Summary of Pastoral Planing Recommendations

The Pastoral Planning Task Force has released a summary of its recommendations that have been implemented since March 2016.

In 2015, Bishop Robert W. Muench announced during the Chrism Mass celebrated at St. Aloysius Catholic Church that a task force had been formed. At that time, he noted that because of a shrinking number of clergy, “demographics clearly pose a challenge.”

Chairman Father Trey Nelson said the task force consists of 12 members that includes “lay persons, religious and priests have given this time of themselves freely because they believe in the church and the future of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. While implementation of the recommendations made has not always been easy and while there has often been high emotion, I have personally found every Catholic lay person to be open and confident that the Holy Spirit is guiding us into the future. (Bishop Muench) has continually called us  to  be  more  ecclesial  and less  parochial. This  means  more  our  church  and less  my parish.”

Father  Nelson  said  each  parish  has  its  own  needs  that  makes  it  unique  and  no  two parishes are alike but added that the process has helped “us allto understand  what it means to journey forward as one body of Christ.

“Personally, it is my heartfelt belief that we are going where God is leading us to go. Our works have born much fruit, as you see in the bullet points of this press release, and will continue to do so. How can we be church with fewer priests and more Catholics? We must choose and strive to do it together. Thank you to all of you for your courage and your openness and your prayers.It has been my privilege to serve as the chair of the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Task Force.”

Listed below is the summary of recommendationsimplemented since March 2016.

1. Weekend Assistance for Priests A centralized resource has been established to assist priests with finding a substitute for weekend  Masses  when  there is  an  emergency  need  to  do  so.If a  priest has difficulty finding help on his own, he can now call Fr. Paul Yi, Chancellor, for assistance.
2. Parish-to-Parish Tithing The categoryof “extraordinary income” (income to a parish that is taxable to the diocese) has  been  broadened  to  include  “any  income  received  by  a  parish  from  another parish.”Toward the goal of greater financial collaboration, Bishop Muench immediately approved thisrecommendation in March of 2016.
3. Mentoring Programs for Priests Programs   to   assist   newly   ordained   priests   and   foreign-born   priests   have   been reorganized and are being coordinated by Fathers Jason Palermo and Michael Alello
4. Formation ofthe Pastoral Support Team During the summer of 2016 the diocese established what is known as theParish Pastoral Support Committee.This Committee consists of 25 to 30 volunteers from throughout the Diocese of Baton Rouge.Trained by SSA Consultants ofBaton Rouge, the purpose of the Committee is to assist parishes, priests, and parish leadership in discerning the best structural  and  pastoral  ministry  model  for  their  particular  community,  given  the  fewer number of priests available and changing demographics in their area.The Committee is divided into smallerParish Resource Teams, each consisting of 3 to 5 members.Each team is connected with a particular pastor and parish or group of parishes and guides them  through  a  process  of  gathering  input  and  seeking  consensus  regarding  possible structural changes. Each Team enters into the process with a clearly stated goal and a process  that  is  clearly  outlined  in  the Parish  Pastoral  Support  Committee Resource Guidebook.
5. Diocesan-Wide Reduction of Masses Where Appropriate Based on the Task Force recommendation to reduce the number of Masses offered by a parish or group of parishes, due to the decreasing number of priests, the Pastoral Support Team (mentioned in #4 above) has completed work in 6 areasof the diocese.Clergy and parish leadership  were led  through  a process  toward  the  goal  of developing  a  1  priest Mass schedule in the following areas of our diocese:
   • The Shared Pastorate of Sacred Heart Parish in Gramercy, St. Joseph Parish in Paulina, and St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Convent There  are  2  priests  currently  serving  these  3  church  parishes.In  December  of  2016, these  3  churches  reduced  their  total  number  of  weekend  Masses  from  8  to  6,  thereby establishing a schedule that isreasonable for 2 priests. In light of this change, the Task Force has recommended there be no further adjustments to the weekend Mass schedule at this time.Rather, focus is to be placed on further collaboration between the 3 parishes and most significantly the development of a job description for a potential administrative assistant  to  the  pastor  to  assist  with  facilities  management.The  Task  Force  is  also working on a possible means of financial subsidy to assist with the salary for this position.
   • The Parishes of Our Lady of Peace and St. Philip in Vacherie, and St. James in St. James There are 2 priests currently serving these 3 church parishes.It is probable that in the near  future,  only  1  priest  will  be  available  for  service  in  this  configuration.Therefore, effective July 1, 2017, these 3 church parishes will implement a collaborative schedule of 3 Masses  and  ministry  expectations  reflective  of  a  1  priest  model.The  total  number  of weekend Masses will be reduced from 6 to 4. At present, these 3 churches will retain the service of 2 full time priests.
   • The Shared Pastorate of the Parishes of St. Joseph in Grosse Tete, Immaculate Heart of Mary in Maringouin, and St. Francis Xavier Cabrini in Livonia, and St. Catherine Chapel in Fordoche There are 2 priests currently serving these 3 church parishes.It is probable that in the near  future,  only  1  priest  will  be  available  for  service  in  this  configuration.Therefore, effective July 1, 2017, these 3 church parishes will implement a collaborative schedule of Masses  and  ministry  expectations  reflective  of  a  1priest  model.The  total  number  of weekend  Masses  will  be  reduced  from  6  to 4.  Masses  will  only  be  celebrated  at  the  3 parish churches.Mass will no longer be celebrated at St. Catherine Chapel in Fordoche. At present, these 3 churches will retain the service of 2 full time priests.
   • The Shared Pastorate of St. Anne Parish in Napoleonville, St. Philomena Parish in Labadieville, and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Plattenville These 3 church parishes are currently being served by 2priests, namely 1 pastor and 1 parochial vicar (associate pastor). Toward the goal of further collaboration between the churches  along  Bayou  Lafourche,  and  given  the  very  real  possibility  that  this  will eventually become a 1 priest configuration, a new  Mass schedule will be implemented effective  July  1,  2017,  reducing  the  total  number  of  Masses  between  these  3  church parishes  from  7  to  4.  At  present,  these  3  churches  will  retain  the  service  of 2  full  time priests.
   • The Parishes of St. Louis King of France and St. Thomas More in Baton Rouge These 2 church parishes have been served by 3 priests total with St. Louis King of France being  served  by  1  full  time  priest  and  St.  Thomas  More  being  served  by  2  full  time priests.Due  to  changing  demographics  inthe  area,  and  due  to  the  lack  of  financial viability on the part of St. Louis King of France Parish, effective July 1, 2017, the 2 church parishes will become what is known as a “shared pastorate.” Simply put, this means that the 2 churches will be servedby 1 pastor.A parochial vicar (associate pastor) has also been assigned to serve as well.It is also recommended by the Task Force that St. Louis King of France Parish cease to function and exist as a parish of the Diocese of Baton Rouge and amalgamated with St. Thomas More Parish no later than June 30, 2018.
   • The Parishes of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in White Castle, St. Joan of Arc in Bayou Pigeon, and St. Catherine Chapel in Bayou Sorrel In completing the remaining summer assignments of priests, our diocese is lacking the number of pastors necessary to fill certain positions. One of these is the position of pastor of the shared pastorate ofOur Lady of Prompt Succor in White Castle,St. Joan of Arc in Bayou  Pigeon,  and  St.  Catherine  Chapel  in  Bayou  Sorrel.  This  reality,  along  with  an extremely low number of parishioners attending Masses at these churches, has left us with the need to make some immediate adjustments to the Mass schedules. Effective on the weekend of July 29-30, 2017, the number of Masses celebrated at these 3 sites will be  reduced  to  2 –1  Mass  on  the  weekend  at  Our  Lady  of  Prompt  Succor  and  1  per weekend  at  St.  Joan  of  Arc. No  weekend  Masses  will  be  celebrated  at  St.  Catherine Chapel.Bishop Muench has also asked The Task Force to begin discussion of a long term plan for these sites.
   • Formation of the Auxiliary Pastoral Planning Committee In order to ensure that all protocol is followed when there is a significant change in the status  of  a  parish  or  parishes,  Bishop  Muench  asked  for  the  creation  of  the Auxiliary Pastoral Planning Committee(commonly now referred to as the “A.P.P.”). This committee is a subcommittee of the Pastoral Planning Task Force.The purpose of the committee is  to  ensure  that  all  necessary  canonical  and  civil  protocols  are  followed  and  that personnel issues are prudently addressed during such a change. The committee includes the Chair of the Pastoral Planning Task Force and representatives in the areas of canon law, civil law, diocesan finances, and diocesan human resources.
   • Suppression of St. Pius X Parish In March of 2017, Bishop Muench, after consultation with the pastor and lay leadership of  St.  Pius  X  Parish,  the  Presbyteral  Council,  and  the  Auxiliary  Pastoral  Planning Committee,  and  after  having  completed  all  steps  required  by  canon  law,  accepted  the Task Force’s recommendation to formally suppress the civilly-incorporated ecclesiastical parish  of  St.  Pius  X  in  Baton  Rouge  effective  on  31  May  2017.  In  doing  so,  he  also transferred its community, territory, archives, and any and all ecclesiastical property to the  Congregation  of  St.  Isidore  the  Farmer  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  Baton  Rouge (Baker).
   • The Chapels of St. Jude in Greensburg and St. Elizabeth in Kentwood At the request of the local pastor of St. Helena Parish in Amite, and after consultation with the  Task  Force,  Bishop  Muench  has  accepted the  formal  request  to “relegate  the Churches of St. Jude in Greensburg and St. Elizabeth  in Kentwood to Profane but not Sordid Use and to Alienate Said Churches.” No regularly scheduled Masses have been celebrated at these sites since 2014, and most parishioners who live near St. Jude and St. Elizabeth attend Sunday Mass at St. Helena in Amite.Financially, neither chapel can sustain its own existence. The upkeep, maintenance, and insurance required for the two to minimally function is disproportionate to the use of the buildings to the detriment of St. Helena Parish. The Parish/Finance Council of St. Helena Parish has also endorsed this recommendation.  On  Tuesday  June  20,  in  keeping  with  canonical  protocol,  this recommendation was brought before the Presbyteral Council, who in turn proposed it to the Bishop for his acceptance.

This summary first appeared in The Catholic Commentator