Trust, collaboration, planning essential when parishes close

Last month, I announced the merger of six parishes in Watervliet and Green Island into one parish community with three worship sites, two in Watervliet and one in Green Island.

I also announced the closure of Our Lady of Angels parish in Albany, which follows on the heels of the closure of St. Casimir's, leaving only one worship site for what is known as the Albany Center City Cluster.

The closure of parish churches and the merger or consolidation of parish communities is always a sad reality, since so many fond and profound memories are associated with parish sacramental celebrations, school and social activities, and interactions of family, friends and neighbors. As Dostoevski said, "Change is always difficult, but it is particularly traumatic when it affects one's faith experience."

No magic solution

I understand and appreciate the heartbreak that occurs whenever such difficult decisions are made. I receive letters, emails, phone calls and petitions pleading for reconsideration; recalling the glorious history of these parishes and the extraordinary contributions they have made to generations of people; sharing the sorrow and loss that will be experienced; and expressing the anger that the closures or mergers will generate.

I wish I had a magic-wand solution to erase the demographic realities, to reverse the priest shortage and to alleviate the fiscal challenges that lead to these painful pastoral decisions.

But, unfortunately, I don't.

Realities

The census figures show that both the general and Catholic population have grown only slightly in our 14-county Diocese of Albany during the 28 years I have been privileged to serve as your bishop.

We have a little over 400,000 Catholics in the midst of a total population of 1.2 million people. But where that Catholic population is located has changed dramatically, shifting from urban to suburban and rural areas. Every city in our Diocese (except Saratoga Springs and Oneonta) has experienced a population decline of 30 percent or more over the past quarter of a century.

Most of our urban parishes were built at a time when people traveled on foot and when many were not conversant with the English language. So churches were erected within a half-mile walking distance of each other, and ethnic parishes were created, often in the shadow of the existing territorial parish.

More changes

In addition to the population flight from our urban centers to suburban and rural communities, we are faced with the fact that, by and large, new urban dwellers are not members of our Catholic faith community. Thus, we now have more churches in our cities than are needed to serve a significantly reduced Catholic population.

Meanwhile, in this same period of time, we have erected or expanded more than 30 churches in the suburban communities of our Diocese.

The number of active diocesan priests has declined from over 350 in 1977 when I was ordained your bishop to 154 today, and the percentage of Catholics attending the Sunday Eucharist regularly has fallen from more than 50 percent to about 30 percent.

That means that fewer priests are available to staff our parishes as well as fewer people supporting the day-to-day mission of the Church.

Stewardship

So, we have demographic, personnel and resource problems that cannot be ignored -- or that we ignore at our own peril.

Hence, good stewardship demands that we as a Diocese continue to assess how many parishes are needed to serve the shifting Catholic population, and how we can staff and support those faith communities adequately.

It should be noted that these challenges are not unique to the Diocese of Albany; they are being experienced in every diocese in the Northeast and Midwest. The dioceses of the South and West, on the other hand, are faced with accommodating the rapid growth of populations.

Two pledges

While I cannot offer a magic-wand solution to these problems, I can assure you of two things as we continue to consider parochial reconfiguration, especially in our cities.

First, whatever changes are made to our parish communities will be the result of a participatory process involving the active involvement of representatives of any parish that might be affected. The more parishioner input we have and the greater communication with parishioners that takes place at every step of the planning process, the better the result will be.

Second, I can assure you that no process of pastoral planning will be conducted with a pre-ordained outcome in mind. Over the years, a consistent complaint voiced by some parishioners is this: "The Bishop already knew what he was going to do, so why put us through the motions of seeking our input?"

While that sentiment is somewhat understandable, it is also simply untrue.

Consensus sought

The diocesan Pastoral Planning Office, its advisory committee and I sincerely want to work with pastors, parish life directors and parish representatives in assessing all the facts, weighing options and coming to consensus on what is the best plan for the future.

The process of change is never easy, and each time we engage in a planning process we seek to tweak it for the future in light of the experience gained.

That does not mean, of course, that everyone is always happy or that plans can be made devoid of any sacrifice, hurt, or pain. But it does mean that voices will be heard and insights will be given serious consideration.

In the final analysis, I must accept, reject or modify the recommendations emerging from the process, and I will try my best to do so fairly and objectively -- and only after careful discernment and prayer.

Trust needed

This whole process requires trust: trust in the process participants and their desire to want what is best not just for their own particular parish community but for the Church...trust in diocesan officials to be open-minded and truly willing to listen...and trust in God's spirit to guide and enlighten all involved with the gifts, of vision, wisdom, creativity and pastoral sensitivity.

I ask your prayers in the days ahead that we can address these difficult issues of pastoral planning with civility, intelligence, a collaborative spirit and the desire for one thing only: to perpetuate the mission of Jesus in our day.

If this focus on Jesus and the continuance of His ministry is not foremost throughout the process, then our efforts are doomed to fail.

Decision

Recently, the leadership of a religious community with deep roots in our Diocese shared with me the results of a multi-year planning process about their priorities for the future.

One of the decisions was to close their retirement home in our Diocese, on a site which the community has owned and operated for more than 150 years, and to relocate all their retirees to other settings. Ninety sisters, ages 70 to 101, will be affected.

The leaders told me it was with great sadness, fear and trepidation that they announced the decision of this major life disruption to the retired sisters.

And how did the retirees respond? It was epitomized by one sister who stated, "We are sad to be leaving. This is our home, and we are very happy here. But we can do this! We have been doing difficult things all our religious life. And if this relocation is what is best for the entire community, then, that's what we'll do."

Amen. Alleluia! May we all look to the future with such faith, trust and confidence.

(3/31/05)