September 22, 2023 – Pastor’s Note

This weekend at the Masses, we will be making the long-awaited announcement about our proposed family for Partners in the Gospel. A few notes on this: DraftThe families that are announced are draft families, meaning that this is the best configuration that the chancery, Presbyteral Council, and priests could come up with. But now weContinue reading “September 22, 2023 – Pastor’s Note”

September 15, 2023 – Pastor’s Note

I recently had to shift my paradigm for our Pastoral Council, and I would like to explain that in today’s note. What is a Pastoral Council?Pastoral Councils are primarily a diocesan entity, though can. 536 expands them to parishes. Can. 511 In each diocese, in so far as pastoral circumstances suggest, a pastoral council isContinue reading “September 15, 2023 – Pastor’s Note”

September 08, 2023 – Pastor’s Note

Two things on my mind this week: DyingI visited a woman in the hospital this week who had received a terminal diagnosis and had transferred to hospice. She had a lot of fears, and we spent about an hour talking those through. In the course of the conversation, we ended up using two questions toContinue reading “September 08, 2023 – Pastor’s Note”

September 01, 2023 – Pastor’s Note

As I read through, a few weeks ago, the Archbishop’s Pastoral Letter about Partners in the Gospel, I felt the need to reproduce this section in full: ————————- How do we know we have healthy, vibrant, sustainable parishes? I am aware that we must be careful how we define health and vibrancy when it comesContinue reading “September 01, 2023 – Pastor’s Note”