Vibrant Parish Action Plan Very Reverend Mark W. Shuey Dean, Mid-Atlantic Deanery Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat, Parma Ohio Revision 1: August 21, 2012, Original Release Revision 2: August 24, 2012, Edits from Clergy Committee Revision 3: September 4, 2012, Edits from Clergy Committee Revision 4: September 9, 2012, Edits from Clergy Committee Revised 5: February 23, 2013, First Editor: Kevin Beznar, Deacon Candidate Introduction In his pastoral letter of Dec. 2, 2011, Beatitude Patriarch Sviatoslav reflected on the six key characteristics of a vibrant parish that were outlined in a pastoral program for spiritual renewal of the Church, which was approved earlier in 2011 by the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The program, “The Vibrant Parish – a place to encounter the living Christ,” draws particular attention to spiritual renewal of the parish. In writing to the faithful, His Beatitude encouraged every member of the Church to accept responsibility for bringing about this renewal. To initiate this call for renewal in the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio, His Excellency Bishop John Bura asked each Deanery of the Eparchy to develop a plan for implementing the Vibrant Parish program. On June 19, 2012, His Grace Bishop John met with the Eparchy Deans to discuss the Vibrant Parish plan, which resulted in a report for review. Following this meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Dean presented the main points of the letter and possible ways to fulfill them to the clergy, deacon candidates and active mission laypersons within the Deanery. In order to develop an action 1
Transcript
Vibrant Parish Action PlanVery Reverend Mark W. Shuey
Dean, Mid-Atlantic DeaneryUkrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat, Parma Ohio
Revision 1: August 21, 2012, Original ReleaseRevision 2: August 24, 2012, Edits from Clergy CommitteeRevision 3: September 4, 2012, Edits from Clergy CommitteeRevision 4: September 9, 2012, Edits from Clergy Committee Revised 5: February 23, 2013, First Editor: Kevin Beznar, Deacon Candidate
Introduction
In his pastoral letter of Dec. 2, 2011, Beatitude Patriarch Sviatoslav reflected on the six key characteristics of a vibrant parish that were outlined in a pastoral program for spiritual renewal of the Church, which was approved earlier in 2011 by the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The program, “The Vibrant Parish – a place to encounter the living Christ,” draws particular attention to spiritual renewal of the parish. In writing to the faithful, His Beatitude encouraged every member of the Church to accept responsibility for bringing about this renewal.
To initiate this call for renewal in the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of St. Josaphat in Parma, Ohio, His Excellency Bishop John Bura asked each Deanery of the Eparchy to develop a plan for implementing the Vibrant Parish program. On June 19, 2012, His Grace Bishop John met with the Eparchy Deans to discuss the Vibrant Parish plan, which resulted in a report for review.
Following this meeting, the Mid-Atlantic Dean presented the main points of the letter and possible ways to fulfill them to the clergy, deacon candidates and active mission laypersons within the Deanery. In order to develop an action plan for the Deanery, a review of the presentation was conducted on July 17, 2012. This was followed by a teleconference on July 25, 2012, to produce a final review of the presentation. The Deanery then produced and distributed the first completed version of its Vibrant Parish Action Plan on August 21, 2012. This report revises and updates that first plan.
Objective
This document is a summary of the Deanery’s review. Using the report produced following the review conducted by His Grace Bishop John as its basis, this document outlines the Mid-Atlantic Deanery’s action plan for implementing the Vibrant Parish program throughout the Deanery.
Background and History of the Mid-Atlantic Deanery
The Mid-Atlantic Deanery consists of six growing missions in the states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee (Table 1). Three priests and four deacons serve
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about 400 parishioners throughout the Deanery. One deacon recently moved outside the Deanery and is now serving in Florida. Priests of the Deanery regularly provide liturgical services to missions in Charlotte and Nashville, which lack priests of their own. Throughout the Deanery, two candidates are currently studying for the diaconate and two other men are discerning a call to the diaconate and one has been called to Holy Orders.
Building missions in the Deanery began in earnest in 2005. In eight years, we have established six missions and have developed an established approach that can be applied to building even more missions. The lessons we have learned in building these missions have helped us strengthen each of the six we have in place.
Table 1. Mid-Atlantic Deanery Missions
Mission Location State Primary Language
Sts. Volodymyr and Olha Garner North Carolina Ukrainian
St. Nicholas Raleigh North Carolina English
Virgin of Guadalupe Raleigh North Carolina Spanish
St. Basil the Great Charlotte North Carolina English
St. Thomas the Apostle Knoxville Tennessee English
St. Nicholas Nashville Tennessee English
Outreach Programs: Ashville North Carolina English
Columbia South Carolina English
Winston-Salem
North Carolina English
Missions in the Mid-Atlantic Deanery are an outgrowth of evangelization and emigration to three Southern states. A dedicated core group of Ukrainian Catholics has worked hard to ensure that the Ukrainian Catholic Church grows and flourishes in these states.
To date, evangelization has taken the form of having a vibrant liturgical life and outreach programs to the un-churched in order to introduce them to the faith and our Church.
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Emigration to these states has taken two forms. The first, and most dramatic, form of emigration consists of job seekers who have moved to the South from less economically healthy regions of the nation and retirees seeking a lower cost of living.
The second form of emigration consists of immigrants from Ukraine who have moved into the Deanery’s territory. Most do not attend our missions, because their emigration has been sponsored by the Southern Baptist Convention.
Charlotte, for example, has established Romanian and Ukrainian Baptist communities, and according to the 2000 U.S. Census about 5,000 emigrants to Charlotte claimed Ukrainian descent. When asked why they do not attend the Ukrainian Catholic Church, most will say that they will lose their Southern Baptist sponsorship and will be deported if they do so. This is a subject we need to examine and address in another context.
Despite this obstacle, Saints Volodymyr and Olha in Garner, North Carolina, serves Ukrainian families already established in the United States as well immigrants. Several Ukrainian families and families of Ukrainian heritage regularly attend liturgies at St. Basil in Charlotte and St. Thomas the Apostle in Knoxville.
Six Strategic Points for the Spiritual Renewal of Our Parishes
“The Vibrant Parish – a place to encounter the living Christ” program lists six strategic points for the spiritual renewal of our parishes. We have listed these six points in column one in Table 2. In column two, we list the categories addressed by each point, and in column three we list ways we believe can implement the program in our Deanery.
Table 2. Six Strategic Points
Strategic Point Breakdown ImplementationFirst Point: Word of God Homily 1. Resources
Since missions have limited resources, and several have limited chapel time, they generally focus on essential activities such as the liturgy, catechesis associated with the liturgical services and fellowship. Most missions, therefore, will not have the ability to implement all of the suggestions listed in Table 2.
At the same time, other missions and parishes may have the ability to accomplish all activities listed in Table 2 and to add even more activities. Some missions, for example, have the ability to provide activities such as lectures. Below, we address the most effective programs used by various missions throughout the Deanery.
First Point: The Word of God, Part I
Helping our mission members gain a greater understanding of the Word of God can be accomplished through more focused attention on how we develop and distribute the Homily, Bible Study courses and catechesis.
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To develop our homiletic skills and to better distribute homilies, we determined that we must focus on:
Resourceso Develop homiletic resources for missions and for wider useo Stress preparation of homilies
A homily workshopo An annual event for the Deanery and part of continuing education that
focuses on: Resources and preparation Delivery
Written presentation styles Speaking extemporaneously The action of both
Publication of homilieso Publish homilies
Bulletin and by e-mail Deanery monthly homiletic review Annual book could be produced (another fund raiser) Eparchy publication (could be sold to parishes, used as fund raiser)
o Overview of the homily, pre-distributed before the Sunday by e-mailo Pod casts, posting on YouTube® or other social media
ResourcesDuring our meetings, homiletic resources rose to the top as one of our primary focuses. To assist priests and deacons in the preparation of homilies, we decided that we would collect all the resources currently used by Deanery clergy in preparing homilies and that we would publish them for the Deanery and wider use. We also determined that we will research other potential resources regularly as a way to assist clergy in developing and preparing their homilies.
Homiletic workshopAn annual homily workshop rotated between the missions or parishes was discussed as one of the best ways we might stress preparation and delivery. The workshop could:
Coincide with the Deanery’s annual meeting. Fulfill part of the clergy’s requirement to continuing education. Include guest speakers with particular skills in homiletics to help Deanery clergy
excel in spreading the Word of God. Get the clergy talking to one another about what we do and preach.
For clergy who cannot travel because of distance or mission obligations, teleconferences limited to a few topics within a prescribed time and prepared Power Point® presentation could be used. Free Conference Call® could be used for this purpose.
Lessons learned: Clergy in the Deanery enthusiastically responded to sharing resources and developing a homiletic workshop. We concluded that pooling our
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resources would make us better ministers of the Word and shepherds to our mission members. In addition, we concluded that addressing the points in these two sections would help us generate greater communication and collaboration among Deanery clergy. Working together would keep at the forefront the knowledge that we are not alone and do not experience God alone.
PublicationPublishing homilies will give clergy the opportunity to closely examine their own work and that of their colleagues. This will help them to become better homilists. Publishing homilies also offers mission members ongoing catechesis. Clergy could start by providing a synopsis of the homily for each upcoming Divine Liturgy for the faithful by e-mail. Homilies could then be published in the mission or parish bulletin and on the Web site.
Publishing synopses of homilies prior to weekly Divine Liturgy would better prepare the faithful for liturgy. Clergy could provide information about central themes and explain key concept. They could also provide references for further study.
The Deanery could publish a monthly collection of homilies delivered by clergy. Clergy could submit their homilies for this collection, or the Dean could ask them to contribute. Homilies could be selected from these monthly collections and published in an annual book for use by other clergy and the faithful in and out of the Deanery. The book could be sold to raise funds for missions, the Deanery and the Eparchy. Various ways of publishing should be considered to keep the cost of the book low; for example, homilies could be published in a well-organized binder.
The Eparchy could also publish a collection of homilies collected from each Deanery annually to aid clergy in preparation, and for clergy and the faithful to review and study. This collection could also be used as a fund raiser for the Eparchy.
Pod casting and live streaming are also being used to distribute homilies and other faith-oriented information to parishioners. Posting homilies on YouTube® or other social media sites should not be overlooked. Links could be provided on each mission’s Web site. This could be a very effective way to reach local mission members and missions or parishes in the Deanery that are far apart and served by limited clergy. Procedures would have to be developed and approved by the Bishop in order to avoid posting spurious content and to avoid chaos.
Lessons learned: Each mission and parish should have an e-mail directory managed by one person, such as the Parish or Deanery Secretary. The list should be used to contact and send information to mission members or parishioners, as well as to clergy of throughout the Deanery. Homilies and communication in general can be effectively delivered and managed by e-mail. Today, e-mail is the most effective means of communication.
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Each mission and parish should have a Web site where schedules and information about liturgies and activities are communicated, and where bulletins, homilies and catechetical materials are published.
Each Deanery should provide advance listing for three months of Divine Liturgy, along with a listing of celebrants and homilists, scheduled vacations and substitutions, and when clergy will be traveling to other missions and parishes. This has really been helpful to the Mid-Atlantic Deanery. One month before the quarter schedule is to be published the Deanery Secretary distributes it to the clergy, who then send comments back. The Secretary then distributes the schedule by e-mail again for final review of the clergy. Once the review is completed, the schedule for the upcoming three months is published. The review takes on average about a week to complete. Any adjustments to the schedule after publication are handled by the Deanery Secretary.
Action Plan
1. Clergy of the Deanery will submit to the Deanery Secretary a list of the resources they use to prepare their homilies and the Deanery Secretary will publish a compilation for review. Clergy should submit lists as a bibliography, or as clear as possible, including internet links. This should be done no more than 30 days after publication of this document, expected to be the end of September 2013. The Homiletic Resource Document for the Deanery should be completed and published by October 2013.
2. A Homily Workshop needs to be scheduled, preferably after publication of the Homiletic Resource Document. This should be discussed by the clergy prior to setting the actual date. The target date should be before the beginning of the St. Philip’s Fast or as part of a retreat during the Fast.
3. Clergy are encouraged to publish their homilies in their bulletins. A call will go out for clergy to volunteer to add their homilies to a monthly homiletic review; however, to initiate the program homilies may be published in a quarterly report at first.
4. Clergy are encouraged to publish a synopsis of their homilies prior to the date they deliver them. They also are encouraged to solicit feedback from the faithful to see whether this helps them engage with homilies.
Lessons Learned: Publishing a synopsis of one’s homily prior to Sunday Liturgy from a member of the clergy has been a great success. It gets the faithful to focus on the word by reading scripture and reflecting of the Gospel. Also published are the Gospel and Apostle reading, and the Tone of the week. Comments from St. Nicholas in Raleigh Mission Member(s):
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Father Mark,
Glory be to Jesus Christ!
The emails letting us know what the readings will be and a short commentary are superb. I am sometimes distracted by the children during the readings/homily (Bathroom trips, general desire to roam the open spaces, etc.) and often miss some or all of the homily or Gospel readings. Having an email which I can refer to BEFORE and then, again read after church (as a reminder of the key points) is wonderful. Please keep on sending them, if possible!
5. Clergy should have a meeting or a teleconference to discuss the possibility of publishing homilies as pod casts, on You Tube® and in other social media sites with the intent of developing an internet procedure to be submitted to his Grace, Bishop John. Part of their discussion should focus on the technology and equipment needed for such a program, as well as the cost of implementing such a program. The meeting should be scheduled no more than 30 days after publication of this document.
First Point: The Word of God, Part II
To advance the reading and study of the Bible in our missions, we examined the following points and developed an action plan for implementation:
Resources for Bible studyo Commentarieso What other parishes are doingo Collect and publish resources
Weekly Bible studyo Resourceso Other local parisheso Timing
Men and women’s groups Family Bible study
o Resourceso Clearly defined goals and documentation
Parish-wide home study programo Resourceso Schedule and events
ResourcesApproved resources are needed for Bible study. Clergy of the Deanery will be asked to submit resources to the Deanery Secretary that will then be summarized and distributed for review. Once the resources are compiled and reviewed, the document will be sent to
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the Chancery for approval and for the addition of resources known to the Eparchy and not included in the Deanery document.
Clergy or a designated layperson may contact the local Roman Catholic diocese and determine if there are Bible studies going on at parishes within the diocese. This could be a good opportunity to take advantage of what is going on around us in order to share the Word of God with our fellow Catholics and also to let them know who we are.
Weekly Bible studyWeekly Bible study in a mission or parish takes effort and needs leadership, a time that is consistent and a place to hold the study. A priest does not have to be the leader; a deacon or layperson could take on this role. This is a good opportunity for the deacon to lead the study because he proclaims the Word of God, the Gospel at the Divine Liturgy. If a layperson is to lead the study that person will have to be trained and monitored to avoid problems in interpretation. The deacon, priest or both could take on this role.
The pastor, or deacon with the approval of the pastor, would initiate Bible study stating the time, place, resources, age group and any expenses. Announcements should be made at least a month in advance and continue each Sunday prior to the start of the Bible study. The Bible study should also be announced in the bulletin and bulletins of other Catholic parishes.
Lessons learned: St. Nicholas Mission in Raleigh, NC, has a weekly bible study open to all Mission members now in its second year. It has been successful, because we have met at the same time, same place and on the same day since its start. We use Blessed Theophylact’s commentaries on the Gospels and have completed the Gospel of Luke. We are now studying the Gospel of Matthew. The priest leads the study and it takes place after Divine Liturgy on Wednesdays. Missions tend to have many commuters who travel over an hour to get to liturgy. One reason why our Bible study has worked is that we have combined it with Divine Liturgy. Bible study can also be scheduled one hour before Great Vespers on Saturdays.
Men and women’s groupsMen and women’s groups can work if each group has strong leadership, coordination and communication. Women’s groups can take the form of Pyrohi Ladies, Marian Groups and Altar Guilds. Men’s groups tend to be event driven with fellowship. The objective of the group is fellowship, sharing the faith, sharing testimonials and being together in Christ. Mission or parish has the numbers to either have a small group, large groups or several groups.
Typically these groups are organized and led by laypeople, encouraged and visited by the priest who gives short talks on the faith. If a gathering or meeting takes place at the church, a service such as a Moleben should be celebrated prior to the start of the activity. Mission members could hold meetings and events in their homes. A best practice is to create an agenda prior to the meeting and to distribute it by e-mail. Another best practice is to hold meetings quarterly, unless the group decides to meet more frequently. Meetings
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should also stress communal prayer led by one or several laypersons in order to foster prayer in the group and in the family.
Lessons learned: St. Thomas the Apostle in Knoxville, TN, has men, women and children/ teen’s groups that meet in successive months. The men meet in April, the women in May and children/teens in June. This has been very successful with regard to experiencing the Word of God and fellowship. By focusing on one group per month, the faithful can organize the event easily and these events do not put that much stress on the mission members.
Family Bible studyWe can encourage families of the missions to study the bible at home and with their family, but with a busy household how do families do it? The same is true for praying together. It seems that praying before a meal may be the only time the family prays together at home. We need to come up with a plan of education and catechetical instruction to help families read the Word of God and establish prayer in the home. How do we do this?
1. Meet with mission members to discuss how best to implement a program of Bible study and prayer in the home. Identify the types of resources that are available to get things started. Once resources and materials are identified, set a date for the start of the home bible study and prayer program.
2. Inform mission members about the family home Bible study and prayer program. Make announcements at the end of Divine Liturgy and print them in the bulletin. On a designated day, hand out a resource document and materials to participating families after Divine Liturgy.
3. To start, mission members should read specific Bible passages in their homes once a week. Questions for discussion should be provided. Each study should start with a prayer invoking the Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom.
4. Example: The family prays together “O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth….” Family members take turns reading Bible passage. At the end of the reading, the parents or designated leader leads a discussion based on prepared questions and commentary. The family concludes with a prayer of thanksgiving.
5. When the family finishes one of the Gospels or themes, the family could be given a certificate and Icon that reflects what was studied. The clergy are encouraged to visit families and participate periodically to reinforce the commitment of the mission or parish and personal commitment to studying the Word of God.
Lessons learned 1: St. Nicholas in Raleigh, NC, recognizes those who finish the weekly Bible study with an Icon of the Gospel that was studied. After Divine Liturgy
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on Sunday, those who completed the Bible study are given the Icon of the Gospel completed. Mission members then sing “God grant you many years.” Recognition has been effective in encouraging study.
Lessons learned 2: At St. Nicholas in Raleigh, NC, we offered a Bible study program before Divine Liturgy at 9:00 a.m. This worked well for a few Sundays and then attendance dropped off and the study stopped. Having studies before liturgy on Sundays may be problematic and needs further study.
Family home study programThe is similar to the Family Bible study, except that the families gather once a month to read assigned scripture, discuss questions and commentary and then have a social function after the study. The sequence could be prayer (daily Vespers, for example);reading selected Bible passages followed by discussion; a social function such as bowling, a movie or games; and a final prayer and blessing of families.
Children and teens especially look forward to social gatherings that combine faith and fun activities. This combination could make our Bible study something they look forward to participating in.
Action Plan
1. Clergy will submit to the Deanery Secretary a list of resources that can be used for the Bible study programs. Clergy should submit lists as a bibliography, or as clear as possible, including internet links. This should be done no more than 30 days after publication of this document, expected to be the end of September. Clergy will then use these resources to organize Bible study.
2. Clergy will meet with mission members to discuss how best to implement a Bible study and prayer program in the home that includes all members of a family, regardless of age. They should discuss in particular the best time and day of the week for these programs, as well as when it would be best for clergy to visit families.
First Point: The Word of God, Part III
We examined how best to offer catechetical programs to our mission members and parishioners, including:
Resources for catechesiso GOFo What other parishes are doingo Collection and publication of resources
Liturgy and Divine Office catechesis
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o Resourceso Offering workshops o What other parishes are doing
Classes (specific subject)
Resources for catechesisResources for catechesis abound. As a result, focusing on one catechetical program or one that has few variable projects is recommended. Also recommended is offering programs at least once a month after Divine Liturgy of Sunday. Particularly useful for such programs are the catechetical works of Church Fathers such as St. Cyril of Jerusalem, whose twenty-four catechetical lectures cover such topics as the Sacraments, and the Didache. Both are available at no cost online. Holy Apostles Institute classes online also can be used for catechetical instruction. In addition, Holy Apostles offers a Catechetical Certificate in Eastern Catholic Studies (holyapostlesinstitute.com).
Missions and parishes should compile and publish a list of resources such as GOF and what other missions and parishes are doing that is effective. Clergy and laity should then meet to discuss how to implement an effective catechetical program.
The Catechism of the Ukrainian Catholic Church needs to be at least translated into English and Spanish and used by the faithful outside Ukraine.
Liturgy and Divine Office catechesisThe best catechetical work of the Church is the prayer life of the Church. Theology is taught in the prayers of the Divine Office: Matins (Orthos), Hours, Vespers, and Compline. Missions and parishes that offer only Sunday Divine Liturgy are missing out on the wellspring of Church worship. The Divine Office must be encouraged in every mission and parish, and this starts with the clergy. Priests who alone are responsible for more than one mission or parish must train laypersons as readers, so that the faithful can participate with all their senses in the theology of the church as sung in the Office.
Clergy at mission and parishes that do not offer the Divine Office could start by adding Great Vespers on Saturday evening or Matins on Sunday morning. The Eparchy should produce these Offices, with Rubrics, so that the Eparchy could have a reasonable standard of worship. This will help the clergy establish and foster a vibrant prayer life. Deacons can play a big role in offering the Offices. A proper schedule should be made and announced to the faithful, and the faithful should be encouraged to pray the Office communally in church.
Lessons learned 1: Missions of the Mid-Atlantic Deanery celebrate the Office, some more frequently than others. St. Thomas the Apostle in Knoxville and St. Nicholas in Raleigh pray Great Vespers on Saturday evening and Sunday Matins. St. Nicholas in Nashville prays Great Vespers on Saturday; Sts. Volodymyr and Olha pray the complete office, including Compline and the Hours; and St. Basil in Charlotte has offered Great Vespers and the Sixth or Ninth Hour before Divine Liturgy on Sunday; now that the mission has changed locations and celebrates
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liturgies on Sunday mornings, the mission offers Matins. Our experience has been that while only a few parishioners participate at first, the number of participants increases over time as long as clergy or a dedicated lay reader are consistent. Parishioners generally are excited to learn that the theology of the Church is being taught in the Offices and that they learn their faith by participation.
Classes (specific subjects)During the process of putting this document together, some have expressed that we need to have classes on specific subjects such as defending our faith, or themes such as the Virgin Mary in the Old and New Testament. Deanery missions and parishes have offered such classes, and they have been well-attended and appreciated. To be effective, classes must be well-prepared and packed with useful and practical information.
Action Plan
1. Clergy will submit to the Deanery Secretary a list of resources that can be used for Liturgy and Divine Office. Clergy should submit lists as a bibliography, or as clear as possible, including internet links. This should be done no more than 30 days after publication of this document, expected to be the end of September. Clergy will then use these resources to prepare Liturgy and Divine Office.
2. Clergy will meet with mission members to discuss how best to offer additional Liturgy and Divine Office celebrations. They should discuss in particular whether there is a need for lay readers and the best time and day of the week for these programs.
3. Clergy and lay persons, particularly cantors, need to discuss who is responsible for each part of the Divine Office, especially Great Vespers on Saturday and Matins Sunday morning. Parishes are not monasteries, so the Offices chosen need to be adjusted for the use in parishes and mission. Discussions should cover when to start and practice, and how best to inform the mission members. One possibility is to schedule Great Vespers for 3:30 or 4:00 p.m. if Divine Liturgy is celebrated at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday. One thing to consider is having a catechetical class on the Divine Office prior to the start date.
Second Point: Holy Mysteries and Prayer
We discussed Holy Mysteries and Prayer as part of Vibrant Liturgical Life, particularly the following:
Divine Officeo Worship as catechesis
Sunday Liturgical Cycleo Fasting
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Confession Specific classes
Divine OfficeA vibrant liturgical life is not just for monasteries; it is also imperative for a vibrant parish. The Roman Catholic practice of offering a concise daily Mass two or three times a day is not a general practice in the Ukrainian Catholic Church. Our preference is to celebrate a full, sung, extravagant liturgy with no part shortened or left out, which is difficult to offer daily and impractical in most cases. As a result, celebrating Divine Liturgy several times a week, but especially on Saturday and Sunday, ensures that the faithful have the opportunity to participate in liturgies fully.
Priests, deacons and laypersons can participate in leading daily offices. Daily Vespers and daily Matins and the Little Hours do not take long and are full of beauty and theology. The Divine Office as teacher should be fully employed in our Church. Some parishes in the United States, in fact, have the singing of the Offices as their only catechism, and it is effective. More must be encouraged to take advantage of using the prayer life of the Church as catechism.
Sunday liturgical cycleThe Sunday liturgical cycle of Great Vespers on Saturday Evening and Sunday Matins and Divine Liturgy should be encouraged in the missions or parishes of the Deanery. Liturgical booklets should be made up for Vespers and Matins so that the faithful can participate in the services. A schedule needs to be published in the bulletin and on the Web site, and the services must be celebrated in a consistent and dedicated manner. All services should be sung and chanted as much as possible. Training should be made available by those clergy who know the services to help other clergy and laypersons participate fully in the services. The implementation of training courses and workshops in chanting will ensure that the offices are sung correctly.
Fasting should be the norm, not the exception, for mission members and parishioners. Fasting one hour before Divine Liturgy is required. A better practice is to fast from midnight to the reception of the Eucharist on Sunday. Fasting does not mean starving. In addition, fasting must be combined with prayer. Otherwise, one can harm the body.
All fasts of the year should be encouraged and regulations should be published for each fasting period during the liturgical year. Fasting, prayer and alms giving go together. The faithful can be encouraged to start with a simple fast, such abstaining from meat on Fridays. They can then be encouraged to increase fasting and almsgiving with each fasting period. A person cannot run a marathon without training. The same is true of fasting. One can gradually build up to the Ascetic Fast and abstain from all animal products during Great Lent and have fish, wine and oil on certain weekend days. Such fasting takes a great effort, so the faithful and the clergy need to be encouraged to start fasting gradually and to grow in discipline.
Confession
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Confession or the Mystery of Reconciliation is the least attended Sacrament or Mystery of those available to the faithful following their Baptism and Chrismation. Priests must encourage the faithful to go to confession frequently. Confessing your sins once a year is not enough; once a month is recommended. Priests and deacons should offer courses that help the faithful to gain a better understanding and a better appreciation of the Sacraments. Times for confession must be published in the bulletin and priests must be available by appointment. Scheduling confession for thirty minutes once a week sends the message that confession is not valued by the priest. A priest must devote more time to offering confession to the faithful. Saturday evening after Great Vespers is an excellent time to have confession.
Specific ClassesSpecific classes on the Sacraments should be taught regularly. While standard definitions should be used, catechetical instructors should also appeal to our traditions to explain more deeply Eastern Christian Spirituality. For example, how our spirituality emphasizes that the Son of God is the Sacrament of the Father, and that the Church is the Sacrament of the Son.
Action Plan
1. Clergy are encouraged to educate the faithful in praying the Divine Office and to use the Divine Office as the primary vehicle for catechetical instruction. Clergy must also help the faithful gain a better understanding of the prayer life of the Church so that they will be drawn into participating and assisting in the liturgical life of the church, as well as in some cases leading the Offices. Clergy also are encouraged to suggest, compare and come to a consensus about the best resources to use offering more frequent communal celebration of the Divine Office.
2. Clergy of the Deanery are encouraged to have a liturgical Cycle on Sunday that
includes Great Vespers and Martins. Booklets for Great and Daily Vespers, as well as for Sunday/Feast days and daily Matins will be distributed to the clergy of the Deanery. The Deanery Secretary will assist in copying and distributing booklets. Training, including that for chant, will be made available to those who need help, especially deacons and deacon candidates who can assist the priest in doing these offices. Also, active laypersons should also be encouraged to participate in training and possibly to be ordained as Readers. All of this needs to be properly scheduled and implemented within 45 days of the publication of this document.
3. Classes on the Sacraments should be made available to the faithful. Clergy of the Deanery should create a list of resources to use in teaching classes. Each mission or parish should schedule classes at a time that will attract the greatest amount of participation. Classes should be repeated in order to provide instruction to those who miss the first class. Handouts should also be distributed to stress the importance of the Sacraments and stimulate active participation in the classes. Materials can be posted in the homes as a reminder, especially for children.
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Third Point: Serving One’s Neighbor
We examined the area of Serving One’s Neighbor as Charity and discussed primarily:
Charity in the:o Homeo Parisho Community
Charity and the clergy
Charity: Home, parish, communityJesus calls us to love God and neighbor. Charity, therefore, begins in the home, but it cannot end there. One must also exhibit charity in the parish and the community. But this cannot be done if one’s household is in chaos and there is no charity, no love in the home. It is imperative, therefore, that we practice charity at home.
In the parish, we need to heal petty squabbles and divisions. Remember, if you have a problem with your brother or sister in Christ, reconcile with that person. If no reconciliation is possible, ask for assistance from clergy. When our homes and parishes are in order, charity can abound in the community.
Fellowship after Divine Liturgy is an excellent way to foster charity and unity. This can be done simply as either a coffee or a potluck Agape meal. During fellowship is a good time to make additional announcements or to solicit comments. It is also a good time to sing for those with birthdays or anniversaries and to give travel blessings for those soon to travel.
Charity in the community needs to be consistent. Each mission or parish needs to decide what it can realistically do and to determine who will be responsible for getting it done. To coordinate charitable activities, the parish should form a charitable committee or group that meets regularly. The group needs to determine and list active charities in the community and communicate to the parish its findings. Initially, a mission or parish could choose one charity to support.
In smaller missions or parishes, one person could be assigned to serve on the Parish Council as Charity Leader. This person could communicate with the charitable organization, coordinate with other churches and communicate to the Parish Council and the lay faithful about potential activities.
Lessons learned 1: St. Thomas the Apostle in Knoxville combines seasonal fasting times with charitable activities. They combine fasting, prayer and alms giving. The alms giving takes the form of collecting food and money for the fasting time and when the fast is complete, they distribute the food and money to charitable organizations. To align with the Advent Fast this past year, St. Basil the Great in Charlotte collected materials for a local organization that assists pregnant women
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who might otherwise abort. For Lent 2013, the mission is collecting collect food for the food bank of a religious order with a small monastery in Monroe, NC. The mission is now investigating ways it might support orphanages in the Ukraine as a way of fostering Ukrainian heritage. This support will be linked to the Dormition Fast. The mission intends to establish these three activities as annual events.
Charity and the clergyOne question we need to ask is how do we implement any part of the Vibrant Parish plan if our priests are suffering depression, feel that they are alone or feel stressed by their responsibility for three or more parishes or missions? At the end of a Sunday, they have done their best just to celebrate Divine Liturgy in all of the parishes they serve; they have poured out their myrrh. It is difficult to get men to ask for help and priests are no different. Before the Vibrant Parish Action Plan is implemented fully, we need to put our house in order. Otherwise the plan will move forward and the clergy and people they serve could be left behind.
Whenever a priest is identified as being mildly or clinically depressed, we need to ensure that they receive the help they need help, especially from their brother priests. Confidential psychiatric help can be made available from the Eparchy and, if possible, the Deanery. The Deanery should provide resources and referrals to clergy who need confidential psychiatric counseling.
Priests need fellowship, which is why the Eparchy schedules once a year a retreat for priests and a conference for clergy. Priests and clergy must be encouraged to attend these events so that they can get to know one another better so they can offer support and guidance to one another whenever needed. The Deanery also should hold an annual meeting between Eparchial gatherings to foster fellowship and unity. The Eparchy could sponsor a private and confidential chat room on its Web site for clergy to discuss matters in real time and have forums of discussion.
The Eparchy also could send out confidential questionnaires for the clergy one or twice a year to respond in a personal manner. This would give the Bishop a real idea of what is going on with his priests and other clergy. Questionnaires should be provided to Sub-Deacons on up. The Eparchy could also send out confidential psychiatric questionnaires and or tests in which priests would be encouraged to give an honest self-assessment. This could be done every three years as part of a general evaluation of the Eparchy’s clergy.
Action Plan
1. Clergy and laypersons will come together to evaluate charity in the home, parish and community with particular emphasis on education of the faithful and developing a working plan to implement charity in the community.
2. Clergy and laypersons as a committee, or one person designated by the Parish Council, will list all charities in their area and determine which to engage. The findings of the search would be reported back to the Parish Council and the lay
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faithful for implementation. The committee, or person leading the charitable effort, should be mindful of the needs of the faithful in the parish. Charity may not be that far away; charity could begin with those in need within the parish.
3. Priests and clergy will be encouraged to attend their respective Annual Retreat and Clergy Conference. Since the Eparchy covers several states, funding for travel expenses should be made available. The Deanery will make every effort to organize and hold annual meetings in order to foster fellowship, unity and continuing education.
4. The Eparchy should provide financial support for psychiatric care and make resources and referrals available to priests who need assistance. The Deanery should provide psychiatric resources and referrals to clergy. The Eparchy and Deanery should also have a communication network for clergy to discuss issues, such as teleconferences, a confidential chat room, one-on-one meetings and group sessions to work out issues, personal or otherwise. The Eparchy and Deanery could appoint a Facilitator to help organize clergy communication and assistance.
Fourth Point: Leadership
We examined Leadership as Pastor or Pastoral, particularly:
Clergy Parish Council Develop Leadership Skills Cooperation and Communication
ClergyLeadership starts at the top. For an Eparchy that is the Bishop, who is guided by the Holy Spirit. Leadership flows from the Bishop to the priest of a parish and then to the deacon. The priest is the Bishop’s representative and derives his authority from him. The Bishop shares his charism with the priest, who acts on his behalf. The priest, therefore, must know what the Bishop expects from him and must respect the Bishop’s lawful decrees and execute them as if they were his own. The Bishop of the Eparchy sets the standard for leadership and consults with priests, deacons and religious as he desires. The Bishop ensures that all live up to the standards of the Church. Priests, deacons and religious must understand how the Bishop desires them to lead. If this is to occur, education and training may be required.
Parish CouncilThe Bishop shares his charism with the priest, not the Parish Council. The head and leader of the local Church is the priest, not the Parish Council. The Parish Council should be defined as that body within the local church that assists the pastor in executing his duties. If a Parish Council leads the Parish, this prevents the priests from fulfilling his ministries and truncates the Bishop’s charism. This must not be allowed to happen. A Parish Council should complement the pastor. A pastor, on the other hand, must not be a
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tyrant. One of the most important aspects of the Parish Council is to communicate with the pastor and the lay faithful along specific lines determined by the pastor.
Development of leadership skills Although the Bishop can call upon priests deacons, religious and lay faithful to assist in developing a leadership training program, developing the leadership skills of priests and clergy should be at the discretion and management of the Bishop. The Bishop develops the leadership goals and training, and he offers clear and faithful direction to his priests, deacons and religious.
Cooperation and communicationPriests, deacons and religious are bound to cooperate and communicate with their Bishop in order to carry out their ministries and to be effective leaders. Cooperation and communication also means having the discipline to obey. Obedience allows true freedom for priests, deacons and religious. Within this construct, the Bishop can set forth his leadership goals and, if necessary, a training program.
Action Plan
1. The clergy of the Deanery need to assist the Bishop in developing a leadership plan if he so desires, paying particular attention to resources and scheduling.
2. If a leadership program of training is established, priests and deacons should be taught by the Bishop or his designee and the priests and deacons should return to their parishes to train others. The Dean should ensure that training goes on in the parish or mission.
3. The Parish Council and pastor need to have clearly defined expectations of their role. Therefore, the pastor needs to meet with the Parish Council to discuss those expectations and to set forth clear lines of communication. In certain situations, the Dean or the Bishop may have to intervene in order to keep harmony within the parish.
Fifth Point: Fellowship
We examined Fostering and Serving Unity as fellowship, particularly:
After Divine Liturgy Clergy visits House blessings Traveler’s blessings Family testimonials Name days
Fellowship after Divine Liturgy
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All missions in the Mid-Atlantic Deanery have a fellowship meal or coffee social after Divine Liturgy on Sunday. This is important for fostering unity, fellowship and communication. This is a time when the lay faithful and clergy come together to have their Agape meal and to communicate. Every mission or parish in the Eparchy should be encouraged to have a social gathering after Diving Liturgy.
Clergy visitsThe clergy should be encouraged to visit the lay faithful in their homes in order to foster unity and fellowship and to allow the lay faithful to get to know their pastor. The sheep should know their shepherd. This could be done after Theophany when house blessings take place or other times during the liturgical year.
BlessingsHouse blessing should be done after the Feast of Theophany and most churches do this. One recommendation is to combine Christmas caroling with house blessings and encourage the lay faithful to attend. This could also be a fund raising event for the parish.
Traveler’s blessingsFrom the book of Needs, the traveler’s blessing should be done for those who are going out of town. This could be done right after Divine Liturgy or during the Agape meal.
Family testimonialsAs part of the Family Bible Study Program, families could give testimonials about how they are living their faith in daily life. A monthly or quarterly family night could be established to bring families together to talk about how they are living their faith.
Name DaysAfter Divine Liturgy, especially on Sundays and Feast days, lay faithful with the saint’s name for that day could be honored with the singing of the song, “God Grant You Many Years.” This song could also be sung to honor mission members on birthdays and anniversaries, and to thank visitors for attending.
Action Plan
1. Most parishes already do some or part of what we have discussed in this document. At the very least, we suggest that parishes with few activities should start doing those things listed in this section in order to foster unity and fellowship.
2. The clergy of the Deanery should meet to discuss how missions can foster unity and fellowship, with particular attention paid to the scheduling and timing of events.
Sixth Point: Missionary Spirit of the Parish Community
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We examined Missionary Spirit of the Parish Community as Doing Our Faith, particularly:
Missions Visitors Growth Vocations
MissionsWe do not exist in a static church; we are always living in the Kingdom that has come and moving towards the Kingdom that is coming. Every parish should have evangelization at the forefront of its ministries. The Eparchy should have missions or help missions that are forming.
Missions by their nature are centers of growth and evangelization and there are many opportunities not only in the U.S. but around the world. Our Church is for everyone and in places everywhere. It encompasses many, not one language. The missionary spirit is defined as, “All things are possible in the Lord.”
VisitorsOur parishes often have visitors and we need to be prepared to greet them, not to overwhelm them. One way to easily grow a parish is to welcome visitors in a loving and caring way and to invite them to the Agape meal after Divine Liturgy. We should be focused on feeding Catholics, not stealing Catholics.
GrowthTo increase membership in our church, we need to work at it. We need to get out in the community and let them know about our Church, even if this means passing out information at local shops. Evangelization needs a plan that can be executed by those who want to grow the church.
VocationsChurch growth is proportional to vocations. As missions form, we need to foster the local leadership in order to grow the Church in a swift and effective manner. The paradigm of the seminary to the established Church does not work in missions. Missions are built by those who follow God’s call to spread the Gospel to all peoples. The paradigm for mission growth is local vocations that fulfill the Bishop’s requirements for Holy Orders.
Action Plan
1. Clergy of the Deanery will meet to assess the evangelization plan and set forth new goals for increasing membership in the church.
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2. Clergy of the Deanery will meet to develop a unified plan to greet visitors.
3. Clergy and lay faithful should meet to discuss ways to encourage vocations.
Please note that this document in part or as a whole may be changed in order to keep fresh the goals of a vibrant parish. For example, each year or more frequent, this document could be published with new goals, lessons learned, what worked and any supporting statistical information. If we do not change, we are either God or dead.
