[Magdalen] "Failing" parishes--Canada vs. USA

[Roger Stokes]

On 24/11/2015 02:04, Raewynne Whiteley wrote:
> Re yoking parishes, my observation is that it is doomed to failure, because
> it tends to prioritize building over ministry - they keep the buildings and
> the administrative structures, but expect a single priest to serve 2 or
> more parishes, and in most cases parishioners expect to get everything they
> had before for half the money.  Which is a recipe for burnout for the
> priest, and doesn't encourage the parish to be realistic about their life and ministry.

Relatively common over here, amd often the parishes don't even have a 
full-time priest between them and may have years between a part-timer 
going and the next one coming.  I am serving a pair of parishes most 
Sundays at the moment.  They have been vacant since 2007.  The process 
has started for what should be a more sustainable position witha two 
priests covering seven churches.  The reality is that in that sort of 
situation the laity simply have to get on with it and look to the priest 
to do the things only the priest can do.

I think Michael bishop has eight churches.  I know it is now one 
benefice but I'm not sure if they are still legally separate parishes.

Roger