What's A "deanery"?

[Gabriela]

I know I can google it, but I want to be able to ask questions.

 

I'm in a group that's trying to get a TLM in my diocese. I talked to the Bishop and he said he needs to take this to the Deanery. The way he talked about it made it sound like it's comprised of parish priests.

 

So, what's a Deanery, and who's in it, and what's it do?

[Credo in Deum]

From what I was able to find it is:

 

Deanery:

A subdivision of a diocese, consisting of a number parishes, over which presides a dean appointed by a bishop. The duty of the dean is to watch over the clergy of the deanery, to see that they fulfill the orders of the bishop, and observe the liturgical and canon laws. He summons the conference of the deanery and presides at it. Periodically he makes a report to the bishop on conditions in the deanery.

[truthfinder]

I know I can google it, but I want to be able to ask questions.

 

I'm in a group that's trying to get a Traditional Latin Mass in my diocese. I talked to the Bishop and he said he needs to take this to the Deanery. The way he talked about it made it sound like it's comprised of parish priests.

 

So, what's a Deanery, and who's in it, and what's it do?

 

Credo's answer is correct. Without stirring the pot, the bishop doesn't need to go to the Deanery about the TLM, and you technically don't need to go to the bishop for this either, according to both Summorum pontificum and its clarifying letter.  I know the realities can be much different; best of luck.

[Gabriela]

Ok, so it would make sense if a deanery consisted of all the parishes in one town, and several towns/deaneries comprised the diocese. Right?

 

I know we don't need the Bishop's approval for a TLM, but no priest in this diocese will say a TLM without the Bishop's blessing. So in effect, we need the Bishop's approval to have a TLM.

 

Not what Papa Benny envisioned, I know... :(

[Credo in Deum]

Sadly, it's been the way to get around offering the Tridentine Mass for a while now.  it's really a form of "I have no problem with it but you have to ask your father" and then when you do the father says "ask your mother."  Meanwhile the child is left confused.  

 

 

[Luigi]

The number of deaneries usually depends on the size and geography of the diocese. There might be 15 to 25 parishes in one deanery. In a large city - say Chicago or something similar - there might be a north city, west city, south city, and east city deanery, as well as a north Chicagoland, west Chicagoland, and south Chicagoland deanery. No need for an east Chicagoland deanery, since that's the lake.

 

The bishop probably wants to talk to the deans about:

- who has a priest capable of saying such a Mass

- who has room in their Sunday schedule to add such a Mass

- would one such Mass be enough for the whole diocese, or should there be on one in each deanery

- and so forth.

 

Technically, the bishop has the power to dictate what masses will be said by whom, where, and when, but no bishop worth his salt would issue such a dictate without previous consultation. He doesn't want to anger the clergy in an effort to pacify the laity, and he doesn't want to anger the laity in an effort to pacify the clergy. The bishop is a shepherd, not a monarch.

[truthfinder]

Thank you for such a clear post on the reasons for going to the deanery, Luigi.  

[Gabriela]

The number of deaneries usually depends on the size and geography of the diocese. There might be 15 to 25 parishes in one deanery. In a large city - say Chicago or something similar - there might be a north city, west city, south city, and east city deanery, as well as a north Chicagoland, west Chicagoland, and south Chicagoland deanery. No need for an east Chicagoland deanery, since that's the lake.

 

The bishop probably wants to talk to the deans about:

- who has a priest capable of saying such a Mass

- who has room in their Sunday schedule to add such a Mass

- would one such Mass be enough for the whole diocese, or should there be on one in each deanery

- and so forth.

 

Technically, the bishop has the power to dictate what masses will be said by whom, where, and when, but no bishop worth his salt would issue such a dictate without previous consultation. He doesn't want to anger the clergy in an effort to pacify the laity, and he doesn't want to anger the laity in an effort to pacify the clergy. The bishop is a shepherd, not a monarch.

 

That is super helpful. Thank you!

[Norseman82]

The number of deaneries usually depends on the size and geography of the diocese. There might be 15 to 25 parishes in one deanery. In a large city - say Chicago or something similar - there might be a north city, west city, south city, and east city deanery, as well as a north Chicagoland, west Chicagoland, and south Chicagoland deanery. No need for an east Chicagoland deanery, since that's the lake.

 

The bishop probably wants to talk to the deans about:

- who has a priest capable of saying such a Mass

- who has room in their Sunday schedule to add such a Mass

- would one such Mass be enough for the whole diocese, or should there be on one in each deanery

- and so forth.

 

Technically, the bishop has the power to dictate what masses will be said by whom, where, and when, but no bishop worth his salt would issue such a dictate without previous consultation. He doesn't want to anger the clergy in an effort to pacify the laity, and he doesn't want to anger the laity in an effort to pacify the clergy. The bishop is a shepherd, not a monarch.

 

Actually, Chicago is divided up into six vicariates, each assigned to an auxillary bishop, and each vicariate has about three to six deaneries. 

[Luigi]

Actually, Chicago is divided up into six vicariates, each assigned to an auxillary bishop, and each vicariate has about three to six deaneries. 

 

YIKES! It's a lot bigger than I estimated!

[Norseman82]

YIKES! It's a lot bigger than I estimated!

 

If you want an idea of how Chicago is divided, go to the archdiocesan parish locator and click on the first drop-down to search by vicariate/deanery: 

 

http://parishdirectory.archchicago.org/ParishSearch.aspx

 

(my deanery has 11 parishes).