Last week I presented a theme in the homily which may or may not have been heard among details: Although I often emphasize our individual spiritual life and union with God, we are also communal members of the Risen Christ. In our case, we are Catholic Christians, which means that we are members of the apostolic Church with authority running from Christ and the apostles, through the bishops, to local clergy. A parishioner who heard me preach at St. Mark’s thanked me, saying it was the first time he heard Church authority emphasized in a homily. Clearly there is need to redress an imbalance here, for we are Catholic Christians under Church duly appointed authorities.
As I write, our Bishop is in Rome on a required visit every five years to give an account to the Bishop of Rome (the Pope) of the spiritual condition of his diocese, and to receive guidance or instruction from the Holy Father and cardinals (at least this is my understanding of such a visit). Our diocese is not independent of the whole Catholic Church, and parishes are not independent of the diocese and our Bishop. On May 9, Bishop Michael will celebrate first communion and confirmation in the St. Mark’s parish, in part symbolizing and realizing the nature of the Catholic Church in union with Rome and our Bishops.
Bishop Michael appointed me as parochial administrator of Holy Trinity and St. Mark’s parishes, and of the “missions,” with the same responsibilities and rights in church law as a pastor: to proclaim and to teach the Gospel; faithfully to celebrate the Sacraments for growth in holiness; and to administer all temporal goods of the parishes in my charge. Although I prefer the teaching function, I must do all the duties to which I have been assigned. When I began, chancery officials instructed me to have my name on all checking accounts, and to pay bills from St. Mark’s office. It was painful for Holy Trinity, which lay leaders had administered with loving care, to surrender their check book to my pastoral supervision. As one of these faithful leaders said to me, “Fr. Paul, we do not like doing this, but we will do what the Bishop asks of us.” At the time, she was a member of our common finance council. No member of the finance council objected, because we were informed of diocesan policy, and sought to implement it.
We were also told in some detail that large projects, such as re-roofing a church, is under the priest’s duties as administrator; that for expenditures of more than $5,000, he must consult the finance council; and that for all expenditures over $10,000, the diocesan finance council must give their approval. We intend to follow these policies, and not just “look the other way,” doing what is merely past practices.
