ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT
Fr. Tom Noesen, O.P.
Administrator appointed 14 Feb 2004
Submitted April 2004
Why a report?
The ministry description issued by the archdiocese requested a report for a new pastor. Even though an intense self-study might be the best method, at this time I am doing a simple perspective. This report will be filed with Bishop Paprocki, of Vicariate IV, Rev. Michael Mascari, O.P., Dominican Provincial, plus the parish leadership. This report is on line (www.svfparish.org) and at the parish office.
The Resources:
I
requested input both when I preached at all the Masses on the Feb 14/15 weekend (1st weekend here)
and in the bulletin that weekend. I have
had verbal & written responses, from both staff, parishioners—past & present
and many ex-parishioners. Many tears,
much hurt has come into these resources from people connected with St. Vincent
Ferrer Parish (SVFP).
The
questions asked were: “How is Jesus
Christ present at SVFP now? How can we be better present in Jesus Christ?”
You
will note an extensive Table of Contents following. It is a generic outline of parish life. There
are some huge empty spaces: i.e. no youth ministry, no liturgist, no pastoral
care department, etc.
You
will also note some have descriptions of ministry that are not the praxis. This is true in many cases of staff and
committees.
This report
can become a guideline or reference resource for the parish. Everything in structural (written) leadership
that exits is contained herein.
Obstacles/fixated:
At
this point I will simply preamble areas I see & hear. From there I will make some recommendations.
In
approaching this dialogue to report, the net fell deeper than I wanted. The consensus I experienced is that SVFP has
been struggling for 25 to 30 years with “a cloud over it”. The late 70’s to early 80’s are referred to
as the golden era or Camelot. This would
be a post-Vatican II period. Reasons and
causes vary. Few are accusatory in their
perceptions but all agree on the time frame.
Leadership Definition:
Here
I need to use some vocabulary to continue to make some observations: In
leadership there are 2 kinds—charismatic and structural. Both are good. Both are needed. When one does not hold the other in check, a
system collapses, wanes, limps or becomes dull.
Balance is the key in these two leaderships being complimentary.
Charismatic leadership is the
person/people who get the job done.
Structural leadership is the
written statutes, guidelines, etc. that hold the vision. They are revised regularly. In transitions structural leadership is super
important; in getting the job done charismatic leadership does the task.
SVFP seems to suffer under
charismatic leadership and as a result is out of balance with minimal
structural leadership.
Three major
examples:
1) A
parish calendar doesn’t exist. There
are many feeder calendars. A master
calendar should be in gear by the fiscal (July 1) turn over for the year. At present a calendar is done weekly and
monthly by the seat of the pants method.
Staff & parish treat this as normal.
2) A
ministry manual doesn’t exist. When
expectations for volunteers are only oral, one can plan on not seeing them
again. Affirmation of their service
becomes nearly impossible. This will
dismiss our youth. Order is not a bad
word. The ministry manual is referring
to those volunteering for Mass.
3) Weddings
& Marriage Ministry. No written
guidelines exist (except for the archdiocese -- this is the marriage area
only.) Each couple coming to SVFP takes
about 30-40 hours of staff contact time.
We are a wedding mill. At present
we are doing Hollywood wedding rites in Hollywood clothing in a Catholic Church
Building. There is no system. It is up to “Father”. Disastrous and volatile -------------
The symptoms of charismatic leadership out of balance: (My
examples will be SVFP & church as opposed to secular. In management this is also the same.)
·
The minister becomes the ministry
A roller coaster effect is in play. People join pastors, priests, staffers, council, etc. They don’t join a parish, they join a person. Major turn over model. The revolving door is the norm. People don’t learn the ministry.
They
associate with the minister.
·
The system is closed
People join
thru someone “sponsoring” them.
Membership isn’t to an organization, people join people only. They go, they take others with them. They grind an ax or lift the glass, the
followers are in their camp also.
Petitions, walk outs, anonymous & signed letters are the norm. At SVFP there is no new comer method of
membership in either charismatic leadership or functional structural
leadership. This is a closed system. At present new membership (registration) is
thru either sacraments or the parish schools – this is a requirement. Note: the membership in church entrance is an
envelope. Is that the message of welcome
or ministry this
parish wants? One
almost needs to be a detective to find the right person who can answer
questions about belonging.
·
Everything is personal & personalities
A mission
statement or ministry description doesn’t get used (if it is in print). This creates a world of gossip, slander &
detraction. (Detraction is the sin of
telling the truth when it should have been given the sacredness of confidence.) Everything is AD HOMINUM. Conversations are about people, not about
beliefs, ideas and higher community ideals.
Christian talk is not considered practical. This makes the water cooler chat small
league. Very
Destructive.
·
No Boundaries
Everybody feels entitled to everything – sacraments, information, etc. Personnel considered open domain. Appointments over private matters are for others. Everybody is the pastor. There is no sense of time or place. Please note our culture is a charismatic culture not a structurally functioning one. This creates a soap opera script. Soap opera scripts deliver victims daily.
· Vocals rise; non vocals hide
Vocals are the squeaky wheel and if the wheel doesn’t squeak, they will make it squeak or find one, which does. Because there is no operative structural leadership, an “underground” takeover is created. They have their “power” groups that are a subversive system but see it as messianic. The non-vocals look for “private” and safe ministries. Here they find a small turf to function in so they won’t get hurt or called to take a stand with the “issue de jour”. Some leave the parish while others just attend mass avoiding contact with others.
·
No respect for Office/ No respect for Process
Any office or authority that exists is by passed to the head of the one in charge. If there is a written hierarchy of respect, it isn’t used. Matthew 18
is the basic Christian process of structural leadership. Obedience to an office is seen as weak. People in office are tokens. In this over balance of charismatic leadership, everything trickles to the top. Management is by exemption. “Rules exist for others – not me.” Management by exemption is management by crisis. The final card played here is loving to hate authority. This model fosters favoritism by either $, manipulation by verbal force, adult bullying or intimidation. In the merchant world this is “the customer is always right.” Gospel values are absent. Virtue is wanting. No one is respected in any office even when the customer “gets what they wanted”.
Office is also what is written. The guidelines must also be respected.
· Youth lost
Even though youth question authority, structure & institutions – if these are not present, there is nothing to re-act against. Youth by nature are conservative. They want to reconstruct systems. With no system visible they see only personalities. Their presence will be tolerant at best & absent when free to choose.
What are the symptoms of
over balanced structural leadership?
This becomes a paper chase. The volume of what gets written freezes a functioning system. People are robots. There is no warmth to be found. The caricature of this is a bureaucracy.
These are seldom not-for-profit systems. They tend to happen in systems of government, education, health care, etc. When this is part of not-for-profits in religion, it tends toward fundamental side (that can include Catholics).
Now I am going to address specifics of SVFP with recommendations. The most important factors in rebalancing a system are time and vision talent. Teamwork and morale come from the vision and time investment. Creativity is pure Holy Spirit in this dynamic. Time will take 3 to 5 years to plant the seeds. Remember I said the net is saying 25 – 30 years. The vision talent is consensus of the problem as a community. Once this happens, the systems get written, tweaked and lived. This is grace in action.
Please note: NO ONE PERSON can change any of this. They will be slaughtered and ground up in the system. No hired company or agency can change this. The mission statement of the parish is structural leadership. These statements come from people – not a person. This would be a great starting place for the mission of creative leadership.
In this administration I have worked 80-hour weeks. The present life is triage. There are 2 kinds of days -- bad and worse. This is an embarrassment to Christian community & virtue. This has to stop. The staff is in survival mode to burn out. People are not certain in their roles.
Jesus Christ used the structures of Israel – they were many & complex. He lead by charismatic leadership daily. Both are good. When we follow Christ, we become Christ.
The SVFP Campus
*This block in River Forest is absolutely lovely. It is a stately piece of property. The
Church is the gem on the campus; classic in appearance.
*At present this property is in the best condition it has ever been. No projects are in
process.
*While the Church seats nearly 1000, there is no gathering space for several hundred.
This is a problem & will be even more so in the future with the socialization model of
parish.
*The most used building on campus is the school, then the gym and next the church.
*There is no licensed kitchen on the campus.
*Limited parts of the parish are handicapped accessible.
*The organ has an unused console on the lower level. The upper organ is apart in the
loft.
Recommendations:
*Parish ownership in property with pride. Spaces are not left clean. Areas are cluttered
and junky. Storage areas need cleaning throughout the campus. This includes school
and parish files.
*Make a 10-20 year vision for a handicapped assessable space for several 100 people.
-Build a major entrance making the pine room and gym a large gathering option
handicapped assessable.
-Connect the west end of the Church with the school offices/convent. If a
structural engineer approves the 1st floor offices could become one large room.
Offices could go to 2nd floor.
*Increase parking using a property landscaper.
*Enlarge choir loft creating a major gathering area beneath (i.e. The St. Vincent de Paul
Church on Webster has done this).
*Create a building and grounds committee with task of constantly reviewing property
usage.
*Bring the organ situation to an immediate close—whatever that means. This has many
stories of what’s happening. It needs to happen stat.
*Organize an Adult Catholic library on our campus.
*Office spaces: efficiency of what is, create more.
*Climate control: make No thermostat control units available to the assembly. Box them
all. In the winter we have the thermostat at 80 degrees with windows open. Winter: 60
degrees max. (People leave their coats on.) Summer: 70 to 75 degrees. When outside
gets to high 90’s or over, 80 inside the church is fine. This will be better stewardship of
resources & save money.
The
People of God of SVFP
The community is made up of Elmwood Park, River Forest and Chicago with some parishioners from Maywood, Melrose Park and various other communities. The ethnicity historically was (and is) Italian and Irish. The newer folks coming are Polish and Filipinos. Even though Latinos and Afro-Americans are in the villages, they are seldom seen at SVFP. The parish stats are reported as 2486 units, with about 1000 of those just on paper and totally inactive. About 500-600 envelopes are used weekly. Only several hundred folks support the entire parish. There is a faithful remnant at SVFP that holds it together no matter what. They are fewer and fewer and weary. This support is both ministerial and fiscal.
SVFP has a “hatch/match/dispatch” theology. The majority of “parishioners” are comfortable occasionally going to church. Couples ask for baptism and marriage while not practicing and have no intentions of practicing. This attitude of mediocrity (& proud of it) is burdening to the faithful and the staff, and the body of Christ. Many speak like this is the national norm. Even if it were, it is still unacceptable to a faith community.
Mass attendance is very poor. Many to most of the school children do not attend Sunday Mass. Parents request 1st penance and 1st communion and then they comfortably exit. The same is true with confirmation. This is no less than sinful.
There is a loyalty and family mentality to the “old timers”. SVFP is a place of roots. There is great affection by many to their parish heritage. When folks talk about SVFP they have profound reverence for the Church as Building. It has a museum quality to many. Also the school is a place of great connect. People talk about SVFP in the past.
Recommendations:
· clean up membership where the books are not current
· create sacramental brochures defining catechising and evangelizing the expectations of each sacrament.
· build a tomorrow at SVFP by embracing diversity that the villages are becoming. Study demographics and stay in front of them.
· Reinforce ethnic diversities and create unity of the parish with specifically planned programs, celebrations, etc.
· Create vibrant sacramental programs in Catholic parenting skills drawing in young families.
· Address the sacramental hemorrhaging with quality sacramental programs.
· Build a viable new comer committee of people welcoming people.
· Parish & school need to get beyond themselves in the greater world: deep active commitment to the 3rd world. Constant connects: i.e. Annual Spring break volunteering to 3rd world site. Minister to poverty with heart.
· Parish leaders need to know the strengths and weaknesses of the 3 types leadership we are exposed to: democratic leadership of government, leadership model of corporate/business America, and the ecclestical leadership of faith communities.
Worship/Liturgy
There are 3 crowns of worship at SVFP: the daily masses at 7am and noon are very well prayed. Sometimes they out number Sunday attendance at a given mass. The adoration on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 7am-9pm is a great grounding in prayer. They are fine and wholesome forms of non-obligatory prayer.
The model of worship used is one of entertainment. People prefer to listen. They don’t sing. People have left SVFP over this alone. Even the sacraments are “watched” stage like. This entertainment model flows into some problems: people lose respect for the church space with chatter like behavior before “production”. When applause is used in worship, they go over the top with whistling and cheering. This entertainment model escalates at sacraments, programs, etc. to where excesses are normal for SVFP. This “show time” model undermines the depth and solemnity of sacraments.
There is no liturgist on staff. Staff meetings I have experienced are liturgy meetings. While there is a liturgy committee; Lent, the Triduum and Easter were done without their presence. The art and environment committee however is focused and functioning.
The entertainment/spectator model of liturgy puts the parish at risk spiritually. All ages will drift elsewhere to “congregation friendly” models.
Recommendations:
*Invite people to respect the sacred space and teach others the same; begin this
with the school curriculums.
*Hire a liturgist ASAP. (start part time; build to full time).
*Use hymnody acappella frequently to build congregational singing.
*Catechize and empower the liturgy committee to lead worship/liturgy. Plan 6-9
months in advance.
*Write a ministries manual for sacristy counter. It would include ministry.
description for presiders, deacons, sacristans, lectors, EMC’s servers, etc.
*Workshop the ministries with fresh and young blood.
*Increase age of servers: Schedule 4 servers per mass.
*Create a Wedding/Marriage programs run by laity:
wedding planners working with couples plus conducting rehearsals and
oversee rites. Train couples in FOCCUS to do in-home preparation sessions for the engaged. Offer 3 to 4 wedding planning workshops annually for wedding catechesis in the Roman Rite.
*Head lector, Head Server, Head EMC, Head Usher & Head Sacristan. These
folks would train one-on-one anyone wanting to become a committed minister
in a given ministry. These Heads would be well catechized, precise, affirming &
community builders.
The Dominicans
The Dominicans built and own SVFP. This has been from day one of the parish. If SVFP were a diocesan parish, it would have one priest in the parish. As it is there are 11 friars in the priory with 3 assigned priests to the parish.
The revolving door will be and should be normative for a religious life parish. The problem with this in charismatic leadership is lots of crash and burn. “Father Knows Best” even when he’s wrong. With no in-place structural systems, everything is up for grabs constantly. Dominicans are more academic oriented than parish and pastoral. This has hurt many. It has been perceived by many SVFP folks as not caring.
A Religious order parish should look different than secular parishes. SVFP should be a magnet parish using all the Dominican gifts and pillars. Constant lecture series, solemn vespers, retreats, parenting series, novenas, concerts in sacred music, scripture series, films, sacred art exhibitions, theology lectures, etc. should be how the parish is known. Even the school should be a magnet of faith and virtue.
Recommendations:
*Put only parish laity in charge of all sacramental programs. Empower the parish
systems so the revolving door has minimum effect. Let laity welcome Father to
parish.
*Evangelize the O.P. identity in the school and parish. Build the charisms and
pillars. Make SVFP a magnet parish.
*Build all of the above “magnets” into existing appropriate leadership.
*Teach Dominican Friars the skills of constant affirmation of folks in authentic
ways. Make certain gratitude is never presumed but always said.
*Dominicans serving in parish must work through the parish structures—
especially when making changes.
*Assign Friars who color inside the lines. Pastoral exceptions to any guidelines
need be rare—not the norm.
*Changes in any board, committee, etc. works from within the leadership
evolving to become better Christian ministry. Any other method would be
disempowerment & undermining of the existing leaderships.
*The center of a parish is NOT the priest. People joining people in Christ can
build community. The Dominicans need to allow & even glory in laity running
SVFP. Centering on “Father” is a pre Vatican II theology of Church. Some
people want messianic priests—the parish needs to be messianic.
The staff has many extremely
talented members. They are not a team –
lots of excellent players. The staff
reflects the charismatic model talked about.
The SVFP staff shows signs of burn out.
In a charismatic leadership over balance system, staff works for
not with laity. The attitude is
“that’s what they are hired for.”
The staff lacks order and
definition. Their job descriptions are
not their praxis. Performance reviews have lacked depth and challenge. The
staff is too skeletal for the size of SVFP.
Recommendations:
*Skill staff in conflict management
*Skill staff in professionalism and loyalty to each
other. (This is countering the
charismatic over skill in gossip, detraction, rumor &
slander.)
*Skill staff in using volunteers: empowerment of
people, affirmation in ministries,
Etc.
*Use national & archdiocesan ministry
descriptions. Tweak to fit SVFP.
*Hire liturgist, pastoral care worker, and youth
minister.
*Down size/ resize existing positions to part-time
where possible. More part-time
positions can open more positions.
*All norms/models of personnel be done thru human
resources of the
Archdiocese.
Times
of meeting are Wednesday
There
is an active and solid Board in Place.
Much
tuition is outstanding.
Recommendations:
*Use
report cards plus parent-teacher nights (2 per year).
*The
director would be like a principal and team with the
sacraments
of penance, communion and confirmation.
*Work
against the stigma of this
coach style.
*Employ
certified catechists.
The school is pre K thru 8. There are 2 classes of each grade. The school is experiencing the national struggle with enrollment. The school board is addressing this. There is great parent involvement in the school. The school mirrors the parish “cloud.” Many parents are holding their breath with the future of the school and it’s quality.
Many school parents are detached
from the parish in their life of Sunday worship. Some education theft is present whereby
people “beg off paying tuition and then walk out unpaid”. Again, sinful actions.
Many of the faculty are awesomely
dedicated Catholics with deep Christian values. Some school families never go to church. Many go to church seldom.
It
would seem the school is used by some not for Catholic education but rather an
escape from secular systems.
Recommendations:
*Create endowments to change tuition
base. Financially model lower education
on higher education.
*Recruit; make SVFP a waiting list
*Offer monthly Catholic Parenting
Series
*Invite into the school parishioners who don’t have
kids there – honorary
grandparents
or such
*Get children into existing weekday Mass schedules.
*Make school children visible in the parish –
especially Sunday worship.
(Caution –
not entertainment model)
*Teach children reverence of the church space and
holy etiquette
*Make children of SVFP models of virtue. Make the school a magnet school of
Leadership.
Virtue training is leadership training
*Introduce national Catholic Religious exam to 8th
grade
*Build structures between school faculty and staff
to make a unified SVFP
identity
between school and parish
*Unite day school more with the
school of religion
*Faculty inservice days on EQ and SQ
performance. Also on prayer skills for
children.
*Incorporate life skills for school
kids and hone in on Christian virtue
development.
There
is a functioning finance committee at SVFP.
There is a CPA on staff. Moneys
are budgeted annually. This is done
seriously and judiciously. Catholics
“vote” with their money and feet. This
is true at SVFP.
Recommendations:
*Create
an internal audit annually
*Use
lock bags with ushers for Sunday collections where they are locked before
processed
up in the basket.
*Have
several counting groups
*Clarity
on the 2nd collections
*Clarity on
the extra envelope collections
*Print
collection income per regular household weekly
*Address
school hemorrhaging of money
*Annual
workshop on wills, bequeaths, endowments, etc.
*Grant
writers: Something to the Lily Foundation on “ethnic diversity in upper class”
could get 6 or 7 figures.
*Parish Council should develop a
10-year vision for SVFP
*Annual Ministry fair should be
offered:
At
every Mass on given weekend Every
ministry would have an info table.
This would
involve the Parish Center, Gym, and Pine Room plus a tent in the yard.
Breakfast
would be nice.
This goes
well in the Easter Season.
Structural
leadership would need to be in place for this to work.
*Conduct a Parish Self Study
-National
surveys are available for this
*Offer Christian leadership
training workshops
-Required
for councils, board members, etc.
*Focus on lay
leadership/ownership based in healthy catechesis and evangelization.
*Archdiocese of Chicago is a world
leader in Catholic Resources.
-Use
the local resources
-Build
a rapport with the archdiocese
*Teach Financial Planning
Programs for end-of-life, wills, trusts, endowments, etc.
Treasure follows time and
talent. When folks belong the bills are
more than paid
*Talk the need for infra
structure. Be loyal to healthy and holy
programs creating parish
as an extended family.
*Create prayerful and playful
occasions that build affirmation and solid community
complimenting holiness. Name grace! Sin in mean spiritedness has had
enough
attention.
*Incarnational preaching. The enfleshment of God in us is our
identity. This identity
calls us to premeditated
virtue. This is what makes healthy
marriages and
families. Parish is extended family. Preaching is NEVER limited to the
pulpit.
*Live in the uncomfortable
in-between. Whatever we experience we
classify as
normal—even when it is
sinful. Naming grace in parishioners,
committees,
board, etc. will become contagious. This is a far cry from gossip, slander and
detractions. Only the Incarnational Spirit within builds
and rebuilds the body of
Christ.
*Teach boundaries in personal and
leadership responsibility to all faculties, staff, and
board members, contracted or
volunteer—any ministries. Whether
salaried,
contracted, or volunteer—any
subversion or violations are considered immediate
resignation. Even in conflict we respect each other.
*Print all recommendations of this
report in the eucharistic chapel. Let
these become the
petition prayers for
transfiguration for SVFP.
*Leadership model skills of respect
& affirmation at every opportunity.
Virtues become
contagious.
*Create a web team/board. Use parish web site for writings, photos,
etc. Board would
have editor, graphic skills, web
master, writers, etc. Make it user
friendly as low
as 8th grade level.
*Work on respect as a major virtue
and endeavor:
-respect
for silence in church
-respect
for sacred space
-respect
for the property
-respect
for one another
-respect
for order, authority, etc.
-respect
for time and place
*Make Church entry “parish user
friendly”. Have a rack for all basics of
parish life. One
page tri folds on: the
School/Registration to parish/ Baptism/ Marriage &
Wedding/1st Penance
& 1st Communion/ Confirmation/ RCIA/ Funeral
preparation/ etc. These should contain a brief Catechises, SVFP
dates of
preparation and basic preparations.
*Baptism & Marriage have become
the RCIA of praxis. Many folks
requesting these
sacraments are literally
unchurched. SVFP needs to evangelize
& catechise in
these areas. To presume a faith life is not serving those
coming for instruction.
*Upgrade communication within the
parish. Things that have always been
done
“conditions” need to be communicated
not presumed. Uninformed people are
unempowered people.
*Upgrade parent catechizes. The liturgy catechizes. Parents are the primary teachers--no
catechist
or school can accomplish anything that is not lived by Parents. Sunday
worship is
a classroom/living room for the parish.
Many have spoken of an internal “element” at SVFP of “spoiled rich adults”. These comments come from former parishioners or very low profile members who have marginalized themselves for their safety.
This
takes language like: Get the Dominicans out: they’ll just keep eating them up
and spitting them out”. “You’ll never
win—they’ll do anything to get their agenda.”
This can even sound like threats.
People relate this with confidence in their own scars of fear and
hurt. I’ve even been warned not to write
this report. “Watch your back.” Again here I go back to the 30-year cloud. If this controlling element is true, all the
more reason for the Body of Christ to be called to grace.
In
the Mass there is the FRACTION RITE. We know it as the “lamb of God” part. Here the body is broken and blood
outpoured. This reality still happens in
our daily lives and in this SVFP. This
is from the fraction rite of St. John Chrysostom Mass:
“Just as the grain of wheat has been crushed to become the bread of
life.
Just as the grape is pressed
to become the cup of wine.
So too, we are crushed, pressed and even
broken to become the Body and Blood
of
Christ…Behold the Lamb of God……”
A Christian community under siege
from within must name the sin. If this element is true, it is the most
contagious of evil.
Our weaknesses and our strengths are
the same energy. They are conversion of
energy into Christ and by Christ. No
faction should fraction except in Christ and gospel values. Breaking down the body of Christ is serious
stuff. Only Christ can heal us and build
us in any wounds we carry or have caused.
We never sacrifice one another to “our agenda”. Christ was once for all. There can never be room at SVFP or any
Christian congregation for fractionating faction.
Internal hatreds are not new or
limited to SVFP. The early epistles tell
us such in the fighting among early comfortable and educated.
Commentaries:
James 4:
1-3.
“Where do
these wars and battles between yourselves first
start? Isn’t it precisely in the
desires fighting inside your own selves? You want something and you haven’t got
it: so you are prepared to kill. You
have an ambition that you cannot satisfy: so you fight to get your way by force. Why you don’t have what you want is because
you don’t pray for it: when you do pray and don’t get it, it is because you
have not prayed properly, you have prayed for something to indulge your own
desires.”
2
Corinthians 12: 20-21
“What I am
afraid of is that when I come I may find you different from what I want you to
be, and you may find that I am not as you would like me to be; and then there
will be wrangling, jealousy, and tempers roused, intrigues and backbiting and
gossip, obstinacies and disorder. I am
afraid that on my next visit, my God may make me ashamed on your account and I
shall be grieving over all those who sinned before and have still not
repented.”
“Religion is for those afraid of hell: spirituality is for those who have already been there.”
Since
the 60’s when Time and Newsweek covered “God is Dead”, our
culture has been on a spiritual hunt.
This is true in Catholic parishes as well.
Our
marriage, family and personal struggles all are from the apex of history. SVFP is in this God free cultural efficiency
that impatiently cannot loiter or hang out with God. To all parish leadership I recommend The Shattered Lantern (1st
50 pages) by Ronald Rotheiser. It
addresses the excesses, pragmatic issues and narcissism attacking both religion
and spirituality.
Any
level of faculty, staff, boards or councils willing to do
this will find themselves empowered to the mission statement of the
parish. Leadership comes from the
contemplation within. It empowers—not
over powers—the Christ vision already in our midst.
Remember:
Sacrament is an outward sign of inward reality.
Leadership is sacrament. From the inner most depths we follow no one but
Christ. Christ is never static in us
individually or collectively. We have a
mission and a mandate to cause change and be changed in Christ’s Spirit.
About
25 years ago when I was named pastor the 1st time; an old veteran
pastor called me aside and gave me a sage profile of a parish. He said “Let me tell you about parish life:
5% of the people will think you can do no wrong. They think you can walk on water. 5% will think you can do no right. This is the most vocal group in the
parish. 90% of the parish won’t know
what’s going on in the parish and could give a damn.”
I
believe that 90% are the living stones that the parish is built on. They can be catechised and evangelized.
They’re coming to Church for something but don’t know what. They are spiritually vulnerable people. Only the vulnerable can grow in virtue. This
yeast leavens the entire dough.
SVFP
is a chatter place to say the least.
This is neither good nor bad. If
the chatter were converted to naming grace, this place could thrive. When we boast in the Lord, the chatter will
brag on the school, the boards, the committees, the parish, etc. Then SVFP can heal and be transfigured before
our eyes. In God all things are
possible.
Parish
is extended family. It is functional and
struggling. It is team, loyalty, and
supportive love even in tough times.