There's another new article up at SavingOurParish.com. One of the most important articles we've posted, and do click on the links embedded in it. I know of at least one person who has already ordered the book referenced in the article.
Then, there's a loving note from a former parishioner, who is now a deacon in the Anglican Church. All Saints Parish impacted him in profound ways. We are worth saving, he tells us. Do read From a Friend.
And last, watch this short video of a priest from Hungary who goes out to the people to evangelize. You can feel the love. It's authentic. It's from God.
"The main facilitator for the parish leadership has been a non-Catholic." This is referring to the Strategic Way. The gentleman is Jim Moore. He is a former Catholic turned Baptist. How much does a former Catholic turned Baptist know about "Go and Make Disciples"? How much does he know about the Paulist Fathers (Father Rivers is a Paulist Priest - whose main mission as a religious order is evangelization)and how successful is their mission? We've been fed another line with half-truths and manipulations. Again there is a lack of clear communication. Does God create a church just to circumvent it through a pastoral administrator? I guess the bishops of the United States are not as in touch with the Holy Spirit and not as filled with wisdom and knowledge as Mr. Moore and the parish leadership.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting that our "parish leadership" does not listen to the voice of our Church leaders (the Bishops)nor to the voice of the people of our parish! Oh well, I guess we are neither holy nor smart enough to be listened to by our "parish leadership" But to believe that you are smarter and holier that the Bishops in our nation? May God truly place us under His mercy!!!!
ReplyDeleteI smell KOOL-AID folks don't you?
ReplyDeleteYet another example of where Dean turns to the Protestants for direction. WHY???? What's wrong with finding help from within the faith he claims to profess? This is not "knocking Protestants". I personally am from a long-line of Protestants. I love them all! Many of my closest friends are Protestants. But I wouldn't invite any of them to teach my kids religion!!!! Dean's attraction to the Protestant church is his right but he should leave the Catholic Church to join theirs, rather than attempt to convert ours.
ReplyDeleteWho is this Jim guy and what specifically is his role in the strategic plan? Where is he from? Did we pay him for advice? Why wouldn't the Diocese send someone who is Catholic to help lead this plan? I DON'T GET IT or maybe I am beginning to.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know he is from Arizona. There was a meeting in June at Immaculate Heart where a lot of the ministries core teams met. At this meeting we were split up into small groups of five or six including a facilitator. We had a small lecture on what the "Strategic Plan" meant to our parish. The ideas brought forth were how to manage our ministries better, how to get out of financial debt and also how to get the parish more involved. After this small lecture we brainstormed ideas in our small groups on how to make the parish better. Never once was laying off of people mentioned. Never once was the selling of Saint Vincent's brought up. Never once was the idea of All Saints becoming All One. As far as the ideas of "Jim" were concerned, there werent any. This is the first time he has done this kind of "lecture". Funny how a few weeks later two people were terminated and the role out of "one church" was implemented. As far as I am concerned we were basically bamboozled by our lovely administration. On a positive note during our small group meetings we came up with fantastic ideas on how to make the parish better. Were we heard? NO NO NO!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI would just like to point out that I think Deacon Dean is an authentic Catholic and a good man. I was in RCIA a couple of years ago investigating the Roman Catholic Church. Deacon Dean went out of his way to discuss difficult questions about Catholic doctrine several times. Although I did not join the church, it was because I am still discerning, not because of Deacon Dean. Is anyone aware that the Parish rectory went without heat this past winter in rooms like the family room because the priority went to All Saints Academy? This has been confirmed by Roseanne Ewanyk.
ReplyDeleteWelcome, Anonymous, and thank you for your comments in support of Deacon Dean. A little balance is more than welcome.
ReplyDeleteIs this the rectory at St. Mary's you are talking about?
Yes, the one with an air conditioner hanging out every window.
ReplyDeleteCan we hold back on some of this 'dry wit' please?
ReplyDeleteDeacon Dean said that he had rooms in is own home that went without heating because the priority went to All Saints Academy. I was under the assumption that he lived at the rectory at St. Mary's.
ReplyDeleteI don't quite see the connection.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding is that the heating systems at ASA, St. Mary's rectory and the church needed to be repaired. The choice was made to spend money on the heating system at ASA and leave the rectory and church unrepaired.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice that at least someone knows what needs repair. I think we're talking boilers here. All this is doable and probably expected. If parish leadership got to a point where it was heating one building over another because of neglected repairs, what can be said of the stewardship capabilities?
ReplyDeleteAlso, the person said that a room was going unheated, not the whole rectory. How many rooms are in the rectory? Aren't there three floors of living spaces?
Come on, people. Think.
Actually, he said that last year $20,000 was spent on heating ASA instead of repairing the heating systems at the rectory and church. I'm not quite sure if that's how much it costs to heat ASA or the heating system needed to be repaired.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the clarifications. I'm still not sure why, if it is true, that Deacon Dean is making analogies between heating the school versus making repairs at the rectory and church. That does not make sense from a financial picture. One is a capital improvement and the other one is an operating expense. Or, if they are all capital expenses, how in the world did it get to a point that all three buildings needed major repairs at the same time? What are the odds of that? They may happen to involve heating, but that's where the similarities end.
ReplyDeleteWhat the parish needs is line-item transparency, instead of these little tiny dribbles from personal conversations. That is doing what the leadership accuses the parishioners of.
Again, wouldn't it be nice if the parish as a whole knew what was going on with our buildings, and what the costs are for the most critical needs, and so on.
I'm afraid that the roll out of the facilities plan is going to paint a very dark picture without providing the details needed for us to determine the best course of action.
The above sketchy information on the school, the church, and the rectory is an example of that.
My point exactly..If we were told about these problems ahead of time we could take care of them before they get out of hand..Once again poor leadership
ReplyDeleteIt was not a personal conversation. I asked if the parish supports the school. Deacon Dean sent an email and here it is exactly below:
ReplyDeleteFinancial support for the school (subsidy) has remained unchanged since about 2002 at $185,000 per year. It has not gone down one cent during my administration. By this June the parish will have given the school$740,000 in support since I have been here. $0.25 of every dollar we get in our collection goes to the school. Last year, in effect, each and
every child of All Saints Academy personally received $1,434 in scholarship funds--the highest level per capita in the history of the school. The parish has continued with this level of support despite of the fact that the parish has had to lay of two employees in the last four years and struggles to make ends meet. We spent around $20,000 on repairing the sidewalks, another $20,000 on heating while the heating system in St.
Mary rectory and church remain unrepaired. I could go on. I have rooms in my own home (like our family room) that have gone unheated this winter because priority have been given to the school. Not one cent of tuition money goes anywhere else but the school.
All of the above was confirmed by Roseanne. If you people want to know what's going on, why don't you just ask?
Was that email widely distributed to the parish? Or was it sent to you personally, anonymous?
ReplyDeleteThe thing about asking questions, is that sometimes when people are uninformed of critical issues, they don't even know what questions to ask.
I'm going to parse Dean's comments:
"[Financial support] has not gone down one cent since my administration."
And it has not gone up, either, although we were told at mass one Sunday that giving had increased almost 8 percent in the last year. Costs for the school have certainly gone up in the last eight years, I'm sure.
"The parish has continued with this level of support despite of [sic] the fact that the parish has had to lay of[f] two employees in the last four years and struggles to make ends meet."
This sounds very close to pitting the school against the parish. I would hope that the parish feels the school is a part of our community, something very needed to further the Catholic faith and strong families. The way the statements are framed, he is saying it is an 'either/or' situation. Really?
"We spent around $20,000 on repairing the sidewalks, another $20,000 on heating while the heating system in St. Mary rectory and church remain unrepaired."
Again, is it pitting the church/rectory against the school? Does anyone really think that if the word went out from the pulpit, "A new heating system was needed and here are the details," that the money wouldn't be forthcoming? Instead, we find that he repairs sidewalks at the school and then talks about the cost to heat the school? The logic does not follow!
Look, if he can't tell that heating the church and rectory is more important than sidewalks, then maybe he needs more help in making decisions.
"Not one cent of tuition money goes anywhere else but the school."
Well, where else should it go?
That email actually elicits more questions than gives answers.
Wonder why enrollment is down at ASA? As I've said before, I don't feel the leadership supports ASA and that email certainly feels that way. Like Teresa said, feels like ASA is being pitted against the church. Did anyone read the latest Catholic Courier. Check it out about St Mary's in Horseheads. Enrollment is up from 109 students to 129 for the 2010-2011 school year. The quote from Principal Zinn was that "we have a very, very, very positive pastor who is not afraid to speak up and tell everyone how proud he is of this school." Speaks volumes, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI disagree. From his email, it sounds to me like the parish and Deacon Dean are very committed to the school and want it to be part of the community. This is evidenced by the sacrifices that are being made ($0.25 of every dollar in the collection goes to the school, heating, etc.). If it is true that giving has increased by 8%in the last year and $0.25 of every dollar collected goes to the school, then financial support has increased to the school. With a parish that's struggling so much financially, it sounds like they are doing what they can to keep the school part of the community.
ReplyDeleteSt. Mary's in Horseheads is the only school in the Diocese that has increased in enrollment. All other schools are down in enrollment like ASA.
ReplyDeleteThe plan is to tear it down to make way for the mega complex.
ReplyDeleteWhen?
ReplyDeleteOh my. So which is it? Has support of the school remained the same since 2002 at $185,000 per year, or is it 25 cents on the dollar, which would necessarily increase the amount if giving has indeed risen 8% in the last year? Both statements are in that purported email from Deacon Dean.
ReplyDeleteCan't have it both ways.
We need to hear from Deacon Dean himself...most of the problems seem to be stemming from the fact that some are aware or "hearing" about this or that ... why aren't we hearing about these issues from Deacon Dean himself, before he or a select few decide to do something drastic? Our parish means a lot to us. Even on this site, it seems like there are some that are informed and the rest of us, as we read this that are shocked about most of what we read. I realize there are now small meetings planned, but people are now skeptical and hesitant to attend - wondering if it is worth the time. So far, our voices haven't been heard
ReplyDeleteBelieve it when you see it happening. As the blogger ahead of this said most are uninformed and "shocked". This is the point many of us have been trying to get out. As far as getting an answer from him, don't hold your breath.
ReplyDeleteAre there any further comments on Evangelization?
ReplyDeleteDeacon Dean has shared that he was unable to heat the family room. My kids hang out in their "family room" (the basement) and it is always freezing! They bundle up or they run around until they get warmed up. My point is, he really shouldn't be complaining if he only has 1 room in that huge rectory that isn't heated. For goodness sakes, the kids can easily find another room that is! When times are tough, we are all called to make sacrifices- his family included.
ReplyDeleteHow really does he support the school? His note show the parish's financial support as a parish should and he states that as the administrator of the parish, but really how does he support the school? He lives across the street from it; in bulletins he holds first place as a staff person; he seems to be in charge of EVERYTHING and yet as a leader and supposedly supporter he does not send his kids to the school and he sends them to youth activities at the church on Victory highway. Scandelous and as someone wrote, the folks at the Victory church gloat at the fact they have the administrator of the Catholic church attending there.
ReplyDeleteHe probably can't afford to send his kids to the school.
ReplyDeleteI just have to jump in. Theresa of Avila, you make comments asking for people to stop with the dry wit yet you yourself speak with such arrogance and conceit, I am drowning in your sarcasm and hypocrisy...
ReplyDeleteAnn, I plead guilty. Thanks for keeping me accountable. I will do my best to curb the sharp tongue.
ReplyDeleteThere are 2 Ann's commenting! I didn't call Theresa of Avila out for sarcasm but do agree that we all have to be charitable!
ReplyDelete