As preparations continue for the work that is ahead to reconfigure parishes, the diocese’s Priest Personnel Board is immersed in the critical task of recommending to Bishop Galante the names of those priests that will guide parishes toward merger and who will become the likely pastors of the new parishes once mergers are formally established by decree.
The Board, which consists of six ex-officio members and six elected members, met for three days this week and will gather again next week to match priests to parish openings based on the ministerial skills of the priests and the pastoral needs of the parishes. Parish needs were assessed at 41 meetings that were held with parish leadership and representatives of the Priest Personnel Board in April, May and June of this year.
Priests who currently are the pastors of parishes designated as a “cluster” or “stand alone parish” may choose to remain in their present assignments until their term expires, until they seek a new assignment at another time, until they retire, or seek senior priest status. They may also choose to apply to become pastor of one of the newly merged parishes.
Once he has had the opportunity to consider the recommendations of the Board, Bishop Galante will announce later this month the names of those priests who have the title “Priest Convener,” for their primary role and task will be to work beginning this fall with a small group of parishioners, or core team, from each parish in the merger to help create the new parish.
An existing pastor could be named Priest Convener for his respective configuration, or another priest could be named Priest Convener for the parishes involved in the merger.
The Priest Conveners also will be the likely pastors of the newly merged parishes once they are formally established by decree, which Bishop has indicated could take up to 12 to 24 months. In the meantime, the existing parishes and parish life will continue under the direction of the present pastor.
“The naming of the priest conveners will be a significant step in moving the reconfiguration process forward,” said Father Terry Odien, Vicar for Clergy. “By carefully matching pastoral skills to the needs that exist, we will be able to continue the great progress that has been made so far to bring about the change that is so necessary in this diocese, but in a way that is pastorally sensitive to our parishioners who are most affected by the change, and in a way that will build strong, new parish relationships that will help bring about new life in the diocese.”