Couch Chat
A couple of weeks ago all the priests from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati were at our quinquennial (a fancy word I learned that means “every five years”) priest convocation. We had two main speakers from two different Catholic Apostolates speak about leadership, transition, and focusing on the mission of the Church.
One of the speakers was assigned the pastor of five parishes a couple years back. His parishes were in a dire situation and they had to enter into some intense transformation immediately. One of the ways he helped his parishioners walk through these adjustments was a five-minute weekly video. In the video he would discuss whatever was pertinent at the time and he would attempt to paint a picture of where they were heading. It gave an opportunity to dream about the future they would create.
I thought that this was a brilliant idea. I remember during the COVID shutdown that we put out a daily reflection, which was very well-received. It gave us a point of contact in the midst of the uncertainty of the times.
Although we are out of the pandemic, our world and our Church is in flux. In speaking with parishioners, I’ve learned that everyone is at a different place. There seems to be a spectrum of morale, hope, and frustration. For example, in regards to the Mass times schedule someone told me, “this is the most logical decision possible.” Another person stated that this schedule would really harm people’s faith and eternal salvation. There has been everything in between as well.
I sincerely believe that the Lord has something very special and powerful prepared for our parishes. I’ve noticed so many seemingly small ways that He is working in lives that have the potential to burst into glory. Why wouldn’t the Lord want to do something profound in our parishes? He is a God of abundance, love, and power. The question is “What does He want?” and “How do we get there?”
In my prayer over the past month or two, the phrase, “steady the ship” has been persistent. This is the rally cry for the next few months. This is important for many different areas of parish life. The upcoming decision about our patron saint has put many of us off balance about our identity and the reality of a merged-parish. We must steady the ship. Some of our ministries have been adjusted in the past few months, and we are trying new things – again some have been uncomfortable with the adjustments. We need to steady this ship. Even within our staff, we are discussing if everyone is in the correct spot, so we’re asking if we could better serve our parish and parishioners by rowing in different seats on the boat. Could we steady the ship by adjusting responsibilities?
The best way to steady the ship is to raise a sail and let the Holy Spirit move us. Over the last few months, the Sunday Gospels have frequently spoken about prayer. I think that the Lord is telling us something. We (including myself) need to return to Him. It is the grace of the Holy Spirit and our dedication to prayer that will ultimately steady the ship.
On a practical level, I would like to imitate the priest who spoke to us at the convocation by publishing a short weekly video about different aspects of parish life. I’ll talk about what is happening, answer questions that have arisen, and paint a picture about where we are going. The ultimate goal is to steady the ship and set sail with the wind of the Holy Spirit. Over time I would like to describe where the Lord may be steering us.
As you may guess from the title of this article, the videos will be entitled “Couch Chat.” The first one will be released later this week. Look for it on Facebook, YouTube, the website, and your email inbox.
Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Sean Wilson
