CHANGING PASTORS.

shouldn't be like a blind date

Pastor departing? Headache arriving? Don't fret. While finding a new pastor is no picnic, at least a few Catholics have ideas to help you through.

When new pastor Father "Ray McNulty" looked out the winIll dow of his parish rectory, he noted that the street in front of the church had been renamed after his revered predecessor. "Oh well," he thought wistfully, "maybe they'll name the playlot after me."

The anecdote encapsulates just one of the complexities of finding pastors for America's 19,584 Roman Catholic parishes from among its dwindling corps of 31,370 diocesan priests, of whom only an estimated 22,000 are under retirement age.

Historically, the trustee system, imported from Western Europe, permitted cathedral deans or parish trustees--mostly laity--to nominate pastors, even bishops. The system never quite caught on in the U.S., which was dominated by Irish bishops unused to the trustee system.

Although sometimes politically driven, conscientious bishops kept pastoral interests in mind, even when the appointment was a reward for faithful and competent service. In recent years, many have adhered to new, more pastorally sensitive canonical guidelines and consulted with members of the local priest corps, lay staff, and parishioners.

Both priests and laypeople, however, point to consistent problems dogging the current process of finding a new pastor. The priest shortage, for one. "There will be no improvement in the system of appointment of pastors until the present priest shortage is resolved," says Msgr. John Egan, who directs the Office for Community Affairs at DePaul University in Chicago.

"The system is stretched. We don't have a pool anymore," says Father Eugene Hemrick, research assistant at Catholic University of America and director of research at Washington Theological Union. "Further, pastorates aren't a prize anymore."

Maria Leonard, a longtime parishioner at an upscale, vibrant Chicago parish of more than 2,300 families, believes there is no way to help the system as it is presently structured. "There is no Jesus walking on water," she says, based on her experience of observing four pastoral appointments at St. Clement's. Even high-visibility parishes such as St. Clement's often attract only a few applicants.

Leonard believes, however, that if parishioners "stand up and talk to the bishop and the priests' personnel board," it could have a dramatic effect on the system.

Despite the shrinking number of clergy, virtually all interviewed for this article agree that it is stiU possible to find pastors with an openness to and a capacity for collaborative ministry. It simply requires more imagination and planning.

Conscientious bishops have tried every variable to spread clerical leadership responsibly. They have merged and grouped parishes; put them under a single pastordean for an entire community; appointed associate pastors to serve several parishes; appointed younger priests to serve shorter terms; and recruited lay and religious parish coordinators. The clergy shortage, suggests Egan, could be relieved considerably by recognizing that "there isn't a single job in the parish--except sacraments--that a nonordained person can't do."

Others say that what the process needs is a massive dose of imagination and input, especially from those who have to live with the results--laypeople. John M. Reid, former coordinator of transition services for the Archdiocese of Seattle, says that it is "a tragedy in the American Catholic Church that precious little time, energy, and even less money are spent on a period of transition when there isa change in pastors." Reid, now president of his own consulting firm, believes that clergy and laity can assist the bishop in the selection of pastors by "joining in and seeking a common ground for a future that is yet to unfold."

Carol Ditto, a retired nurse with a master's in pastoral studies, has been involved with Holy Rosary Parish in Warrenton, Missouri for 15 years, many of them as a pastoral associate. Ditto believes that the pastoral selection process could be enriched by starting as early as the seminary years. "The abundance of gifts among the laity is unbelievable," she says. "There are many people out there skilled at identifying leadership qualities."

Ditto believes that because oflimited preparation, even talented pastors don't become really effective until they have been in office for one or two years. She also contends, as do others, that not every priest is destined to be a pastor and that many suffer when thrust into the role. By identifying potential pastors early and bringing them along, they could "hit the ground running" and be more effective and happier in their pastoral role.

Who's in the conversation?

Father Thomas Sweetser, S.I., director of the Milwaukee-based Parish Evaluation Project, and Sister Mart Benet McKinney, O.S.B., best known for her book Sharing Wisdom, have collaborated on a rich resource for pastoral transitions: Changing Pastors (Sheed & Ward, 1998), which can make a significant difference in this process. The Sweetser-McKinney model points to a plateau not yet reached by the institutional church: shared wisdom.

"The transition team needs to have ideas and imagination," Sweetser says. "And they mustn't be put off by the shortage of priests. That's all the more reason to use our models.

"We just need to have more dialogue," he continues. "It's more than just a leaky roof in the parish. We need to use this model to change images. A change in pastors can be hard on both priests and people. But a good transition team can be the eyes and ears for the new pastor."

"We've got to bring the broad vision," says Father Daniel Coughlin, former covicar for priests for the Archdiocese of Chicago and now chaplain to the U.S. House of Representatives. "We are changing lives and changing community. We need a process that will help priests to mature. Those who do will be the successful pastors."

Even before invoking an innovative and structured program, both the chancery and parish communities can begin the process by making the laity more and more a part of the conversation. "Priests must now see themselves as persons in a relationship," Coughiin says. "The paradigm we need to build is unlike any corporate structure."

Coughlin calls for a change in the evaluation process, one that separates the performance evaluation of pastors from their terms of office. A periodic performance evaluation would contribute to the improvement of the qualified pastor pool and make it possible for the bishop and his advisors to sharpen their discernment process. It would also reinforce a provision of the Code of Canon Law that virtually commands that a bishop "listen to certain presbyters and members of the Christian faithful."

Period of adjustment

Sweetser and McKinney's Changing Pastors model was tried in three dioceses: small, medium, and large. It succeeded very well in the small and medium ones but experienced some problems in the large diocese, mostly because of complications involving the bishop and the personnel board.

Sweetser and McKinney suggest a transitional team of six to eight members, not to include the incumbent pastor or members of the parish council. An interim pastor without the right of succession should be appointed, possibly a retired priest in good health or one gifted with skills for short-term administration.

The system hinges on time, organization, and patience. Properly structured, the average period of adjustment, which includes the departure of the previous pastor, discernment of the qualities important in a new pastor, and introduction of the new pastor, can take six to 18 months.

When an outgoing pastor simply tosses his belongings in the back of his car and a new one arrives to an empty rectory, a parish can easily lose its focus. The farewell to the previous pastor can be just as important as the greeting of the new one. The transition team can take the departing pastor to dinner and ascertain what he has given to the parish and what the parish has given him.

The team must provide some process for the community to thank the pastor for what he has accomplished and give the outgoing pastor a chance to say his own thanks.

During the period of listening that follows, the transition team asks the community broad-based questions such as "Who are we as a People of God?" Gradually, they are asked to address such questions as "What do we hope will continue?" and "What do we hope we'll never hear again?"

The team can then ask the community to list three hopes and concerns for the parish. They can list what they want to keep, nourish, and celebrate and what they want to adjust or eliminate. From the lessons learned, the transition team can deliver a detailed, positive profile of the kind of pastor the parish community is seeking.

Once the transition team has put closure to the previous pastor's term of office and has prepared its report, it should assist the outgoing pastor in leave-taking rituals. According to Sweetser and McKinney, "This would make sure that the information flows easily back and forth and that no suspicions and misunderstandings arise between the diocese and parish leaders."

A smooth transition

Terry Bradford is an active member of St. Catherine-St. Lucy Parish in Oak Park, Illinois, where she volunteers with her husband, Bruce, a permanent deacon, ordained 15 years ago. The parish has seen four pastors in less than 10 years. The first was a man unafraid to give power to the parishioners. "He encouraged us to take it and run with it," she says.

The two pastors who succeeded him took the parish in a different direction with their styles of leadership, and neither served for long. The parish recently received another pastor who is likely to restore the collaborative style.

"The experience has taught me to very much believe in the Protestant model," Bradford says. "It has taught me to believe that we should all listen to one another."

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has recently refined its process to ensure more participation. When a parish is "open," the Priests' Personnel Office seeks information from all offices at the chancery and from the parish in question. It then enters a listening phase during which small groups of parishioners meet with trained listening-session coordinators. The information is then forwarded to a representative consultation team.

According to Father Bruce Jarboe of the Clergy Personnel Office, "The new process gives the consultation team much better information on which to base their choice." The process generally takes two to three months, and interim pastors are used.

Once a new pastor has been appointed, the parish council sets in motion an elaborate installation, orientation, and welcome. Each parish organization schedules a combined meeting and reception to welcome the new pastor. The installation is conceptually akin to a wedding--an event that energizes all involved. It involves not only the new pastor's pledge of fidelity to his bishop but also his dedication to his new parish community.

According to John Reid, who coordinated transition services within the Archdiocese of Seattle under two archbishops, "Times of pastoral change are indeed times of crisis for our leaders and communities of faith." Reid notes that the Chinese word for crisis is made up of two characters that mean "danger" and "opportunity." Faith communities need only to recognize the dangers and maximize the opportunities.

REALTED ARTICLE: HOW OTHER DENOMINATIONS PICK PASTORS

The Rev. Mary Grace Williams, pastor of the Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist in Homewood-Floossmor, Illinois, made no direct overture to either the diocese or the parish when it was seeking a new pastor. Her name was on file at the New York Deployment Office of the Episcopal Church. All Episcopal priests are encouraged to update their file in this office on an annual basis.

The Church Deployment Office sent St John's search committee approximately 100 names they thought might match the parish profile. Meanwhile, parishioners were also asked to nominate a specific candidate or to profile an ideal one. In the months that followed, the list was reduced to 25, then 10, then five. One withdrew, so four were called for two-day intewiews within the parish. Finally, the vestry called the nominee to ministry at the parish. The name was then sent to the bishop, who almost always approves. In the case of SL John, the process took 18 months, during which time they had an interim pastor.

When Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Oak Park, Illinois --a church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America--needed a pastor, it first appointed the Rev. Laura King as interim pastor. According to King, this is a six- to eight-month term that can extend to 18 to 24 months. The local bishop's office is involved from the start, obtaining input from the congregation as to the kind of leader they want.

The bishop goes through a period of discernment and evaluation, then sends the names of three candidates to the congregation, which interviews each of them. They are generally invited to preach. The church council then selects a candidate and presents the candidate to the congregation, which must approve the appointment with at least a two-thirds vote. There is no term of office, and the new pastor may come from another synod. The interim pastor cannot be a candidate.

Methodist churches have a variety of models. According to the Methodist Conference of Birmingham, Alabama, the resident bishop makes a direct appointment after consultation with the district superintendents who make up the conference's cabinet All appointments are for one year and are generally renewed for four years. Because the churches tend to be small, turnover is high, especially among licensed pastors.

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is administered by a corporate group of elders. According to the Rev. Stan Bomgarden, pastor of Memorial Presbyterian Church in Dayton, Indiana, "The often-used metaphor for the process is dating and marriage--or a computerized dating service."

Ministers seeking a pastorate submit a lengthy, detailed dossier to the call referral service in Louisville, Kentucky. It contains the candidates' estimate of their gifts and specialties. The local pastoral nominating committee interviews and votes even as the candidate is also being vetted by the corporate elders. The process includes visits by the candidates to hear them preach or visits to the churches in which they are presently ministering. Following votes by the nominating committee and the corporate elders, the congregation votes. "We look for at least a 95 percent approval," Bomgarden says. "Certainly never less than 90 percent."

--Tim Unsworth

TIM UNSWORTH is author of I Am Your Brother Joseph: Cardinal Bernardin of Chicago (Crossroad, 1997).