Get over it, already!

A couple parishioners have shared that on Sunday Deacon Dean mentioned Providence Housing Development Corporation's offer to purchase St. Vincent's had been a complete surprise, and that the withdrawal of the offer should close the issue.

So let's traffic in some facts. In September or October of 2010, a parishioner contacted the director of PHDC, who revealed that it was either the Diocese or our parish who contacted Providence Housing about purchasing the St. Vincent church property. In either case, it was not a surprise to leadership. The councils and committees may have been surprised, but parish staff was not since it was initiated by them or the diocese. And certainly the diocese would've been in contact with leadership to discuss a possible sale  of one of its active churches.

Two, since the offer was withdrawn, there has been no public mention of the status of St. Vincent's, other than to say that an announcement would be made in the fall. In fact, as far as we know, there have not been any repairs or improvements to either St. Vincent's or Immaculate Heart of Mary, which remains for sale.

The way to rebuild trust and to help parishioners 'get over' what happened, would be to begin an open and honest two-way dialog with the parish as a whole. Ways this could be accomplished would be to hold open parish council, facilities council and finance committee meetings. For those people who cannot attend meetings, the meeting minutes and financial reports should be posted online and available through the bulletin.

Leadership could publicly announce that St. Vincent's will not be closed or sold, but will be maintained and cared for; the same goes for Immaculate Heart of Mary. We may be one parish, but we've been blessed with three churches. Part of the budgeting process should include a capital improvement plan and maintenance costs.

These steps would go a long way toward restoring trust and building community.

New Look for Saving Our Parish

Savingourparish.com has been undergoing a major redesign. Within a week or so the website and blog will be at one site: www.savingourparish.com and it will have a whole new look. Friends of St. Vincent's (a 501c3 organization) will have its own page with an ongoing series of historical articles regarding our parish. There will be a Scripture page with an ongoing study and short video excerpts from a local Bible teacher. There will be a community page with lots of helpful information, book reviews and articles, and a prayer page devoted to the Prayers, Rosaries, Novenas, Devotions and Vigils of our faith. Lots more, too. You'll see...!

Exaltation of the Holy Cross

We adore thee, O Christ, and we bless thee,
for by thy cross thou hast redeemed the world.

The Manifesto -- Part Four

Accentuate the Positives, Eliminate the Negatives

Much of the justification for the new leadership configuration of Effective Church Operational Systems is predicated on the priest shortage, not simply in numbers, but in training, skills, and temperament. What is advocated is a corporate style of leadership that takes its cue from the business world – a world that is primarily concerned with a profit/loss mentality.

Infused into this model is a Protestant congregational style of ministry that mimics evangelical circles in which there is a senior pastor in charge, with associate pastors involved in different ministries branching off, then various administrative employees, and a plethora of organized volunteers.

The reputation of priests as pastors suffers in this thesis and overall their characterization shows a feeling of ambivalence toward them. For example, “Most priests receive no organizational management training in their seminary years… In the DOR most priests become pastors after just six years of experience, the minimum required by Canon Law.”  

Or this: “Many parishes are beginning to cluster or merge. However, multi-congregational or multi-sited parish assignments were never envisioned. These situations require strong leadership and managerial abilities. A priest who could handle a small single parish may not have the skill set to run a large, multiple worship sited parish.” (My emphases throughout.)

And this: “In many dioceses, the number of parishes is beginning to outnumber the priests, let alone the priests who are actually capable of leading them effectively.”

Although the thesis treats positively some priests, particularly during the formation period of the Catholic community in the Corning area, many individual priests are described differently thereafter. For instance, Fr. Brennan is described as “dragging his feet” and being proud of his “old school mentality” when a flood of liturgical changes came in the 1960s. (On a side note, I have been told that at Fr. Brennan’s request, rosaries were placed in St. Mary’s after he died and during his viewing, with a tender and prescient imploring that parishioners pray for the future of the parish.)

Other pastors are described as headed for “burnout and breakdown”. It is said of one priest, “He tried to lead a community as a small parish leader when the situation really demanded a corporate style of leadership.”

Another priest’s pastorate is described as “detached and unconnected to the people” with a style of delegating as “much responsibility as possible…[his] weakness was that he had difficulty connecting with people on a pastoral level…he came across as aloof and distant…his approach to ministry was rather minimalistic. He advocated for the five minute homily and simplicity in liturgy.”

The first non-priest pastoral administrator of All Saints Parish was a religious, who had served as a pastoral associate in the parish. (Side note: Let us put to an end the dishonest title of ‘pastoral administrator’. Because it is canonically incorrect to have a lay-person, a religious, or a deacon as a pastor, our diocese has played around with the titles and appointed them as pastoral administrators. However, in all things, they reign as the pastor.)

She is described as having many difficulties. “On a personal level, [she] struggle[d] to communicate any sense of caring. Many perceived her as harsh and cold. She succeeded in alienating most of her staff to the point where staff meetings consisted of a mere exchange of information on a most minimal level.”

When she decided to close and sell St. Patrick Church before Immaculate Heart of Mary, the “outcry was loud and long causing many people to leave the parish. [She] also did not conduct a process to help lead the people through the closure…By 2006, in the word of many staff members, [she] was in shreds—emotionally and physically. She had endured long and ha[r]sh criticism for her best attempt to lead a parish through a difficult process, something that no priest in the Diocese of Rochester wanted to take on. In 2006 she resigned and began a sabbatical. The parish was again posted with no takers. This time the Diocese of Rochester invited me to take the job, to which I agreed.”

The overall impression is that priests are ill suited and unwilling to pastor parishes in difficult times. I think most in our parish would emphatically disagree with that notion. Nevertheless, this is one of the fundamental starting points for implementing the Strategic Way in our parish. Unfortunately, it all but abandons the priest/pastor model that is codified in Canon Law, a model that has served the Church well for centuries. Circumstances have not changed so dramatically that a virtual revolution is needed.

And, based on current results, it has not gone well. The very ‘solutions’ that have been thought up and instituted have caused more harm than any temporary priest shortage or financial difficulties. To place priests under lay leaders or deacons does not fit, cannot fit. It is an experiment. Even in the corporate world, where there has been a conscious attempt to at least give an appearance of equality among the highest and lowest in a company, this model fails in the application. True authority comes from God, and is ordered by God. The angels have a hierarchy. The human family has a hierarchy. The Church has a hierarchy. Priests are pastors. Deacons and lay leaders are not. It’s that simple.

To frame the priesthood as a negative and the laity as a positive is to pit two distinct vocations against one another in the attempt to take what divinely belongs to one and give it to the other.

Deacon Dean describes a three-fold vision of the priests in Corning after World War One. “First was the providing of the sacraments and chaplaincy services. Second was the provision of a Catholic school. Third was advocacy in following the teaching of the church [sic].” There were, of course, numerous programs to help the poor and aid the community as well.

The need to provide the sacraments, to provide for Catholic education, and to advocate for following the teachings of the Church has not changed. Not. One. Bit.

Yet, somehow these basic yet vital needs have morphed into a vision to “implement an operational process for the parish leadership that will clarify what it is we want to accomplish as a parish, clarify where are now in relationship to where we believe God wants us to be as a parish, develop a strategy on how to get where we want to be, establish a system for ongoing response for continued improvement, and build a leadership team where there is now only individual ministers.”

This is what happens when one abandons the way of the Catholic Church.

Next we’ll take a look at Chapter 2, “Theological Framework.”

Sacred Structures

Originally a pagan temple dedicated to 'all the gods', the Church of Santa Maria Rotonda or Santa Maria ad Martyres was dedicated in 609 A.D. It has been a Catholic church for over 1,400 years. On Pentecost Sunday parishioners drop rose petals through the 27-foot ocular opening above (see the video below). Kings and queens are entombed there, as is the great artist Raphael. Go here, here, and here for more fascinating information on the history of this sacred structure. For another  view, watch this, too.

The Cross

Nerina at Cleansing Fire writes a beautiful reflection in commemoration of 9/11.

A scarcity of priests

People say that there is a scarcity of priests. In truth, what an adorable mystery it is that there still are priests. They no longer have any human advantage. Celibacy, solitude, hatred very often, derision and, above all the indifference of a world in which there seems to be no longer room for them—such is the portion they have chosen. They have no apparent power; their task sometimes seems to be centered about material things, identifying them, in the eyes of the masses, with the staffs of town halls and of funeral parlors. A pagan atmosphere prevails all around them. The people would laugh at their virtue if they believed in it, but they do not. They are spied upon. A thousand voices accuse those who fall. As for the others, the great number, no one is surprised to see them toiling without any sort of recognition, without appreciable salary, bending over the bodies of the dying, or ambling about the parish -- Francois Mauriac

Halving the churches

Many Catholic communities in Europe are grappling with a priest shortage, too. The Vatican Insider has a short article about the issue in Germany. A snippet:

To respond to the problems, the church has been seeking to centralize, creating larger structures when the smaller ones are left without priests. A hypothesis to which Müller is strongly opposed, since it is precisely the local dimension that is lacking today. Revising the centralized model, the theologian explains, will lead to a profound overhaul of the models of local church in force today. Müller notes: "The Church, despite the restriction of having to save money and the lack of staff, will definitely remain local. It is desirable to strengthen the community, indeed, new ones should be born, starting from the Church's entrusted task to gather men, and from her mission."

Read it here. So, it appears in Germany they are seeing a lack of community when they centralize around one large church. Ya think?

A Terrible Beauty

The first photo is of a church in Germany damaged by Allied bombs. The other is of a church in Italy with an American soldier gazing at the altar of God.

And here we are in 2011, with no bombs falling in our prosperous little valley, with 2,500 Catholic families on the rolls, and our own leadership is selling off the Houses of God. Doesn't it make you just the least bit sick to your stomach?

Justice and mercy

There is a Jewish saying: There is no peace without justice, and no justice without judgment.

Is it merciful to sell and destroy churches that parishioners and pastors labored long and hard to build, not only for themselves but for future generations? For us and our children?

Is it merciful to oppress the parishioners who overwhelmingly oppose the sale and destruction of their churches?

Is it justice to blame parishioners for leaving when one of their beloved houses of prayer has been torn down? When beloved employees are driven out and a community divided? When their remaining churches are in jeopardy?

Is it justice when hand-picked council/committees simply echo the desires and plans of the administrator? When they are manipulated and used to further an agenda that is destructive of the Apostolic Tradition?

Is it justice when funds are used for pet projects and a bloated staff, instead of maintaining sacred structures -- the very places where parishioners can meet God in the flesh?

Mercifully, the judgment must be left to God.

And leadership should have mercy and compassion for those things that were established before them. God and His Church looks to eternity, and if a parish's churches cannot be maintained for even a few generations, there is something fundamentally awry with how these parishes are being stewarded.

If something is failing with regard to a Catholic demonstration of stewardship, we should not throw the baby out with the bath water and destroy our holy temples. Instead, perhaps we should become more Catholic and actually solve the problem, instead of changing the definition of success to mean less and less rather than being fruitful and multiplying.

No one needs to accept the idea that our leadership's failures are our failures. This parish has not failed. We have been faithful and true, and await a pastor who puts our spiritual needs first and foremost. One who will defend the Lord's House without regard to self.

Limits

Some things are more important than money.

The Revised Roman Missal and Sacred Music

Will the music now played in our parish change when the revised Roman Missal is put into place? I've run across a book that may or may not be helpful. Maybe someone with some knowledge can help put it into perspective. The book is called Simple English Propers and it purports to bring back the 'sacred' to sacred music.

Also ran across this post from an organist/director at the Carmelite monastery in Philadelphia. She writes, "Soon we will be treated to translations of the Mass texts that are much closer to the original Latin missal. This is most obvious in the Gloria, which will match the phrases as they appear in the Latin missal, rather than relying on the chopped-up and re-organized translation currently in use. Along with the revised translations, may we now expect more sacred musical settings?

Sadly, this does not appear to be the case. A mailing from one of the major publishers assured me that the revised translations would be adapted to current settings, and new settings are coming, but from the same composers who gave us the old secular-style settings and hymns. It is an opportunity missed."

She makes some good points regarding simple chant, and how it is naturally adaptive to choirs and those of us in the pews. Here's another post about the upcoming changes.

The Smoke of Satan

Ran across this blog post by Fr. Dwight Longenecker, published a while back. In it he derides modernism, specifically mentioning the penchant of some in our Church to pooh-pooh biblical miracles like the Feeding of the 5,000.

I just finished reading Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist by Brant Pitre, in which he explains how the Feeding of the 5,000 was a precursor to the institution of the Eucharist. By tearing away one's faith in the veracity of the biblical record and Jesus' miracles, one can more easily attack the Eucharist, the Blessing, the "Source and Summit" of the Mass and our Catholic Faith. Modernism, the Smoke of Satan, indeed.

A book review of Brant Pitre's book is coming along.

Who Are We?

By Susan Miller

This post relates a part of the thesis Effective Church Operational Systems to both All Saints Parish and the American Catholic Church in general. It’s important to note that the turmoil in our parish is not personal from the viewpoint of SOP. It’s actually a rather common battle taking place in the Church and in certain dioceses in particular, like the Diocese of Rochester (DOR). And it centers on identity. Who are we as Catholics? What is the mission and value of our parishes and churches?

Chapter one of the thesis discusses leadership and social challenges that the Church faces today, as well as a local history of our Catholic parishes. On page 22, there is a summary of the priorities of our pre-Vatican II parishes in Corning:

“…the leadership embraced a basic three-fold vision. First was the providing of the sacraments and chaplaincy services. Second was the provision of a Catholic school. Third was advocacy in following the teaching of the church.”

The implication is that this “basic” vision was insufficient, and we are to do “bigger” things today. We experience this attitude throughout the DOR with a downgrading of the role of priests, the explosion of lay professional staffs, church and school closings, and less emphasis on the sacraments and Catholic devotions, such as adoration and the rosary.

Providing the Sacraments and Chaplaincy Services

The seven sacraments (Baptism, Reconciliation, Eucharist, Confirmation, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick) are unique and central to our faith. Parents send their children to religious education until they are confirmed, at a minimum. Receiving the actual presence of Christ in the Eucharist keeps people coming to mass despite what is going on around them.

However, it can be easy to take the sacraments for granted. A description of the leadership of Father Joseph Guilfoil, pastor of St. Vincent’s Parish from 1940-1964, illustrates a time when the sacraments truly were most important. “In the dark of night of freezing weather he walked to the homes of his people to bring the Sacraments to those who were seriously ill – people tell you that today (1988).” (Diamond Jubilee Review, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 1913-1988).

We need our sacraments. And we need our priests.

Provision of a Catholic School

A number of Catholics may agree with this sentiment on page 15 of the thesis:

“Many parishes deeply subsidize the schools, draining needed funds for ministry and building maintenance.” 

It’s true that it costs money to run Catholic schools. Whether that is called “draining needed funds” depends on your perspective. If Catholic education is a priority, then it is considered an investment in the future. In fact, Catholic education was a critical mission in the DOR from its formation in the mid-1800s. Often, parishes were created with the school and church sharing the same building.

As someone who has attended local Catholic and public schools, I can tell you that public schools can do many things well. However, one thing that they can’t do is guide a child’s spiritual development. It is not a public school’s mission to do so. Furthermore, even the best religious education/youth groups only meet for about half the year for an hour or so. It simply can’t compare to being immersed in a Catholic environment for six hours per day, 180 days per year.

This is not to criticize parents who choose public schools. Rather, for parishes to not provide the option of a Catholic education is short-sighted at best. Read a teacher’s perspective in Catholic Education Matters. And consider the Wichita, Kansas diocese that charges no Catholic school tuition for children of active parishioners, meaning that the diocesan parishes fully fund the schools.

Advocacy for the Teachings of the Church

The church has a number of complicated and even controversial teachings. Yet, we don’t hear much about them from the pulpit. Perhaps some homilists don’t want to upset people. Others may not believe in a particular Church teaching. And still others may assume that people already understand these teachings. In fact, a significant number of us probably lack knowledge or could use a refresher. The homily may be the only time that the Church can reach adults and help them grow in their faith. If Catholics don’t feel confident that they understand their faith, how can they defend it, much less evangelize, in a hostile society?

Summary

There is much talk of ministries in our parish and in the thesis. Ministries, whether singing in the choir or collecting goods for the needy, are a wonderful way to serve fellow parishioners or the larger community. But these are an outgrowth of our faith, not the mission of a Catholic parish. The primary mission of a Catholic parish is to save souls. This is accomplished through the Mass and sacraments, Catholic education, and church teachings. No other institution in our society can provide these three things. If we let them slip away, then who exactly are we?

An Excellent Response

As noted here and here and here, there was a recent article in the weekend bulletin that caused some scandal. Deacon Dean wrote a well thought out response to it in this Sunday's bulletin. Titled "Gender and God Issues", it addresses some of the important issues that back the drive to ordain women priests and to 'feminize' the Fatherhood of God.

He says, "The ordination of only men to the priesthood has often been argued as a form of oppression of women. It is not. The Church believes that Jesus was sinless (not a sexist) and perfectly did the will of the father. He chose only men as apostles. They in turn understood that their successors would only be men even when spreading to cultures (such as the Greek) where female priestesses existed and where they would have easily been accepted. The Church does not believe that it has the authority to override what appears to have been Jesus' intention."

Do read the whole thing. An excellent response.