To some extent, however, the math seems to make the future clear: nationally, the number of priests has decreased by 11.7 percent since 1995, while the number of Catholics has increased by 12 percent, according to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate. By necessity, then, more responsibilities are shifting to lay leaders for all aspects of parish life.
The degree of their involvement depends in large part on how creatively individual pastors interpret canon law. At Holy Family Church, in Inverness, the Rev. Patrick Brennan has found some wiggle room. "My approach to laity involvement is shaped by Vatican II, where all the baptized are people of God," he says. "As such, my training was not to do things for parishioners but to do things with them."
A parish of 3,800 members, Holy Family stands as an archetype of intensive lay involvement: It is divided into 20 mini parishes, each with a lay overseer, and 160 neighborhood ministries. Financial affairs are overseen entirely by lay people, and the church employs a CEO, just like any other large business. Brennan describes his primary role as eliminating a top-heavy management style. "I'm the bearer of the vision, but this is a collaborative effort," he says.
Tonight is Common Meeting Night at St. Al's, when all the various committees meet. Back when I attended as a member of the Parish Council, there might be over 100 people there for these meetings. It seems to me it would make more sense to have far fewer people involved in this policy work, and instead have them connecting with the 8,755 parishioners. Maybe Common Meeting Night could instead be the pastor meeting with 100 people who each had contacted 1% of the parish that month. The parish would be asking parishioners if they need something more often than the parish is telling parishioners that it needs something.
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