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Years after the pastoral planning process that closed or merged 35 parishes - and months into a new bishop's tenure - the Albany Diocese is still studying how to best configure its resources to ensure a Catholic presence across its 14 counties.

The next step will be a visit to the Diocese in January by three national speakers to address the concept of "multiple parish ministry" - pretty much a guarantee for parish leaders, as projections continue to indicate fewer priests, fewer parishioners and less money coming into the Diocese's 126 parishes (read previous stories at www.evangelist.org).

"Our leaders are being asked to serve more than one parish," stated Deacon Frank Berning, director of the diocesan Office of Pastoral Planning. "We want our parish leaders to enjoy being leaders, not be overwhelmed with administrative tasks."

The speakers will suggest models like joint pastoral councils and taking advantage of servant leadership, which Deacon Berning described as "matching the needs of the parish with the gifts of the individual.

"They'll bring some best practices that we'll be able to adopt," he said.

No intent to close
Another round of closures is not on the horizon, according to diocesan officials. But many parishes are taking steps to remain vital.

"We're looking for a new way to 'be parish,'" said Deacon Berning. "I think this is a hopeful time."

He said the Diocese does not subsidize parishes beyond loans for things like capital improvements or safety issues. Instead, the Diocese provides planning support and suggests that communities prepare when a pastor is about to retire by:

•  planning for Mass schedule adjustments and interim leaders;

•  collaborating with neighboring parishes in areas like prayer and worship, faith formation, Christian outreach and administration; and

•  training more laypeople in various ministries.

Moving forward
"Those that resist don't understand, perhaps, the goal of the pastoral council, which is visionary," Deacon Berning said. Once communities try these suggestions, he said, they typically come to understand.

The diocesan pastoral planning committee - an expansion of a "Called to be Church" committee comprised of representatives from deaneries, Catholic Charities, Catholic schools and Catholic cemeteries - is assisting parishes with making the changes. The committee will sponsor the speakers' January visit.

Some communities are leading by example already, and others are beginning to hold town hall meetings to discuss possibilities. Parishioners are "looking for an opportunity to be heard," Deacon Berning said.

Parish bulletins speak of collaborating with nearby parishes and, in some cases, cite grim financial and personnel realities. One Fulton County parish, for example, recently published a financial report indicating a drop in income and cuts in expenses like payroll, supplies, utilities, diocesan collections and building improvements.

Ravena to Speigletown
Another bulletin cited diocesan statistics: Half of the parishes in the Diocese are "barely breaking even or operating with financial deficit," and the Diocese can no longer guarantee Mass schedules will stay consistent for a set period of time after parishes merge.

That bulletin went on to ask a series of reflection questions, including, "What are my expectations of priests?" and, "Am I open to lay ministry and leadership in collaboration with the priest?"

A bulletin from St. Patrick's parish in Ravena features a note from Rev. James Kane, pastor, announcing his impending retirement when he turns 70 in January.

"Future leadership will be determined by the Diocese," he writes. "What we do know from the Called to be Church pastoral planning is that there will be only two priests for the river parishes of our deanery (Catskill, Athens, Coxsackie, Ravena). I will keep the parish in the loop as I hear of developments."

At Transfiguration parish
in Speigletown/Schaghticoke, whose most recent pastor was sent to help lead parishes in northern Columbia County this fall (read a previous story at www.evangelist.org), the community will keep a sacramental minister and get a parish life director.

"At the end of each Mass," wrote interim leader Kathie Sousa in the parish bulletin, "I will have everyone open their bulletin and recite [a] prayer for God to send us the right leader."

Transfiguration will remain one parish with two worship sites.

New Lebanon to Schenectady
Immaculate Conception parish in New Lebanon is now linked with St. Mary's parish in Nassau. The communities are sharing bulletin information, and Immaculate Conception's pastor, Rev. John Close, is also celebrating Masses and St. Mary's and at Immaculate Conception's mission church, St. Joseph's in Stephentown. In addition, St. Henry's parish in Averill Park is helping with administrative work at St. Mary's.

St. Madeleine Sophie parish in Schenectady and St. Gabriel the Archangel parish in Rotterdam are beginning to collaborate, but there is no talk of merging or closures, Deacon Berning said. Staffs and pastoral councils are discussing pooling resources, and the communities will start consolidating their Mass schedules starting the first Sunday of Advent.

"One of the most unsettling and disruptive events in parish life is a change in Mass times," the SMS bulletin read. "This schedule provides a Mass in each of the time frames Mass is now offered in our parishes. It does not disrupt the Sunday faith formation program [and] allows for scheduling Saturday-evening weddings and a more realistic and manageable transition between churches."

The parishes' decision to collaborate was made after discussions with their pastoral councils and prayer and worship committees. Deacon Berning said the Diocese recommends that communities take a year to look at Mass schedule changes and that they involve the whole parish in decision-making, as the northern Columbia County parishes did.

A best-case scenario "may mean people are going to Mass at a slightly different time, but they're in good collaboration with their neighbors," he said.

Grafton to Troy
Earlier this month, the former Our Lady of the Snow parish in Grafton/Berlin - which was formed from a merger in 2009 - became a mission church of Our Lady of Victory in Troy. The decision was reached after town hall meetings and a review process of finances and ministries in Grafton/Berlin, as suggested by Bishop Edward B. Scharfenberger in a letter to the community.

"Just as, when one member of a family is ailing, the other members respond to assist in their care," the Bishop wrote, "so, too, has [OLV pastor] Father [Randall] Patterson agreed to help."

Our Lady of the Snow lost a deacon, so its secretary has added extra responsibilities. Its sacramental minister, Rev. Kenneth Gregory, is staying on to celebrate Masses; he and Father Patterson will eventually share responsibilities at both communities.

Other aspects of how the mission will be run are up in the air, said Mary Gentner, the secretary.

She noted that the process happened a little quickly: "We were supposed to have more meetings. People were a little upset with that. [But] as long as things are kept pretty much the same, I think people are OK right now." [[In-content Ad]]

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