I do appreciate all the answers and suggestions that I have received from this forum. I think for my own peace of mind and some sort of closure, I should tell of my story and why I am in the state of mind that I am in.
I was the DRE for our parish. I had the position for one year. When I was assigned the position there was some sort of hard feelings from the previous DRE who was resigning to better move on with her family and life issues. Well, I was given no guidance, no education, no leadership. But I tried. I dove head first into my job. The first item was VBS. I was under a great deal of pressure as you all know how much is entailed in VBS. I was always asking for volunteers for the various tasks and duties that are required of a DRE for the parish. I was begging for Sunday School Teachers. For the most part, the Education Committee that I was assigned, (now mind you I had no idea that there was an Educaiton Committee already.) So the names of the people that I was given by our priest, I called and they all accepted the resposibility of being on the Education Committee. I thought that I had a very supportive Committee to work with me. I did, save for one member.
Well, the year went on, we got things accomplished. Did what we thought we were supposed to do. I constantly asked for advice, comments, whatever from the parish as a whole, as I had no idea what we were doing right or wrong. I went to meetings with other DREs, and asked for help in matters that I didnt know the answers to.
We were assigned a new priest quite abruptly in January. Our priest announced one Sunday that he would be leaving in 4 weeks. There was never any public explanation or anything for the majority of the parish. mind you, I live in a very small town. Our priest heads three parishes within about a 30 mile radius. Being a small parish, there are names that have run things for many years. There are those that have done things for many years, and they have the most say and pull as to what goes on. I have been a member of this parish for 8 years, and have never heard of a parish council election. The members of the council, just look at eavh other and ask who would like to be the president of the council. I dont know if that is how things are supposed to happen, but that is what happens here.
In August, when we were working to start the new year of Sunday School, all of a sudden there had to be a whole new Education Committee appointed. There were members of the parish that were told outright, that they were not able to be on the committee. remember, that there are names that run everything, and they came to an Education Meeting and ran that also. I just sat there, while my whole committee was taken apart. The new members had one thing on their adgenda. To change Sunday School from Sunday morning to Wednesday evening. Well, that didnt work. But then all of a sudden, I was called by the new priest, who had never talked to me about my job or my position in the parish. He called me to a meeting and fired me. No reason, nothing. Just fired me.
There was never any explanation given to me. Nothing has been said to the parish as a whole. That was in October. I have tried to go back to church there, I cannot. The parish has no idea what happened. I dont know what people are thinking of why I am no longer involved. why my husband is no longer a part of the choir, or on the parish council. I feel very betrayed. I wrote a very detailed letter to the bishop, with no response. I have heard from others in the parish, that the religious education of the young in our parish is suffering. I have been told that the second grade teacher told the priest that the students were not ready to make their first communion due to lack of education because of the time that has been taken away from sunday school for other activities. such as christmas program, no sunday school, etc. Well, I heard from her that the priest said, “just teach them what you can, they are going to make their first communion anyway” WHAT IS THAT??? I am very sad that the children are not learning what they are suppose to learn, but are being taught that it is important to practice for a program, and not learn the necessities for first communion.
Well, I want to thank those that have taken the time to read this. I have been in such a state of depression for 6 months now. My husband and I are attending a Methodist Church here in town. We cannot go to a catholic one due to the fact that the priest in this church in town is the priest in the nearby ones also. So to go to a catholic church, we have to drive 40 minutes. while we look out our front window and see the church that we had thought would be our home for the duration of our time here on earth.
God bless you all. I pray everyday that God will give me the strength and answers to my prayers and delimas, so that I can put this unhappiness at rest. I do love my catholic faith, and hope that God will show me the way to peace.
Blessings to all
Church policy is to not tell more then a few need to know. I can’t say nothing about why your former priest had to leave,and I guess you will never get a answer to that,in one of our few parishes the same once happened.