Support for Church Employees

[bangtuff]

Hello,

I am the music director at my church and have been now for 6 years. I’m experiencing a faith crisis. It’s not my faith in God or Christ, but rather my faith in the institution of the Catholic Church. I didn’t want to discuss this with anyone in my community because I wouldn’t want anyone to think the one leading the music at church was questioning the Catholic Church. At its most basic level, I have lately been having a hard time separating God from the human beings that run the Catholic Church at all levels. To the dishonest and abusive clergy we hear about in the news all the way down to my own parish community. Luckily, my community has not experienced any abuse that I know of, but myself and other church employees are often not treated very professionally. I have spoken to the pastor about the issues among employees but with no changes. I don’t really know who I can tell. I don’t want to tell anyone in the congregation that the parish is having problems. I don’t want to speak to other priests in the area about it because that could stir up problems and I would rather not go to the Bishop because that could cause more drama.

For several years now, my service to God has also been my job. How do I separate these two?

Are there other church employees on this forum? What do you do when there are personnel issues in a parish? What do you do when these issues seem to affect your own relationship with God? Any help would be appreciated.

Mike

 

[Saint_Prince_Caspian]

We’re you expecting a Church without abusive clergy? Wait, were you expecting the Church without sinners? Or, do you expect the Church to only have certain sinners subscribed to only certain pedigree’s and poisons of sin? The Anglican Church has that. Or Episcopal.

Why then remain Catholic?

You either believe what the Church teaches is true. Or you don’t. Fairly simple.

I mean it would be like this, to you use a simple analogy: I see so many corrupt members of state. And amidst them, committing sexual crimes of all kinds! Should I leave the country? Should I drop my citizenship? Should I drop from voting? Should I just stop participating as a citizen as a whole? Should I go to another country?

That’s fairly much the same thing.

 

[Mi_Rose]

I am a retired church worker. I understand a bit where you are. I expected a church with sinner but not this Russian nesting doll situation where superiors covered for sinners and became sinners themselves. Then there is the nature of the sin. When someone embezzles money is all that is taken but pedophiles and the enabling Bishops steal innocence and trust in the Church. Many people have left over this.
Many church employees are harangued over this. Itis hard to keep going but for me there is nowhere else to go. This is the Church with the Eucharist.

 

[CilladeRoma]

but myself and other church employees are often not treated very professionally. I have spoken to the pastor about the issues among employees but with no changes. I don’t really know who I can tell.

I also work for the Church, and I understand, where you are coming from.

Regarding what I quoted, your diocese should have someone in HR, or in some support department that might be able help you.
No one should have to put up with a hostile work environment, even in the Church.

My best advice is to find another parish where you can go, and just be a parishioner- not involved in any way. Make sure you take care of your spiritual life, seperate from your job duties.

 

[CilladeRoma]

This is pretty dismissive.
It is very difficult to “work” for the Church, we see many things that even the most dedicated volunteer may not see, and moral right now is not the best.
In any case, a little empathy can go a long way.

 

[TheLittleLady]

Fellow employee here.

The time before I worked there, I was the “super volunteer” and I would go to my evening volunteer work and pray “Lord, please allow me to work for the parish one day. My skill-set and talent would be useful, and the joy of working here would simply be so grand.”

Picturing going to Adoration at lunch, praying together with my coworkers.

Then it became a reality.

I warn people when they seek to work for an apostolate, Diocese, parish, etc. You are going to have a challenge of faith (likely more than one).

100xs the drama that went on in the secular world, people who are anywhere from fake to downright nasty mean, changing bosses every couple of years, no one is aware of any HR practices or law.

, but myself and other church employees are often not treated very professionally. I have spoken to the pastor about the issues among employees but with no changes.

In seminary, I wish that priests had business classes AND some basic Human Resources training. It does not happen. I’ve worked for a few late vocations or priests who took Business Management degrees prior to Seminary. It is night and day. Your Diocese has a Human Resources office, but, that is a fine line.

Guess what? It reminds me that every human institution is made up of humans. That humans will always let you down at some point.

On the other side, when it is good, it is very good. When you see that your efforts made another person smile, when you see someone who has been away forever return, when you see converts, or meet a very holy priest.

The best advise I was given, go to confession at another parish. Find a spiritual support person (maybe not formal Direction, but, at least friendship) at another parish. Take time to reach out to your peers, the other music directors/ministers at other parishes and at non-Catholic congregations, form a peer group.

Best of all, offer it all up. Remember that human beings have warts and all. Remember that great is the reward in heaven.