Discernment
Over the coming weeks, I’ll be assembling many data. Some of the data will be qualitative, an effort to get to the heart of what it feels like to be a member of one of our parishes or worship regularly at one of our churches. Some of the data will be quantitative, as in the table below.
|
|
Holy Trinity
Parish and Church
|
St. John of God Parish*
(St. Mary Help of
Christians Church)
|
St. Malachy
Parish and Church
|
|
Seating capacity
|
720
|
750
|
800
|
|
# of weekend Masses
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
|
Reported average weekend attendance 2017-18
|
1,676
|
816
|
830
|
|
On-site parking
|
300
|
100
|
136
|
|
2017 Baptisms
|
60
|
31
|
33
|
|
2017 Confirmations
|
69
|
19
|
49
|
|
2017 Marriages
|
12
|
5
|
11
|
|
2017 Funerals
|
50
|
98
|
45
|
But the quantitative data will be more comprehensive: Trajectories in sacramental statistics, religious education, finances, and demography. The purpose of all the data will be to facilitate our collective discernment concerning our three parishes, and especially whether with a consolidation to one parish we might better fulfill our common mission.
For parishes, the mission of Christ and his Church is the provision of sacraments, the care of souls, and the stewardship of God’s gifts—that is, people, clergy, talent, money, and property. It’s not so much a matter of the interests of a single community as it is a matter of what serves Christ and his Church. We need to be prepared to work toward the common good, perhaps sacrificing our preferred Mass schedule, staffing arrangements, or fiscal priorities.
Discernment concerning parish consolidation is not the same as closing churches. Perhaps next year or later we will ask this question, too: Can we sustain all our churches and still fulfill our mission? But at least for this year, the closing of churches is not up for discussion.By the time you read this, the Jeremy McLellan comedy night at Holy Trinity may be “sold out.” (Tickets were free, but you know what I mean.) If by chance you have tickets but have changed your plans to use them, please let the Holy Trinity Parish office know, so we can reassign them to folks who want to come. Thank you!
On June 23 St. John of God Parish hosts the third in our blood drive series. Call 412-209-7622 to make an appointment to donate blood.
—Fr. Dave
