So what is the Parish Planning Process?
(Continued from last week)
Here is the hard data from the archdiocese. Though we rank pretty highly in relationship to other dioceses around the country in terms of the number of priests and ratio of priests to lay people, as well as the number of religious communities who assist, there are some issues on the horizon. The upshot of the challenges is this: For the next ten years, we will average a loss of 6 priests a year from active ministry. That means in 10 years there will be 60 less priests to serve the people of God here in this Archdiocese. And the median age of those priests will have crept up.
So, how do we respond to those ‘facts’ in a faith-filled way? As I wrote last week: Our vision and life is to be members of the Archdiocese of St. Louis and of the Roman Catholic Church, and not solely as members of St. Ann parish. To that end, a small group of parishioners is working with me on completing a study and reflection process. This same process is being conducted by EVERY parish in the diocese. After evaluating the parish in 5 areas, (123 questions) affirming our strengths and looking at areas for growth and development, that group will be invited to pick our top three out of seven possible contingency plans for the staffing of St. Ann parish.
Once that initial (or first) implementation is done, then we will schedule a series of meetings to solicit input from EVERYONE in the parish who wants to give input. Using the small group’s work as a kind of template, we will listen to the gathered wisdom of the rest of parish in looking at that group’s work. Using the new input, we will adapt and modify the initial report, look to see if the recommendations of the small group match that of the parish at large, and then write our summative report to be sent to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning committee. Once collected, each parish report will be used by the Office of the Vicar for Priests, the Priests’ Personnel Board, and the Archbishop in the future discernment about the staffing and utilization of priests for the parishes.
This is meant to be a very public process. There is no secret agenda, or desire on the part of the Archbishop to ‘close parishes’. Rather, this is all about doing our part in cooperating with the grace of the Holy Spirit in shepherding this great church here in St. Louis. Please keep the small committee and this process in your prayers. And look here for the dates when you will be invited to help us discern what is next for our St. Ann
family, living faith since 1856…