Reorganizing Parish Leadership

Many parishioners are unaware of the time and effort required for the parish to operate faithfully and effectively in carrying out the mission entrusted to us by Christ.  Coordinating activities for thousands of people involves complex, detailed, planning and execution, carried out by numerous staff members and volunteers (the team).  As pastor of the parish, I supervise every aspect of parish life, with varying degrees of specific involvement, including numerous weekly meetings with team members.

This is an important part of the duties of a pastor, who represents the bishop in the offices of teaching, governing, and sanctifying.  While I have an aptitude for and interest in governing, I have persistently felt that more of my time should be devoted to teaching, prayerful discernment of big picture issues for the parish, and leading prayer.  In the early Church, the apostles faced a similar dilemma. Logistics and conflict resolution related to the distribution of church resources to families in need was overwhelming them, and so they chose and ordained the first seven deacons. 

Deacon Juan Faus has been a valuable parish leader for many years, and currently volunteers significant time in Hispanic ministry and marriage preparation.  He regularly prepares and preaches excellent homilies for our Sunday, 1:15pm Mass.  He presides at baptisms and weddings outside of Mass.   In preparation for my upcoming sabbatical and transfer from OLMC, I have discerned that the parish needs additional servant leadership in its pastoral dimension (as distinguished from the administrative dimension). 

The parish has two men in diaconal formation, Joe Naval (class of 2026) and Junior Coronel (class of 2027).  Both are currently working full-time as pastoral associates for the parish, with Joe starting a couple of weeks ago.

Here is an overview of Joe’s role (some of which is still in progress as I train him):

·         Joe is responsible for planning and organizing all English-language liturgies and large prayer gatherings.  This includes Masses, penance services, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and Encounters. 

·         He will exercise leadership over and provide support for the following ministries:  bereavement and adult faith formation (including OCIA/RCIA, young adults, and adult Confirmation preparation). 

·         He will supervise Laurie Dusa, the Coordinator of Parishioner Engagement, and collaborate with her to promote good stewardship of parishioner time and talent.  

·         He will directly give pastoral accompaniment in certain situations.  Sometimes couples seek to have their infants baptized at OLMC and they are either not attending Sunday Mass, not married in the Church, or both.  He will meet with them to discuss their situation, with the goal of helping them become practicing Catholics wherever possible as part of the baptism preparation process.  

·         Some couples have prior marriages that are not valid and seek to have those prior relationships recognized as not valid.  He will assess and, when appropriate, guide them through the annulment process. 

·         After his ordination, he will also preach homilies, preside at baptisms, and preside at weddings without Mass.

Most of the ministries mentioned above have staff and volunteer leaders who will remain in in their roles and work with Joe. 

Junior has worked as a Pastoral Associate for a few years now.  His new role is as follows (some of this in still in progress as I train him):

·         He will continue to directly lead the High School faith formation program, which consists primarily of a 2-year Confirmation program that averages about 150 teens per year.    It includes the scheduling and planning of youth nights, Confirmation classes, retreats, parent meetings, service projects, and summer events.  It also includes the coordination of teen discipleship groups, teaching, and leading in prayer.  He builds and leads a team of trusted volunteers, first among which are the Core Team teen leaders. He will involve high schoolers and young adults in serving in various capacities at the 4:30pm Sunday Mass. 

·         He will oversee and support the staff coordinators of Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Elementary, and Middle School faith formation.  He will coordinate the overall registration process for faith formation for children and teens. He will coordinate the process for preparing children and teens who have not received Sacraments according to the typical timetable, and of ministering to their parents. 

·         He will be responsible for the activities of the Hispanic community.  Linda Lagunes will assume many of Junior’s previous day-to-day responsibilities in this regard, in addition to continuing to direct the Spanish-language sacrament preparation for children.  Her new title is Coordinator of Hispanic Ministry and she will report to Junior.    He will oversee the paid and volunteer musicians for Spanish-language and bilingual liturgies and coordinate with Joe on bilingual liturgies. He will coordinate with Deacon Juan regarding Spanish-language adult faith formation.

·         After his ordination, he will also preach homilies, preside at baptisms, and preside at weddings without Mass.

Just so you know what they look like when you see them, make sure to visit our webpage with the pictures of our staff members here.

I am spending significant time mentoring Joe and Junior in their roles.  I have known them both for many years and am grateful that they are willing to share the blessings and burdens of leadership.  I ask that you give them your cooperation and respect and patiently help them as they grow in their leadership skills.  Leaders help form a parish, and parishioners help form their leaders.