This month’s topic is less a theological discussion than a practical look at where we are in the Church in our diocese and where we will be in five or so years. For those who attended my class on the same topic this will be a review.

Our diocese consists of 75 parishes and 18 missions. A mission is a small parish that is too small for incorporation on its own. It is attached to a nearby, larger parish. The pastor of the larger parish is also the pastor of the mission. We have a total of 288 priests in the Diocese of Syracuse.* Of these, 63 are retired, 15 are working outside the diocese, (example - Fr. Bob Tierney who is in Florida) 6 are on sick leave or sabbatical, leaving the total number of active priests at 205. Of these active priests, 39 are in special ministries such as campus and hospital chaplaincies, jail ministry, and Diocesan Administration. That leaves a total of 174 active priests working in parishes.

Looking ahead to the year 2005 we can make some startling projections. All priests must retire at age 75. They may retire at age 70. By the year 2005, 33 now active priests must retire. Considering that half the priest who can retire, (at age 70) do retire, another 35 will have retired by the same year. Our diocese averages 7 priest’s deaths each year, half of whom are active. Allowing for the fact that these statistics are almost a year old now, (five have died since April 1999, three were active) we can expect another 21active priests lost due to death. There are an average of three priestly resignations per year adding another 18 more priests expected to be not available in 2005. At present there are 12 men in seminaries preparing to be ordained into the Diocese of Syracuse. That leaves the projected number of active priests available in the year 2005 to staff 175 parishes at 130. Of these, some will be involved in special ministries such as those mentioned above, 39 at present. Realistically, we will be down to about 100 or so priests working in parishes in five years. The statistics only get worse after the year 2005.

What does this all mean to us in Western Broome County? There are 9 parishes in Western Broome County: Christ The King and Our Lady of Angels in Endwell; Our Lady Of Sorrows in Vestal; Our Lady of Good Counsel, St. Anthony, St. Ambrose, St. Casimir and St. Joseph in Endicott; and Most Holy Rosary in Maine. At present there are 14 priests assigned to these 9 parishes; 9 pastors and 5 Associate Pastors. Three of the Associate Pastors are African priests. It is interesting, and indicative of the problem Western Broome presents the diocese, that of the ten Associate Pastors in the diocese, half of them are in Western Broome parishes. The parishes in Western Broome County are vibrant, active parishes. It is not likely that any will be closed in the near future. What IS likely is that by the year 2005 there will be less than 9 priests, more likely 7, covering these 9 parishes.

What this means is that we all have to pray fervently for vocations to the priesthood. However, in the foreseeable future we have to take a new and fresh look at role of the parish priest. Gone for a long time are the days when Father could be at every parish meeting. Gone are the days when parish could schedule masses solely for the convenience of the parishioners. Gone are the days when you could ring the door bell at the rectory and find a priest ready and able to attend to your needs at a moment’s notice. We are going to have to accept the fact that mass schedule will change, baptisms and weddings are not always going to be able to be scheduled at our convenience. Funerals and weddings may or may not have a mass. There will be some consolidation of parish functions and clergy.

Here in Western Broome County we have been actively planning for the future that is now inevitable. The clergy of the Western Broome parishes have been meeting each month to search for ways to cooperate so that the sacramental needs of the Catholic population of this area will always be met. We have begun to change mass schedules. At present (this figure includes the recent changes) 67 weekday masses are scheduled each week. There are 33 weekend masses for a total of 100 masses being said each week. These are the scheduled masses. This does not include funerals and weddings, nor any of the other special masses that often occur. The clergy are looking at how we can best meet the needs of the parishioners while at the same time not over taxing the priests. The daily mass schedules are being looked at to reducing duplication while still making daily mass available to the greatest number of people. Weekend mass schedules are being adapted to accommodate the shrinking number of priests. Schedules will be changed so that, in the event that a priest becomes ill, one priest could cover two parishes. The diocese has also asked all clergy to evaluated mass schedules so that our schedules reflect the number of parishioners actually attending mass. We have been told to arrange our schedules so that we are not celebrating weekend liturgies with less than half the church filled. In other words, if three weekend masses can hold all who attend, three should be the number we have, not four.

All this is going to require changes. We are all going to have to adjust without becoming too upset because things are not the way the used to be. Things are not going to be the way used to be. The laity are going to have to pick up some share of the ministry of the parish if the programs we now have are going to continue. This is not all bad. Creative ideas for addresses the needs of the parish can bring real positive growth. We can become a true community of believers that works and prays together to build up the Kingdom of God. The priests can be freed to do the truly pastoral work they were ordained to do while the people take care of the temporal functions of the parish.

The times we are now living in and the times ahead require that we, as Catholic Christians, pray for vocations and pray for the Lord to show us our gifts. We need to create environments in our homes that nurture sprouting vocations and we need to be ready to hear the call of God in our own lives. Each of us has a gift to offer. Each of us must be willing to share that gift with the body of Christ if we are to turn this ‘crises’ into an ‘opportunity’ for growth.

*Figures are accurate as of April 1999