Imagine that you are now pastor of your parish. What are the top three things that you would change about it?

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Imagine that you are now pastor of your parish.

What are the top three things that you would change about it?

How well do you think your changes would be accepted by the parishioners?

If you sense some resistance, how would you go about implementing your ideas?
 
Lepanto said:
Imagine that you are now pastor of your parish.

What are the top three things that you would change about it?

How well do you think your changes would be accepted by the parishioners?

If you sense some resistance, how would you go about implementing your ideas?
Click to expand...
Generally my parish is good. Reverent N.O. Mass, no abuses, and a thriving school. That said, I’d like to see:
  1. TLM once per Sunday.
  2. No female altar servers. Our parish has a large school (~600 students) and the altar servers should be encouraged to seriously consider a vocation to the priesthood. I would also like to see teenage and even adult males included, to encourage the boys.
  3. No EMHC. We have an average of 4 priests distributing at each Mass (which is great that they all come out!), so there is no need for EMHC.
God Bless
 
Lepanto said:
Imagine that you are now pastor of your parish.

What are the top three things that you would change about it?

How well do you think your changes would be accepted by the parishioners?

If you sense some resistance, how would you go about implementing your ideas?
Click to expand...
1- I would tell my wife and my son to go to a different parish because something is wrong with mine if I were the new pastor.

2- I would make sure that the parish would move back to being in communion with Rome and I would call to Bishop to help me out

3- I would ask the parishoners to pray and do a lot of penance because something is really wrong.
 
I would add at least one more priest to the staff and possibly an additional staff member. I worry about my pastor because he seems very overworked and people are constantly asking for something else from him.
 
I would do whatever I could to bring adult education to the forefront…on matters of the faith, as well as liturgy, and the life of the parish.

I would use my time to not only offer the sacraments…but also (re)instruct the importance of them.

I would ask for help, and then accept it when offered.
 
I would fire the piano player immediately – oh, wait, that’s me:eek:
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
I would add at least one more priest to the staff and possibly an additional staff member. I worry about my pastor because he seems very overworked and people are constantly asking for something else from him.
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You should note that the priest cannot just pull a priest out of a hat and place as a Parochial Vicar, he has to be appointed by the Bishop.
 
Colin_Adian said:
You should note that the priest cannot just pull a priest out of a hat and place as a Parochial Vicar, he has to be appointed by the Bishop.
Click to expand...
Of course, in the real world, most (if not all) of us could not be appointed pastor of our parish either. 😃 And might I add, thanks be to God.👍
 
Lepanto said:
Imagine that you are now pastor of your parish.

What are the top three things that you would change about it?

How well do you think your changes would be accepted by the parishioners?

If you sense some resistance, how would you go about implementing your ideas?
Click to expand...
This is a silly question, so I’m going to give a silly answer:
  1. More donuts and coffee after the Mass
  2. Cookies and milk before the Mass
  3. Order a band every time the Bishop comes to visit so they can play Imperial March.
 
What would I do…
  1. I would use incense at every Mass.
  2. I would offer Adoration every day, not just Tuesday.
  3. I would offer Midnight Vigils every week.
 
Let’s see. I’m no longer Catholic, but when I was I would have made these changes:
  1. Introduce more Gregorian chant (not a lot).
  2. More incense.
  3. I would reinstate the choir singing the Passion on Good Friday.
 
I hope that I am never a pastor, as I am a woman.

But there are some things I have asked our Church to consider.
  1. Offer at least one weeknight Confession time. Currently the Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered Saturday at 9:00 A.M. - 10: 00 A.M., and later at 3:15 P.M - 4: 15 P.M.
Problem is, I work a lot of Saturdays from 6: 30 A.M. until 4: 00 P.M., and no matter how fast I drive, I don’t make it.

I do realize that I can make an appointment and I have done so. But there is something very humbling about waiting in line with other penitents.
  1. Have a tract in the rack in the foyer specfically for PROTESTANTS who are visiting that describes the Mass (in our parish they are OF) and gives a Biblical basis for each part of the Mass. I think this tract would have to be re-stocked every week, because I think that Catholics would take them, too.
  2. Not serve alcohol at official parish functions, but I think that I would be ridden out of the church on a rail and dumped into the street if I tried to implement that one! But after all, this is a “fantasy” thread, right?
 
Colin_Adian said:
You should note that the priest cannot just pull a priest out of a hat and place as a Parochial Vicar, he has to be appointed by the Bishop.
Click to expand...
OK…so as pastor I would hire at least one and possibly more pastoral associates. They wouldn’t be able to help with the sacraments, but they could take care of a lot of other things.
 
1.) Categorically eliminate all liturgical abuses through increased training, education, expectations and if the need arises, discipline.

2.) Improved and on-going adult catechetics.

3.) Well planned coffee socials following all Sunday Masses.
 
Cat said:
I hope that I am never a pastor, as I am a woman.

But there are some things I have asked our Church to consider.
  1. Offer at least one weeknight Confession time. Currently the Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered Saturday at 9:00 A.M. - 10: 00 A.M., and later at 3:15 P.M - 4: 15 P.M.
Problem is, I work a lot of Saturdays from 6: 30 A.M. until 4: 00 P.M., and no matter how fast I drive, I don’t make it.

I do realize that I can make an appointment and I have done so. But there is something very humbling about waiting in line with other penitents.
  1. Have a tract in the rack in the foyer specfically for PROTESTANTS who are visiting that describes the Mass (in our parish they are OF) and gives a Biblical basis for each part of the Mass. I think this tract would have to be re-stocked every week, because I think that Catholics would take them, too.
  2. Not serve alcohol at official parish functions, but I think that I would be ridden out of the church on a rail and dumped into the street if I tried to implement that one! But after all, this is a “fantasy” thread, right?
Click to expand...
Why?
 
1- Have Perpetual Adoration in our church

2- Have more groups and events so that we can actually get to know some of those people we see at Mass on Sundays… Including a Youth Group if at all possible

3- Start using Gregorian Chant and incense during Mass
 
Find a real organist who knows how to play a real pipe organ so we can use ours again regularly.

Figure out how to persuade folks to tithe/donate more. Like most parishes, we live by the old 80/20 rule. 😦

Figure out how to persuade folks that it’s NOT ok to skip Mass on Sunday just cuz it’s summertime. (we are near a large lake).
 
ethelzguy said:
Find a real organist who knows how to play a real pipe organ so we can use ours again regularly.

Figure out how to persuade folks to tithe/donate more. Like most parishes, we live by the old 80/20 rule. 😦

Figure out how to persuade folks that it’s NOT ok to skip Mass on Sunday just cuz it’s summertime. (we are near a large lake).
Click to expand...
Lots of luck with the pipe organist. I suggest cloning, but I’m pretty certain the Catholic Church has taken a stand against human cloning. Do you suppose there could be an induit (or whatever it’s called) to create more pipe organists?!

80/20?!!! Wow! You guys are awesome! I think we’re around 90/10, maybe 95/5.
 
bilop said:
Generally my parish is good. Reverent N.O. Mass, no abuses, and a thriving school. That said, I’d like to see:
  1. TLM once per Sunday.
  2. No female altar servers. Our parish has a large school (~600 students) and the altar servers should be encouraged to seriously consider a vocation to the priesthood. I would also like to see teenage and even adult males included, to encourage the boys.
  3. No EMHC. We have an average of 4 priests distributing at each Mass (which is great that they all come out!), so there is no need for EMHC.
God Bless
Click to expand...
That pretty much sums up my parish (minus the school part).

So the first (and only) thing I would do is find out where they put my current pastor and ask to have him sent back.

He does a MUCH better job than I could ever do 🙂
 
Spiller said:
Why?
Click to expand...
Spiller, it’s another topic. I realize that 99.9 % of CAF members disagree vehemently with me and I’m not sure I really want to court so much disapproval and surround myself with so much disdain from fellow Catholics. I’m still recovering from my thread last winter about “Why Don’t Catholic Churches Have Coat Racks?” (I think some people mis-read “coat racks” as “guillotines” or “nudie bars” or “shrunken heads.” I guess I should have typed more neatly.)
 
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