Surfing the net, this morning. Musing over a cup of coffee. I came across this chart and planned my own parish.
What Parishes are most successful at:
1.
Managing parish
finances 90%
2.
Recruitment and
retaining ministers/staff 89
3.
Communicating with
parishioners 89
4.
Educating
parishioners in the faith 86
5.
Welcoming new
parishioners 85
6.
Promoting ministry
opportunities 85
7.
Listening to
parishioner concerns and input 83
8.
Effectively using
committees and councils 79
9.
Providing social
activities and programs 77
1.
Providing accessibility
for persons with disabilities 77
11.
Ministering to the
elderly 76
12.
Ministering to
families 75
13.
Ministering to
those who are grieving 75
14.
Ministering to
those in financial need 66
15.
Collaborating with
other parishes 61
16.
Providing cultural,
ethnic, or national celebrations 59
17.
Celebrating
cultural diversity 56
18.
Providing Mass in
preferred languages 56
19.
Ministering to
young adults 56
20.
Outreach to
inactive Catholics 43
21.
Ministering to
recent immigrants 35
If I were Pastor I’d put # 15,
first. I figured I’d get more accomplished
with others. Yes, that might be more
work, but the more people, the bigger the talent pool. The first thing I’d do is publish and
coordinate the Mass schedule and other sacraments. The Mass Schedule would always be posted in
my bulletin: if St. Joe’s has a 7:00 Mass, then I’d have a 7:30, and St. Mary’s
would have an 8:00. I definitely wouldn’t
forget evening Masses. One of us should
have a Saturday Evening Mass, and another a Sunday Evening. Confessions—likewise.
Our Deacons would be involved in all of
the above, especially the funerals of people who are Catholic, but don’t
request a Mass. I’ve been to a family
funeral where the family were fallen away Catholics. They weren’t anything. Although if you asked
them, they’d say, “Catholic.” They were
grieving. But they would have been
extremely uncomfortable if a priest ministered to them. A Deacon was there and explained that he was “like”
a priest, but he was married with children.
The family loved him. He was
perfect. If there were a Mass, they
wouldn’t have known what to do or how to act, and that would have just caused
them more discomfort in a difficult time.
The Deacon was a godsend.
The priest can’t do it all, but I think
he can be perceived as doing it all.
CCD/religious ed for example: he should always make an appearance . Five minutes out of a day to show up. Sometimes it would be to greet the kids;
sometimes it would be to say good-bye.
Even a walk through, is something.
For gosh sakes, wish the kids a “Merry Christmas”. Just casting the priests’ shadows, now and
then, is enough.
I also think my priests should do
likewise (make an appearance) at EVERY single event and group the parish
runs. That’s every sodality, Bible
Study, prayer group, etc., cast a priestly shadow as you walk through. Five minutes is all the time I’d ask. The priests can alternate with the Deacons
and parish administrators, or seminarians.
I’m after the perception that the parish administration cares.
Outside of # 18, lay people can
coordinate all the efforts. The priest would
know what’s happening, because he’s casting his shadow everywhere, but I think all
of the above can be coordinated by lay people.
Every week or two they’d be a team meeting where everybody would give an
update on their ministries.
I’d get rid of parish councils. They are not representative of ALL the
people. Just by the fact that they’re
chosen by vote tells you that it’s a popularity contest. Newcomers, who should be welcomed and invited
into ministries, don’t have any say on a parish council because they aren’t
known enough to garner the necessary votes to get elected. In fact, I’d bet the ranch, that most of the
people on the parish council are elderly because they’ve been in the church the
longest; therefore they know most of the people. Next, I bet the rest of the parish council
are Lectors, because they come out before Mass and introduce themselves! No, parish councils will be out, and the
Ministry Teams will replace them.
The Ministry Teams definitely will meet
no less often than bi-weekly. For gosh
sakes, parish councils only meet seasonally, at best—that tells you how
necessary they are!
Since the laity is coordinating
everything but the sacraments, the priests should have a better prayer
life. And pray in and with the
people. Join the Rosary before
Mass. Be seen praying in church—pray your
Office in front of the Blessed Sacrament, pray in the sacristy with the altar
servers, and no cop out excuse that the people keep interrupting your
prayer. What would John Vianney say
about that? Over a priest’s life span,
someone asking for Confession, or help, during private prayer, doesn’t happen
the majority of time. Priests must be
seen praying. Perception is
important. Make the perception reality.
The problem I’d always have is “money.” As pastor, I am a priest first, not the
financial executive officer of a corporation.
My parish would not be a business.
I’d need enough money to meet expenses, and the rest would be given
away. I’d pray that if I were
ministering to my people well, they’d support the parish. I’d do what I could; the rest is up to the
Holy Spirit.
Such as it is, this is my model for
pastoral leadership. I had fun planning my parish. Surfing the
internet this morning I was reminded of my mother, who’s been gone for over thirty years. Somebody has her name on Facebook. The name
is an uncommon, old Lithuanian name. I
read her page and saw that she works for the Archdiocese of Boston. She’s into Lay Ministry. That’s how I came across the chart posted at
the beginning of this article. You’ll
find everything you ever wanted to know on the web site of Emerging Models of
Pastoral Leadership. http://emergingmodels.org/files/2012/08/Parish-Leader-Report.pdf
Rest in Peace, Mom.
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