe, who had led the ICC for 16 years, was about to retire. A meeting with Tebbe and Espada led to a day of shadowing the two at the Statehouse early in the 2020 legislative session, and a job offer shortly thereafter.
Just weeks after his June 27 wedding at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Carmel, Ind., in the Lafayette Diocese, Mingus launched into his new ICC role and immediately began making his mark.
“As a younger person who is comfortable with and adept at utilizing social media, Alexander has already transformed our social media presence,” Espada said. “I encourage everyone to go to our website and social media pages to see the exciting changes.”
Espada and Mingus are also using technology in an entirely new way for the ICC. In a series of live webinars scheduled for Oct. 5, 7 and 10, the two will discuss important considerations for Catholics in this election year. (See accompanying article for details)
Mingus knows that the polarized and highly charged political atmosphere in the country is likely to last long beyond the November presidential election. He says that now more than ever, the Church’s timeless teachings on social justice and the common good are critical. And he is eager to do his part to convey those teachings to the faithful as well as those who shape public policy.
“I feel so called to this type of work,” Mingus said. “This is what the Church is asking for. This is her way of bringing Christ into the public sphere.”
For more information about the ICC, visit www.indianacc.org. The newly revamped website includes access to I-CAN, the Indiana Catholic Action Network, which offers the Church’s position on key issues. Those who sign up for I-CAN receive alerts on legislation moving forward in light of Catholic values, and ways to contact their elected representatives.
(Victoria Arthur, a member of St. Malachy Parish in Brownsburg, is a correspondent for The Criterion.) †