How Does It All Happen?
In a couple of weeks I will be moving to Blessed
Sacrament Parish in Clermont. Fr. Charles Viviano will become pastor
here. When this change was announced many people wondered why it
happened. Some thought that this was something brought against the
parish or me. Others were upset with the bishop for making these
moves. Let me explain how the process of appointing pastors occurs
in our diocese.
There are at least three ways that a parish
becomes open and is in need of a pastor. The first way is that a
new parish is established. This year the bishop started a new parish
in West Melbourne named after St. John the Evangelist. There will
be a new parish opening in Oviedo soon as well.
The second way is that a priest retires, dies,
or is taken ill and cannot function any further in that assignment. This
year three pastors retired and one was taken ill (Fr. Andrew Wawrzycki
of Clermont was such a case). When this occurs a parish is often
placed on open listing. That means that any priest of the diocese
may apply to become pastor for that parish.
The third way a parish opens is that the required
length of time elapsed and the pastor must move. In our diocese Bishop
Dorsey has established a period of tenure that allows a priest to stay
in an assignment for six years. At that time it can be renewed for three
more years. At the nine-year mark a priest would move or could stay
a remaining three years, but at the twelve year mark must move. This
policy began in the diocese about nine years ago, so some priests have
been in their assignment longer than twelve years because they have been
grandfathered in.
Once an opening occurs or is expected the
Priest's Personnel Board of the diocese meets and looks at the prospective
candidates for a particular parish. They evaluate who might best
serve in an assignment based on his qualifications and specific talents.
They take into consideration that if someone moves to an open parish that
it will cause an opening at the parish or assignment they currently are
at. These recommendations are given to the bishop. The bishop takes
the advice of the Priest's Personnel Board, his trusted confidantes and
perhaps information that is known only to him. Then the bishop calls
the priest and asks if he would take the assignment that he has in mind.
Generally, because we promise obedience to our bishop, a priest will say
yes. He might ask not to be moved if he is in the middle of a building
project, completing a school degree, or other such thing that will have
a definite end point. The bishop may agree to keep him in place or
ask him to move
nonetheless.
In the conversation with the bishop a priest
will usually ask for information about the new assignment that is unknown.
I asked to know some background on the demographics of Blessed Sacrament
because I knew almost nothing about this parish. The bishop shared
with me that the parish was building a new church building and that it
was a growing parish. He told me that they have a growing Spanish
community as well. When I asked about my replacement here the
bishop told me that it would be someone who would care for the parish,
especially our growing Hispanic community, and that he would also assume
the duties of ministry at Stetson. There was never any doubt about
the parish continuing. St. Clare is here to stay! Two days
later when I found out that it was Fr. Charles Viviano I knew that the
bishop had chosen a good candidate for our
parish.
Hopefully this gives you some idea that the
process is one that is made carefully and with much deliberation. The bishop
tries to select the best person for each assignment knowing that he has
a limited number of people to choose from. He realizes that each
time a priest is changed it is painful and difficult for him and for the
parish, yet that is what being part of a diocese means.
Peace,
Fr. Chris
CATHOLIC TELEVISION PROGRAM GOES NATIONAL
"New Breed of Man," a Catholic television program hosted by Fr. Ricardo Castellanos, a Catholic priest from the Archdiocese of Miami, will begin airing Wednesday, August 1 on Familyland Television Network. The program will air Sundays at 12:00 a.m. (EST), Mondays at 11:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 6:00 a.m. and Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. on Sky Angels Network (channel 17) on Dish Satellite. Familyland Television Network, a national Catholic Television station, sponsored by the "Apostolate for Family Consecration," provides a mixture of family based classic programming as well as quality based Catholic programming. We invite you to tune in and be blessed. For information on how to subscribe to Familyland Television Network, call 1-800-367-6279.
RETROUVAILLE
Sometimes things can go very wrong in a marriage. Retrouvaille is a program that helps and supports married couples experiencing difficulties; couples broken, hurting and lonely. It is also for couples who have already separated or divorced and want to try again. The next program will be held August 10-12. For further information call 407-977-8136. All inquiries confidential.
STRONG WOMAN
A Strong Woman works out everyday to keep her body in shape. A Woman
of Strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape. A Strong Woman
isn't afraid of anything. A Woman of Strength shows courage in the midst
of fear. A Strong Woman won't let anyone get the best of her. A Woman of
Strength gives the best of herself to everyone. A Strong Woman makes mistakes
and avoids the same in the future. A Woman of Strength realizes that life's
mistakes can also be God's blessing and capitalizes on them. A Strong Woman
walks sure-footedly. A Woman of Strength knows God will catch her when
she falls.
A Strong Woman wears the look of confidence on her face. A Woman of
Strength wears grace. A Strong Woman has faith that she is strong enough
for the journey. A Woman of Strength has faith that it is in the journey
that she will become Strong.
PARISH BARBECUE
Celebrate Saint Clare's feast day and wish Father Chris well in his
new assignment. Friday - August 10 - 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Dinner: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Entertainment: 8:00 p.m. Evening
prayer: 9:00 p.m. Tickets - $4.00 adults, $2.00 children 10 and under;
available in the parish office and after all weekend Masses through August
5.
RCIA
"A sacrament is a visible sign, or ritual experience, in which we encounter
Christ's saving love in the context of church.
R.C.I.A. stands for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.
This is a process used by our parish that invites adults to
inquire about the Catholic faith. It is an opportunity for membership
in the Catholic Church through the sacraments of
initiation: Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Eucharist. It is also for
those adults who have been baptized in the Catholic
Church but have not yet received the sacraments of Confirmation or
Holy Eucharist.
The group comes together with the R.C.I.A. team each Sunday morning/Saturday
evening to reflect personally on how
God is speaking to each of us through the day's readings. In
the Wednesday evening sessions, we look at a variety of
topics and subjects.
*******
"Why can't my 12 year-old daughter make her communion?" More than likely,
"because she hasn't been in religious
education or had preparation for the sacraments." She can, however,
begin the process of learning about her faith, the
Catholic Church and the sacraments in the children's Christian Initiation
process
CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF CHILDREN
Astep-by-step process by which children (ages 8-17) are led to
full membership in the Catholic Church through the sacraments of Baptism,
Confirmation and Eucharist. It is for: children not baptized as infants;
children who have been baptized in other Christian communities; children
baptized Catholic as infants who have not had religious instruction.
The process is not limited to the school year, nor does it end
within a determined time. It is based on the readiness of the child
and often extends beyond the minimum of one year. It involves the
entire parish community and particularly the parents, sponsors, priest,
catechists, the child and his/her peers. Weekly sessions for ages
8-14 are held each Sunday morning. Older
children are also expected to participate in the adult sessions on
Wednesday evening. For more information on either the process for children
or adults, contact Anne at 789-9990.
"God has created us to be people of faith. God put the potential for faith deep within each of us. We find ourselves to be driven to know and love without limits, and to be known and loved. With this drive we search for the very infinite . God."
ANOTHER PARISH MEMORY -- Bob Sayre
I am a convert to Roman Catholicism and a proud member of St. Clare's
first class of seven catechumens. The other
six were Tim Booker, Jan Deyette, Louise Holland, Greg Smith, William
Tomaleski, and Steve Werly. That first class
began its instruction to become Catholics in the spring of 1992 under
Father Tim Kandel. It lasted a bit over a year,
and we received First Communion together on April 18, 1993.
Well, maybe that wasn't my initial Communion: I grew up in Zanesville,
Ohio, as a Methodist, but my family had very
close friends and neighbors who were Catholics, and I often went to
Mass with them. I was no stranger to Catholicism.
Then, when I was 25 and at my first job after college in New Bedford,
Mass., I met Sally (nee Mary LaSalette Rego), a
devout Catholic, at a YWCA dance. We were married in New Bedford
two years later by Father Anthony Gomes in the
rectory of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. I'd been attending
Sunday Masses with Sally during all of the weeks
after we met, and I continued to accompany her faithfully to services
after our wedding.
Our two sons were born in New Bedford and were raised in the Catholic
religion, but they attended public schools.
When our younger son was a teenager taking CCD instruction, a meeting
of his group was held one evening in our
home with a young priest in attendance. At the end of the session,
he served Communion, which everyone took
except me. "Mr. Sayre, aren't you taking the Host?" asked the
priest. "Father," I responded, "I'm not a Catholic." "But
you go to Mass all the time;" he said, "you've been going for two years.
Look into your heart! If you truly believe in the
Catholic Church and feel you are truly one with us, then it'll be all
right for you to take Communion."
I actually converted at that point! I took the Host and continued
to take Communion regularly thereafter - until, that is -
I told Father Tim Kandel in 1992 that I wanted to be a part of St.
Clare's initial class of catechumens. He was
noticeably surprised by my request, and he made certain afterward that
those first catechumens were not brought from
their separate meeting place during Mass until after Communion had
been served to the rest of the congregation.
One other strong memory of the period: Sally and I were snowbirds then,
so when we went up north in late May,
catechumen lessons and synopses of the weekly class meetings were mailed
to me each week until our return to
Deltona in late summer. I deem it a distinct honor to have been part
of St. Clare's pioneer class for conversion. We
seven led the way, and thanks to excellent teaching, the ministering
of our sponsors, the faith of the parishioners in us
and to our faith in Jesus Christ, we achieved our common goal.
A last note: those sponsors, who helped us unceasingly and well, included
Cathy Anger, Sherry Pieper, Pat Kemm,
Frank Rathbun, Mary Francy, David Francy, and the late Bill O'Neill.They
served us and the parish very well. God
bless them! God bless us all!
¿Cómo es que todo sucede?
En un
par de semanas estaré mudandome para la Parroquia Sagrado Sacramento
en Clermont. El P. Charles
Viviano pasará a ser el pastor de aqui. Cuando éste
cambio fué anuciadomuchas personas se preguntaban por qué
esto pasaba. Algunos pensaron que esto había sido algo
contra la iglesia o contra mi. Otros estaban alterados con el
obispo por hacer estos cambios. Permitanme explicarles como es
el proceso de asignar pastores en nuestra
diocesis.
Hay por
lo menos tres formas en la cual ésta parroquia queda abierta y en
necesidad de un pastor. La primera
es que se ha establecido una nueva parroquia. Este año
el obispo comenzó una nueva parroquia en el oeste de
Melborne y fué llamada con el nombre de San Juan el Evangelista.
Habrá tambien otra nueva parroquia muy pronto
en Oviedo.
La segunda
forma es que el sacerdote se retire, muera, o caiga enfermo y ya no pueda
funcionar en su trabajo.
Este año tres pastores se retiraron y uno se enfermó
(P.Andrew Wawrzycki de Clermont fué uno de los casos).
Cuando ésto ocurre la parroquia se pone en lista abierta.
Eso quiere decir que cualquier sacerdote puede aplicar
para ser pastor de esa parroquia.
La tercera
forma que una parroquia queda abierta es que el tiempo requerido a caducado
y ese pastor tiene
que moverse. En nuestra diocesis el Obispo Dorsey a establecido
un periodo de pocesión que le permite al
sacerdote quedarse en el trabajo por seis años.
En ese entonces se le puede renovar por tres años más.
A los
nueve años el sacerdote se mueve o se puede quedar tres años
más, pero a los doce años se tiene que mover. Esta
póliza comenzó en la diocesis hace como nueve años,
algunos sacerdotes han estado en su trabajo más de doce
años porque han sido abuelados.
A la vez que
se establece una vacante o se espera, la Junta de Personal de Sacerdotes
de la diocesis se
reunen y examinan a los posibles candidatos para una parroquia en particular.
Ellos evaluan quien mejor sirve para
ese trabajo basado en sus cualificaciones y talentos especificos.
Ellos toman en consideración que si alguien se
mueve para una parroquia vacante esto causaría una vacante en
la parroquia o trabajo que ese momento hacen.
Estas recomendaciones son dadas al obispo. El obispo toma el consejo
de la Junta Personal de Sacerdotes, sus
confidentes fiables y quizás información que solo el
conoce. Entonces el obispo llama el sacerdote y le pregunta si puede
tomar el trabajo que el tiene en mente. Generalmente, porque prometemos
obediencia a nuestro obispo, el
sacerdote dice que si. El puede pedir no ser movido si está
en medio de un construción de un edificio, completando un
grado de escuela, o alguna otra cosa que tenga un punto definitivo.
El obispo puede que le permita quedarse o le
pide que se mueva.
En la
conversación con el obispo el sacerdote usualmente pregunta por
información acerca del nuevo trabajo
que es desconocido. Yo pedí saber que me dieran información
sobre la demografica de Sagrado Sacramento porque
no sabía nada de esa parroquia. El obispo compartió
conmigo que la parroquia estaba fabricando una nueva iglesia y
que era una parroquia creciente. El me dijo que tienen una creciente
comunidad de hispanos tambien.
Cuando le pregunté sobre mi suplente aqui el obispo me dijo que
sería alguien que cuidaría de la parroquia y
de la creciente comunidad hispana, y asumiria los deberes de ministerios
en Stetson. Nunca hubo duda en mi mente
que nuestra parroquia continuaría. ¡Sta. Clara esta
aqui para quedarse! Dos días despues cuando supe que era
P.Charles Viviano, entonces supe que el obispo habia escoguido un buen
candidato para nuestra parroquia.
Espero esto les de una idea que el proceso es uno que esta hecho con mucho
cuidado y mucha deliberación.
El obispo trata de seleccionar la mejor persona para cada trabajo sabiendo
que tiene un limitado número de personas
para escojer. El sabe que cada vez que un sacerdote se mueve
es doloroso y dificil para el y para la parroquia, sin
embargo, eso es lo que quiere decir ser parte de una diocesis.
Paz
