Dealing Witrh Fewer Priests

[cmotherofpirl]

Policy changes speed process to form pastors
by: Chuck Moody

As part of a continuing effort to deal with the declining number of priests, the Diocese of Pittsburgh has reduced the number of years following ordination that it takes for a priest to become qualified to be a pastor.

“The Clergy Personnel Board was concerned because we didn’t have enough qualified candidates for pastor based on the current Priest Personnel Policy,” said Father John Rushofsky, director of the diocesan Department for Clergy Personnel.

Under those guidelines, a priest had to be ordained at least eight years and had to have completed the diocesan pre-pastor training program. If a priest had come to the Diocese of Pittsburgh from another diocese, he would have to be incardinated at least four years. Incardinated priests also are expected to take the pre-pastor training program.

“The personnel board feared we would not have enough candidates at the eight-year level,” Father Rushofsky said. “We had some priests under that seniority level who we felt would make good pastors, but the policy excluded them. So we needed to change the policy to make those priests available.”

Seniority refers to the number of years a priest has been ordained, regardless of his age, Father Rushofsky explained.

The change being implemented in the Priest Personnel Policy is that now a priest is eligible to become a pastor on his fifth anniversary of ordination, Father Rushofsky said.

“That means our priests who are ordained four years are required to take the pre-pastor training program,” he said. “The reason is that they can expect to be pastors much sooner than in the past, and they need the resources to do this.

“That’s exactly what the pre-pastor training program does. It tells them what pastors need to know in terms of administration of a parish, managing a staff, finances, dealing with conflict, and what help is available to them from all of the diocesan departments.”

Under the previous Priest Personnel Policy, a parochial vicar normally was assigned to a parish for a five-year period, renewable for one or two additional years at the discretion of the parochial vicar, the pastor and the diocesan bishop.

However, first-assignment parochial vicars, or newly ordained priests, were assigned for five-year periods and were transferred at the end of that five years. They were not eligible for the additional extension.

“That period has been shortened,” Father Rushofsky said. “The first assignment has been shortened to three years. The Clergy Personnel Board has recommended this because it will enable a newer priest to have two different parish assignments before being appointed a pastor.

“This will broaden his experience and give him a better perspective on different styles of parish ministry.”

There are 215 parishes in the diocese. There are eight priests who run more than one parish. Eight parishes currently have two parochial vicars, and there are 34 parishes with one parochial vicar.

Those are parishes staffed with diocesan priests. There are a few other parishes with more than one priest, but they are staffed by religious communities, Father Rushofsky said.

The approximately 170 remaining parishes are staffed by one priest. Father Rushofsky, Father James Young, secretary for ministerial leadership, and Father Ron Lengwin, director of the Office for Public and Community Relations and the Mission Office, recently visited all 16 deaneries of the diocese to talk to priests about the changes.

“Father Young, Father Lengwin and I visited all the deaneries in the diocese in order to give our priests an update on the number of priests currently in active ministry,” Father Rushofsky said. “It’s a little scary for all of us because the condition continues to get worse.

“As of those visits, which were in May and June, we had only 59 priests who were serving as parochial vicars. This is compared to five years ago when in May 1999 we had 92 parochial vicars.”

Four newly assigned parochial vicars were ordained June 26, and one recently returned from completing his graduate studies in Rome. However, two of the four newly ordained priests will return to Rome to complete their studies at the end of September.

It is clear that diocesan priests continue to serve well in spite of the decreasing numbers and the increased demand on their time, Father Rushofsky said.

“We’re looking at the ministerial needs of each deanery and identifying ways in which these needs can be met in spite of the decline in the number of priests,” he said.

“One of the things that has become evident is that a lot of ministry is now being done by our priests that can be done by others, and we’re trying to see how we can get those ministerial needs met by those who are not priests.

“Bishop Wuerl has been very clear that fewer priests does not mean less ministry.”

[zwergel88]

I'm from Pittsburgh too, so i had to comment. These changes seem good, it just seems sad that they have to make any changes at all to accomedate fewer priests. But there definately is a shortage, my parish only has two priests, and one of them goes back and forth between parishes. :-(

[mmmerf]

Just a dose of perspective, not that that's not a tough situation, but,

We in Halifax Archdiocese would DREAM of such a situation.

At present, we have 75 parishes and approximately 55 priests, more than a third of whom are on loan from religious communities and other dioceses. Another third will be retiring in the coming 15 years. I don't know of any priests anymore who are not responsible for more than one parish (or a parish and another office, such as vocations director.) The most recently ordained priest of this diocese was ordained 4 years ago and is pastor of 3 parishes. He says 5 masses a weekend between them and drives 1000km (600miles) a week to fulfill his obligations to them.

Quite honestly, I worry sometimes if I'll get last rites when I eventually get the call to head upstairs.

Pray for Canada!

Cheers & God Bless,

Dave

[qfnol31]

I feel sorry for you guys. At my parish we have four Priests, two of whom have retired and will stay with us for a while, and two more who probably won't move for a while. They take care of us pretty well, but I do know some churches in the area who are less fortunate than us.

[RemnantRules]

i'm in the same diocese as Qfnol, and even though we have 4 we are lucky to just have one for Sunday mass. ALL of them are always away helping other parishes. There are some churches that have to give just eucharist and no mass, so yes we know how it feels and we'll continue to pray for an increase in vocations to the priesthood.

[daugher-of-Mary]

I'm in the Greensburg diocese next to Pittsburgh, and we seem to be doing pretty well. My parish has two priests so we have 2 daily Masses during the week, and 6 Sunday Masses (counting Vigil). Of course, we have the Archabbey in our diocese, and the Benedictine priests do a LOT of parish duties throughout the diocese. Only 1 seminarian ordained to the diocesan priesthood this year.

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

The Diocese of Toledo:
114 Priests
159 Parishes

We are planning to close 24 churches in the near future.

[Paladin D]

I live in the Diocese of Richmond (Virginia), which practically covers the entire state almost, except for the very northern part of the state. My parish has one priest, but he also pastors another parish (two total). Of course it ain't as bad compared to what some of you have, but it's something.

The Diocese of Wilmington (Delaware), covers the entire state of Delaware and parts of Maryland. The parish I went to while in Delaware for a few years, had two parish priests, and both lived in a rectory attached right to the church. If only more parishes like this existed these days. Not to mention, this parish was built in the 1970's, pretty new!

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='daugher-of-Mary' date='Jul 22 2004, 02:43 PM'] I'm in the Greensburg diocese next to Pittsburgh, and we seem to be doing pretty well. My parish has two priests so we have 2 daily Masses during the week, and 6 Sunday Masses (counting Vigil). Of course, we have the Archabbey in our diocese, and the Benedictine priests do a LOT of parish duties throughout the diocese. Only 1 seminarian ordained to the diocesan priesthood this year. [/quote]
My son works near Greensburg, he manages the Taco Bell at Eastgate Mall.

[ilovechrist]

i'm in Charlotte... we've been ok on Priests.. but do have a few that are on loan from other dioceses.

you guys are from Pittsburgh? i have relatives in Wheeling WV, and a ton of friends in Pittsburgh and Steubenville!

[mmmerf]

You know, I'd wager that almost all of us know someone who's lived in Steubenville at some point.

[socalscout]

Over here we are building a new worship space(new term for church building) and they said the new designs for worship spaces are to accomodate as many parishners for Mass due to the lack of Priests and declining Mass schedules.

Our associate Priest went on vacation and our Pastor had to do 4 Masses on last Sunday.

I went to my old Parish where I grew up and they actually had to call for Extraordinary Ministers from the congregation during Mass and they still did not have enough.

Well I'll stop there.

[daugher-of-Mary]

[quote]My son works near Greensburg, he manages the Taco Bell at Eastgate Mall. [/quote]

Wow. Small world!

[toledo_jesus]

Hey, I'm from Richmond Diocese. We have a severe priest shortage here. It is so bad, we now have pastoral coordinators who fulfill the pastoral duties of the priest. Priests are mainly needed for Sacraments. It's unfortunate in the extreme, but it's been so bad that priests with shall we say, their own ideas about how the Church should be run have been allowed to continue teaching us. There's one (who was asked by our previous bishop to stop his duties...but then was called back because of the dang shortage) that outright called the Gospels a myth, before he called everybody up to the altar during the Consecration to show us what they do. I stayed where I was.
Let's see. On the plus side, there are a number of highly dedicated priests who put their health on the line to minister to us. My first priest down here had a number of health problems. The man had a stroke, among other things, and he was only in his 50s. However, he continued to say Mass, even when he could barely speak. He couldn't even stand for the whole celebration. His heroic efforts on our behalf have done a lot to deepen my appreciation of the clergy and the sacrifices they make.
So anyway, that's something of the situation in Richmond diocese, at least the Eastern Vicariate. I haven't even talked about TQ. Our new bishop has a job ahead of him.

[Andrea348]

[quote name='daugher-of-Mary' date='Jul 22 2004, 12:43 PM'] I'm in the Greensburg diocese next to Pittsburgh, and we seem to be doing pretty well. My parish has two priests so we have 2 daily Masses during the week, and 6 Sunday Masses (counting Vigil). Of course, we have the Archabbey in our diocese, and the Benedictine priests do a LOT of parish duties throughout the diocese. Only 1 seminarian ordained to the diocesan priesthood this year. [/quote]
Is that St. Vincent's Archabbey???