April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
REORGANIZATION OF DIOCESE
'We're here to serve you'
Bishop releases new<br>organizational chart<br>for Albany Diocese
'We're here to serve you'
Introduction
One of the primary purposes of the Diocese of Albany's Pastoral Center is to serve parishes, schools and ministries of the Diocese. In order to assess the effectiveness of its mission, an independent consulting firm, Busch and Caspino, PC, conducted an in-depth review of Pastoral Center operations during the months of October and November 2014.
The findings revealed inefficiencies at the Pastoral Center and a lack of clarity about the lines of accountability in the organizational structure. Recommendations were shared in appropriate levels of detail with various cohorts: that is, with priests, parish leaders, diocesan directors and staff, and the general public.
The new organizational chart (see accompanying photo) reflects the status-to-be of all levels of diocesan central administration, projected to be in place by Sept. 1, 2015. It includes changes that are being introduced gradually, in the three general phases of implementation described below.
After sharing the findings and recommendations of the Busch and Caspino study with directors and staff of the Pastoral Center, and in order to enable them better to fulfill their mission to serve the parishes, school and ministries of the Diocese, the Bishop initiated a number of changes immediately, which would constitute the start of a series of ongoing shifts and realignments:
• to focus the Pastoral Center more effectively on its mission of parish service,
• to promote greater vocational awareness and development throughout the Diocese, and • to encourage and support parish life and initiatives.
In a pastoral letter published June 11 (see www.evangelist.org), Bishop Scharfenberger described a number of further changes to take effect as of July 1. This included:
• a reallocation of the resources of the former OECFL (Office of Evangelization, Catechesis and Family Life),
• the contracting of a consultant for the development and supervision of social media,
• the hiring of a coordinator for parish services to optimize customer service in the Pastoral Center, and
• plans for a pastoral reorganization of the Diocese into regional vicariates to better nurture and share parish life.
The new organizational chart will take full effect as of Sept. 1, 2015.
In the near term, the Diocese will be taking a more proactive approach in external communications, targeting those who have yet to hear fully the good news of Jesus Christ, seeking a wider audience for The Evangelist and reaching out to tap the resources of positive social media and the internet. The Pastoral Center will reach out to the vast rural communities of the Diocese through state-of-the-art distance-learning and a closer hands-on collaborative presence and communication with and among parishes under the leadership of new regional episcopal vicars.
Pastoral Center overview
The accompanying organizational chart shows various offices and levels of accountability -- many of them already in place, such as the Victims' and Survivors' Assistance, headed by Theresa Rodrigues, who can be reached at a dedicated number (518-453-6646). All allegations are reported immediately to the local district attorney, as well as to the diocesan Bishop and a special diocesan review board, in accord with the U.S. bishops' Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. Also directly accountable to the Bishop in an advisory capacity are various diocesan councils, commissions and colleges.
Such councils include the Diocesan Pastoral Council, a lay consultative body representing all the areas of the Diocese; as well as commissions on ecumenical affairs, justice and status issues, and other areas of special concern that may be identified by the Bishop periodically. The colleges include the Presbyteral Council, the consultors and the soon-to-be named episcopal vicars, each of whom will represent one of seven geographical regions throughout the Diocese.
The chancellor, Elizabeth Simcoe, is the chief diocesan notary, who ensures the integrity, security and accuracy of diocesan records and official communications. It is the chancellor who can impose the official seal of the Diocese.
On the next level appear various vicars and the Office of the Moderator of the Curia. The judicial vicar forms the Bishop's court, judging in the name of the Bishop and serving as chief administrative judge of the diocesan Tribunal, which handles cases largely concerned with questions of marital validity.
The vicar general, currently Rev. David Berberian, and other vicars share the Bishop's "ordinary power," mostly of a pastoral and supervisory nature, over the formation and development of clergy and religious.
The vicar general is unique, however, in sharing all of the administrative authority of the Bishop, except that which is restricted to the Bishop alone either by the law itself or by the Bishop's own desire. The vicar general has the same ordinary power as the episcopal vicars, with the exception that the vicar general has authority over the entire Diocese, whereas other vicars have the same authority, but only over their respective region, ministry or group of people.
The next level includes persons who serve as directors of key areas of diocesan administration. Most of them, such as the chief financial officer, the director of human services, the director of real property and the director of cemeteries, have been serving in these positions -- some, for many years -- prior to the organizational changes being introduced.
Not all directorial positions appear on this line. For example, the superintendent for Catholic schools serves under the director of Catholic faith formation. The editor of The Evangelist is included under the office of the director of communications. The director of information technology is included under the director of real property. The office of Pastoral Planning Support Services is also headed by a director and interfaces both with the vicar general and other directors as indicated on the chart. This alignment of directorial positions follows a logical order of cooperation within specific areas of service with a similar focus.
To be noted is that all of the directors appear under the newly-designated moderator of the curia, Rev. Donald Rutherford. By canon (Church) law, this role must be filled by a priest. His role is exclusively administrative within the Pastoral Center to ensure accountability, collaboration and fulfillment of the tasks assigned to each of the directors and their departments. Under his supervision, the evaluation of all department heads and their staffs will take place on a periodic basis.
Another vertical line places the directors under the vicar general, as well. The relationship of the directors to the vicar general, however, is not on the level of administrative accountability, but on pastoral collaboration.
It is the vicar general who, in solidarity with the college of episcopal vicars and in collaboration with the moderator of the curia, will help ensure that all of the departments are kept current with general information, initiatives and concerns from the parishes throughout the Diocese.
The vicar general fulfills many administrative tasks assigned under the direction of the Bishop and is one of the trustees of the Diocese, serving on several committees and foundations involved with administration. On a pastoral level, he will collaborate with seven regional episcopal vicars in a continual relationship with the parish leadership and parishioners of each parish throughout the Diocese.
First phase: early 2015 changes
The Bishop appointed a vicar for vocations, Rev. Anthony Ligato, to oversee awareness and development of vocations to the priesthood and religious life throughout the Diocese. This will be accomplished at the parish level through vocations awareness committees and personal outreach. The initial diaconate formation program will be under his supervision, as well.
A new vicar general, Rev. David Berberian, was appointed to succeed Rev. Michael Farano, and the title "administrative advocate for priests" was re-designated "vicar for clergy," an office also currently held by Father Berberian.
The Bishop initiated a weekly Mass for employees, which takes place every Friday at noon. Plans are underway for a larger and more permanent area at the Pastoral Center where Mass will be possible more frequently, even daily. All are to be encouraged to attend Mass with members of our Pastoral Center staff. More religious imagery is being introduced to facilitate the awareness of our Catholic faith-centered mission, important to us all, which is centered in Jesus Christ.
Second phase: June changes
In his pastoral letter, "God's work, too!," published in the June 11 issue of The Evangelist, the Bishop described changes in the organizational structure of the Pastoral Center to take effect July 1, 2015. These included the creation of an Office of Parish Services to oversee customer-service training and the maintenance of an accountability system; it would also be a resource center where pastors and parish life directors could go for assistance with programs and ministries.
Also announced in June was a reassignment of all of the services under the former OECFL to other departments, some of which were also to undergo restructuring or realignment. Notable among the changes in this second phase was the contracting of a consultant for social media in the Communications Office to facilitate the much-needed outreach of the Diocese and our parishes to those who seek and share information through electronic communication.
None of the services provided by the OECFL or the persons from whom parish leaders were accustomed to seek direction have been removed. They can still be reached directly through the receptionists at the Pastoral Center.
To facilitate access to all of the services available, however, Renee Morgiewicz, our new coordinator for parish services, is here to help you at a dedicated number (518-390-3936). It will be her pleasure to assist you by helping you to navigate the services available at the Pastoral Center and throughout the Diocese.
Third phase: changes by Sept.
The final phase of the reorganization of the diocesan services will be seen in the development of the seven new regional vicariates, headed each by a regional episcopal vicar. The new collegiate body of episcopal vicars will replace the deaneries after Sept. 1, 2015. After the appropriate consultation, an episcopal vicar will be assigned to each of seven regions. The episcopal vicars will personally represent the Bishop and assist him in an ongoing effort to animate parish life and keep current on the initiatives and challenges of each parish, especially fulfilling its mission:
• to assist those most in need, especially the poor and marginalized in each community;
• to evangelize, sanctify and catechize the faithful;
• to promote awareness and action on vocations, family life, the social Gospel and life issues; and
• to ensure stability of parish finances and temporalities.
The Bishop consults with collegial bodies such as the episcopal vicars and the Presbyteral Council, which is a mostly elected body of priests who advise the Bishop on clergy-related matters and pastoral needs. This consultation helps the Bishop to have a greater awareness of the needs of parishes, pastors and administrators in best caring for the welfare of the faithful.
An additional consultative body to be created in the fall will be the establishment of an Employee Advisory Council. Employee voices need to be heard. Collaboration among staff and management needs to take place. The Employee Advisory Council will act as a sounding board and provide input to the Bishop regarding potential administrative changes and polices that are in effect.
These changes enable the Bishop to travel more throughout the Diocese to meet people and the episcopal vicars through the new regions, and to better stay in touch with the parish communities.
If you do come to visit the Pastoral Center, however, in the months ahead, you will be seeing subtle changes in the atmosphere and in the availability of our staff. We are here to serve you and are excited to welcome you. If there is anything we can do to serve you better or if you wish to share your experience, please let us know.[[In-content Ad]]
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