Parler with priests

Now that the news has been announced, the first step in the planning process is actually to get together with some of the power players and try to plan the steps that must be implemented.  As it turns out, my first such meeting took place a few nights ago, but we quickly discoverd that we needed ALL the players at the table, so this afternoon, the three priests who will be involved in this transition sat together to begin the process of discussing the situation.

Ever since this information has been made public, there seem to be a plethora of questions and considerations to be mindful of.  The trick to making any plan come to life though is to be purposeful about the steps that need to be taken, and to be sure to follow them one at a time.

As we considered the different angles (at least the first-glance angles) which included which committees would have to be merged, which ones need to remain separate and dedicated to particular sites, how to handle some questions about the parish registers, recording the sacramental life of the Church, and even considerations about the times of Sunday and weekday liturgies, the fog began to lift.  I'm not too sure whether we're just entered into the abyss or whether there will in fact be light at the end of the tunnel, but at least the first steps have been made.

Some things need to be attended to immediately, others will require our attention after a certain number of weeks or months.

One of the most interesting observations though is that like it or not, this process is forcing us to work together: something that's not all that bad, but something that is absolutely crucial to success.  Above all, we must keep before our eyes the need to be attentive to the people we are serving, and it all starts with being aware of ourselves, paying attention to the task of making the transition as easy as possible for as many as we can, and of course the call to be missionary in our work, toward those in this process we know best, and the ones we are yet to meet.