Vocations, a pastor’s life, Mothers Day

PASTOR’S CORNER

May 11, 2014

 

            Happy Mothers Day! This is a day to pray for mothers living and deceased; married, single, and widowed; birth mothers and adoptive mothers; and women yearning to be mother.

 

            Next Sunday Archbishop Schnurr will ordain Brian Phelps and James Riehle to the priesthood. We will begin praying the Archdiocesan prayer for vocations at many Sunday Masses because in the years to come, as in the past decades, the number being ordained falls far short of the number of priests retiring or dying. While after retirement priests continue to help out on Sundays, they are not available for all the other things pastors do.

            You might wonder what all does a pastor do. I’d break down my responsibilities into:

• Preparing to preach and teach (the decree on Priestly Ministry of Vatican II says that is the priest’s most important responsibility.) Even for an experienced homilist it requires preparation to keep preaching fresh and dynamic.
• Liturgical responsibilities (I frequently have all four Sunday Masses plus Reconciliation and often a Saturday wedding and/or funeral. Weekday Mass is actually for my own spiritual benefit as much as for the assembly. We average 40+ funerals a year.)
• Counseling, marriage preparation, visits to the sick and jailed, and other one-on-one sessions and phone calls
• Leadership of a parish: Giving direction and coordination to the work of both paid staff and volunteers. Significant time in complying with Archdiocesan requirements.
• Financial and facilities oversight: $850,000 parish budget with five full-time and two part-time employees, two cemeteries with their four employees. (While we are blessed to good professional and support staff, the pastor is ultimately responsible and, so, must be aware.)
• Representing the Parish to the broader public through meetings, boards etc.

            When I retire, one priest will be assigned as pastor for the three parishes. It is clear that, not matter how energetic and efficient, one priest will not be able to “do it all.” Each parish will have to decide how it will continue some of the work pastors now do that others can do. This has implications for staffing and, therefore, finances.

            But, no matter what, we will continue to pray for vocations.