For those of us who experienced pastoral planning at parish or diocesan levels over time, we have seen changes that make the practices of the past seem unrecognizable. Key to those changes is a re-examination of the underlying purpose of … [Read more...]
Pope Francis and the Symposium on the Priesthood
Many times, Pope Francis has been very critical in speaking about priests and even seminarians, and for sure bishops. He is calling the Church to a renewal, and he does not seem to have this concern without some experience. He began his … [Read more...]
Priestly Obedience in a Post-McCarrick Church, Part II
Go to Part I Now that we have traced the nature and the theological implications of obedience and ecclesial authority, let us now look at authority and obedience as complementary responsibilities. Church documents emphasize that … [Read more...]
Priestly Obedience in a Post-McCarrick Church, Part I
Introduction to Part I “I will do whatever my bishop asks me to do.” During my time in seminary, most seminarians did not anticipate huge struggles living the promise of obedience. Seasoned priests told us: “Everyone thinks celibacy is t … [Read more...]
The Sad Tale of Spiritual Father vs. Spiritual Son
Due to the overwhelming response to Msgr. Bochicchio’s essay on the inherent injustices in the way the Dallas Charter (drafted in part by then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick!) has been implemented, we are here rerunning Dr. Janet Smith’s har … [Read more...]
Book Reviews – January 2021
God with Us: Encountering Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. By Edward Sri. Reviewed by Lawrence Montz. (skip to review) The Lighthouse. By Michael D. O’Brien. Reviewed by K.E. Colombini. (skip to review) A Legacy of Preaching, Vol. I: Ap … [Read more...]
When the Church Defames Her Priests
Over the last two decades, the Roman Catholic Church in the United States has reeled under claims of clerical sexual abuse. The claims resulted in extraordinary liability and wide-spread publicity. When bad things happen in any … [Read more...]
Best Practices for Clergy Assignment Boards
This is an assembly of some best practices for clergy assignment boards, gleaned from examples in dioceses across the U.S., encountered while doing numerous assessments of chanceries relative to best practices at the request of their … [Read more...]
What Every Chancery Needs to Consider
Six Reasons Why Some Chanceries Work Better than Others
While every chancery is unique, some clearly function better than others. There are, in fact, six common, key differentiators (listed below) which separate the highest functioning chanceries from those that are simply well functioning. I … [Read more...]
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