Parishes of future examined

About 130 clergy, religious and laity gathered at St. Madeleine Sophie's Church in Guilderland for a meeting titled "Parish Leadership: Past, Present, Future."

The leaders examined alternative staffing models currently used in parishes (aside from the traditional model of priest as full-time, resident pastor of a parish) and debated whether those models are appropriate for the future.

"I'm grateful for your presence and the ministry you exercise in this age of transition," Bishop Howard J. Hubbard told the group. He quoted the book of Psalms: "`God writes straight with crooked lines.' We are called to be agents of change. We need your insights, your ideas and your input."

Sister Kathleen Turley, RSM, diocesan chancellor for planning and pastoral services, outlined the three alternative parish staffing models currently in use:

1. a parish life director with a priest sacramental minister,

2. a priest pastoring more than one parish, and

3. a full-time, resident pastor and a pastoral associate for administration.

In the first model, explained Sister Kathleen, the non-clergy parish life director is responsible for a parish's day-to-day operations. A priest provides the sacraments. Ten parishes in the Diocese use that model today. Nine parish life directors are women religious; one is a deacon.

In the second model, a priest serves as pastor of more than one parish. Currently, 12 priests in the Diocese pastor two parishes each, and three have three parishes. Sister Kathleen noted that while this model has been used here since the 1980s, it was also the model in the early days of the Albany Diocese.

Since parishes use different titles for the position, Sister Kathleen said it is difficult to determine how many parishes use pastoral associates for administration (who manage the administrative responsibilities in a parish, while the priest handles the spiritual side).

Examples

Sister Dolores was appointed in 1999, having had previous administrative experience at St. Patrick's. Father Swain noted that it's not possible for a priest to have a good relationship with parishioners "if all you do is breeze in and breeze out."

The pair said Sister Dolores has been accepted in her role, and that Mass attendance, collections and ecumenical events in the parish have increased during her tenure.

Grouped

Father Fleming recalled being "fairly overwhelmed" when he was assigned to the cluster, which covers more than 500 square miles. Even such decisions as which rectory to live in had the potential to cause strife among parishioners.

He and Sister Fran decided to work together as an equal team and gave the three churches opportunities to choose where certain cluster events would be held. The pair said that holding some events on "neutral ground," like The Priory retreat center in Chestertown, helped.

"We had to shed our egos, respect each other, and communicate, communicate, communicate!" said Sister Fran.

Third model

While Mrs. Joyce was planning her retirement after 29 years with the parish, Father Berardi said that she couldn't really be replaced. Her experience as a member of the community and parish made her able to handle crises as varied as mixups at the parish cemetery and damage to buildings.

Mrs. Joyce's "role as a layperson in this position has been extremely beneficial," Father Berardi commented. "Her perspective on things as a mother, grandmother and member of the community came into play."

Discussion

Each table reported to the larger group on its discussion. Again, remarks were wide-ranging:

* "People will only begin to click in [to this problem] when they show up for Mass and there is no Mass," said one group.

* A table group brought up that the need to hire staff in inner-city parishes was often limited by financial constraints.

* Another worried about the "graying of the clergy."

* A third asked for more meetings to discuss these issues.

Awareness

Sister Anne Sheridan, CSJ, parish life director for St. Patrick's parish in Cambridge, noted that "people need to begin to talk about what's happening" as parish staffing models change to fit the changing Church.

Sister Kitty Hanley, CSJ, of the diocesan Vocations Team, one of the meeting's organizers, said the questions raised leave the Diocese with "a massive agenda for the future."

She would like to see more such meetings, particularly because so many Catholics around the Diocese wanted to attend this one that attendance had to be limited.

Facing future

"In God's providence, all of us in today's Church are called to function in an age of transition. That's the reality we are called to face. Change can be frightening, but it can also be exciting. This is not so much a problem as an opportunity."

Said a priest at the meeting: "The more we talk, there's going to be less fear."

(02-08-01) [[In-content Ad]]