Sunday, October 21, 2007
IF I WERE A BISHOP
In Matt Abbott's column, Father James Farfaglia explores the role of bishop from the vantage point of a parish priest. It's a radical overhaul:
First of all, in order to bring about any kind of serious reform in a diocese, the bishop has to have the support of his priests. Diocesan priests could be won over easily by a newly installed bishop by dramatically reducing the size of the chancery and allow the pastors and their assistants to do their job more effectively. Assessments on parish collections could be dramatically reduced or eliminated all together; the Bishop's Annual Appeal could be ended, and all past debt on unpaid assessments could be eliminated as well. Funds could be obtained by selling the chancery building(s) and moving the dramatically reduced offices to the facilities of the Cathedral where the bishop of any diocese should be in the first place. Further funds could be gained by selling the bishop's mansion (if he lives in one) and the newly installed bishop could live in the cathedral rectory and live with his priests.
As to what offices should actually exist in the chancery, thinking quickly, I would eliminate such offices as the Family Life Office, the Youth Office, and the Office for Evangelization. Are not the parish priests supposed to take care of their families? Are they not supposed to minister to their young people? Are they not supposed to be visiting the homes within their parish boundaries? And why do we need a diocesan newspaper when we have the Internet? I would say that all we really need in a chancery is a secretary for the bishop, one person to handle finances and properties, and someone to handle the tribunal. The new bishop would not be in the chancery like the CEO of a large corporation, rather he could spend time with his priests and seminarians, visit his parishes, visit the convents, visit the sick in the hospitals, and spend time at the abortion clinics.
If a new bishop were to do the things that I mentioned, he would have the support of the clergy. Once this took place, the new bishop could take the next step within this first priority.
Read the whole article.
