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Caesar
Guest
I wonder how long it will be until we see female “Diocesan Directors” like the many female “Parish directors” already out there.
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Joe_Kelley
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Women head most of the offices in our diocese [Orange], including Chancellor and Director of Worship.
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nobeerinheaven
Guest
Why is this news? 
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davy39
Guest
We have had nuns running some parishes in our diocese (Toledo) for many years now, due to lack of priests. We now are understaffed on both.
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PatienceAndLove
Guest
Because the local paper and stations deemed it so. Thus, I am sharing the pain.Why is this news?
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nobeerinheaven
Guest
News at 6:00 - Someone uses up toilet paper, forgets to replace the roll.
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PatienceAndLove
Guest
If you don’t get it, leave it alone.News at 6:00 - Someone uses up toilet paper, forgets to replace the roll.
And basically, I am highlighting the insanity that is taken place within my diocese and the American Catholic Church at large. Hence why it is under “Catholic News”
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mmm1
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I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I don’t understand. “Pain” & “insanity”? I don’t know much about the positions they were appointed to, but why are you so upset? Trust me, I’m not some “fem-Nazi”. I am vehemently opposed to the idea of women priests, but are you saying women can’t serve in positions of leadership at all? Do you know something about these women personally? I can understand if you feel that your diocese might always be trying to placate the public ( I don’t know anything about your diocese) or worry that this might lead to women being given more & more power. Wasn’t it Western PA where a bishop criticized & denounced women who considered themselves ordained on a boat or something? I don’t know if you are anywhere near that, but I can’t imagine a diocese that would consider female priests. I think women can serve in other roles, though, & maybe they were the best for the job.
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PoliSciProf
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I agree. There is no issue about women serving in administrative roles. I know nuns and lay women who have the credentials, the talent and the skill to serve in various administrative positions within the Church. I don’t get the dismay of those who are bothered about this issue.
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nobeerinheaven
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That’s the problem? Women in administrative roles?
Finally, something is clear. What’s the big deal?
Finally, something is clear. What’s the big deal?
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Caesar
Guest
Most dioceses are clogged with unneeded offices and useless bureaucracy. If these were done away with then many priests could be freed up to serve in parishes, the dioceses would no longer have to employ a horde of laity, and sisters could go back to praying and teaching. The chancery offices could be sold off and the bishop could move back to the Cathedral where he belongs.
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Brendan
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Here in Detroit, only a Priest or a Deacon may run a parish. If there is not a priest assigned as full time pastor, Cardinal Maida will place a Deacon in that position. No lay person or non-ordained religious can run a parish.
Since +Blair came from Detroit, maybe he will eventually institute a similar rule ( it does require an active Diaconate program though, which takes time to develop)
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Bobby_Jim
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Ideally the chancery staff actually does something to support both the parishes and the bishop, so that they can work more efficiently. I’m sorry if this is not the case in your diocese.
Imagine the CEO of a medium-sized company that doesn’t have any support staff. Or the mayor of a small city without some administrators. This would be the situation of a bishop without a chancery staff. Nothing would get done.
And I will say, for all of the wonderful qualities of our priests & bishops who have discerned Christ’s call to serve the Church, administration is not always high on the list of their talents, nor is it always taught in seminary. You can have the holiest bishop or priest imaginable, who just gets totally lost in all of the daily affairs of running a diocese, or a parish, or what have you. What’s wrong wtih bringing in some lay people who have a complementary set of skills to help out.
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Petergee
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Just to clarify, IIRC Canon Law states that every parish must be headed by a priest. A deacon, nun or layperson may look after the day to day administrative affairs of a parish (or of a church, shrine or “Mass centre” within a parish) but is answerable to the Parish Priest, even though he may be resident elsewhere. The Parish Priest may overrule any decision made by the person “running” the parish.
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Joannm
Guest
I agree. We have quite a few women in leadership positions in our diocese. We have a woman chancellor, a woman director of Faith Formation, A woman director of Institutional Advancement, a woman director of Social Services, and a woman superintendent of schools…all three sit on the Bishops cabinet, which is one less than the number of priests/lay men that sit on the cabinet. We also have a woman in charge of young adult ministry. Hbving women or lay people in general, as administrators on a diocesan level, frees up priests to serve as pastors.
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Joe_Kelley
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And woebetide the priest who allows the administrator to run over him. He is still personally responsible before God for the souls of all in that parish.
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Caesar
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But there are, and always have been, solutions to these problems that allow the necessary administrative work to be done while also keeping the diocese from turning into a corporation and the bishop into a manager.
Most of the diocesan offices are merely shouldering responsibilities that properly belong to parish priests. By reducing the size of the chancery office priests would be allowed to carry out their duties more effectively, and it will free up more priests for the parishes.
The chancery office and the bishop’s residence could be sold off or rented out to bring in some money. The bishop could then take up residence at his Cathedral.
And what about a support staff? According to this enlightening article by Father James Farfaglia the reduced staff need not be more then several people.
But here is novel idea- since the time of the early Church bishops have employed a body of clerics and religious known as Cathedral Canons. The Canons would live in community at the Cathedral, often with the bishop. They would pray, attend Mass and take meals as a community, just like the religious orders (St. Augustine even wrote a rule of life for Canons), however they would also take on the administrative duties of the diocese and act as the bishop’s council. Today Cathedral Canons are rare, only really existing in the great Cathedrals of Europe where they are merely honorary positions for distinguished retired priests.
But I propose to bring back the Cathedral Chapter. A small religious order of priests, deacons and brothers could be formed at the Cathedral. The Canons would follow the Rule of St. Augustine and live in community with the bishop, attending daily Mass and praying the Divine Office. In addition, they would take over the administrative tasks of the diocese and the Cathedral, even being sent for proper administrative training. The diocese would get a much-needed spiritual shot in the arm (how many bishops celebrate daily Mass anymore, let alone pray the divine office?) not to mention a cheaper, more effective means of administration. The Cathedral will have the benifit of a religious order administering the sacraments and praying the public office, and the bishop can celebrate Mass there more often.
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Holly3278
Guest
I’m not sure if this is good news or bad news. Someone care to enlighten me?
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