Much Was Written About the Role of Minister of Parish Life (MPL) in the Pages of the Valley
Much was written about the role of Minister of Parish Life (MPL) in the pages of The Valley Catholic in 2005. Topics have included: canon law, formation, personnel issues, reflections of a priest of the diocese, and an interview with the first MPL assigned in the Diocese of San Jose. These articles have been an attempt to educate our adult Catholic population about this role. While new in our Diocese, this leadership role has been operative in a number of dioceses around the country for some time.
Although not everyone may agree on the value of having a lay person as the central leader of a parish, it will be important for us as a diocesan Church to have a clear understanding of this role and common terminology on which to base our discussions on this topic. What follows is the content of a brochure that will be made available to the parishes of the diocese this year as a tool for adult education. The brochure begins with a message from Bishop McGrath and then moves into a question and answer format. It provides the common terminology that we will assist us in our discussions. This brochure has been translated into Spanish and Vietnamese.
Bishop Patrick J. McGrath— January 2006
Over the next twenty years our diocese will see an estimated 30% increase in the Catholic population due to a combination of births and continued immigration to Santa Clara County. This raises questions for me about how best to meet the pastoral needs of a growing Catholic community in this diocese.
I am committed to assigning the central leader whose gifts and talents will be the best fit for a particular parish. By central leader I mean the person who is the spiritual leader of the parish, provides overall pastoral and organizational direction for a parish, and empowers the people of the parish to carry out the mission of the Church. This person serves as a unifying presence and ministerial leader for the community.
Our priests who are pastors serve us well in this role. My commitment to assign a priest as pastor whenever possible has not changed. However, there are some priests who have neither the desire nor, in some cases, the gifts to assume the role of pastor in a parish.
These factors are calling us to look for alternative types of staffing for pastoral leadership so that the parish can continue to be a vital community of faith and ministry. Throughout the United States there are parishes being led by qualified and spiritually-grounded lay people. In the Diocese of San Jose this position is known as Minister of Parish Life. You have heard about this role in our diocesan newspaper, the Valley Catholic. This brochure serves as an overview of that function.
What is a Minister of Parish Life?
The Minister of Parish Life is a professional minister assigned by the diocesan bishop with the responsibility of leading and officially administering a parish community.
In this parish staffing model there are four ministry positions working collaboratively.
- The Minister of Parish Life provides overall pastoral and organizational leadership for a parish community and empowers the people of the parish to carry out the mission of the Church.
- The priest minister provides for the liturgical and sacramental needs of the parish community.
- The canonical moderator/supervisor provides supervision and support to the Minister of Parish Life. However he does not live at the parish.
- The mentor provides the practical wisdom, coaching, and advice that a seasoned pastor has gained from years of parish experience.
What does a Minister of Parish Life do?
The Minister of Parish Life assists the parish community in articulating its mission and discerning its needs. She/He ensures that the ministries of word, worship, service and community are all functioning well. The Minister of Parish Life represents the parish at diocesan and deanery meetings.
Who appoints the Minister of Parish Life?
The diocesan bishop appoints the Minister of Parish Life to the parish for a term of six years with the possibility of yearly renewal over the next six years.
What are the qualifications for a Minister of Parish Life?
The Minister of Parish Life is prayerful, builds community and can relate to people at key moments in their lives. The Minister of Parish Life is a person with formal studies in theology and pastoral ministry. She/He will have had previous experience in church ministry and pastoral administration. This person is mature, well balanced, and possesses good leadership skills.
Who is “in charge” of the parish?
The Minister of Parish Life is responsible for the parish. She/He is accountable to the diocesan bishop and the canonical moderator/supervisor and works collaboratively with the priest minister and parish staff.
What criteria are used to decide which parish receives a Minister of Parish Life?
The Bishop is committed to providing the best central leader for each parish. A thorough study and assessment of the parish community, its needs, hopes and challenges will assist in determining who that leader will be.
Will a parish with a Minister of Parish Life get a priest pastor in the future?
The type of central leadership for a parish will vary according to its needs and the available resources. A parish may at one time have a priest pastor and at another time have a Minister of Parish Life.
Is the priest minister full-time?
The priest minister can be either full-time or part time depending on the needs of the parish.
Will the priest minister be available at the parish?
The priest minister will be available for spiritual direction and pastoral care, as well as sacramental ministry.
If we have enough priests in the diocese, why would a parish get a Minister of Parish Life?
A priest may be able to serve as priest minister and not as pastor for a variety of reasons, such as: he does not wish the responsibilities of a pastor; his health does not permit; he may have limitations in administrative abilities; or he may have another assignment in the diocese.
What is the Bishop doing about the need for more priests?
The Diocese has a full time vocation director. Both he and the bishop speak regularly on the need for more vocations. An equally important question is what are we, the people of God, doing to encourage vocations?
A Minister of Parish Life is one who:
- Provides pastoral and organizational leadership for the faith community
- Is a unifying presence for the parish
- Empowers the people of faith to carry out the mission of the Church
- Makes the daily decisions in the parish
A priest minister is one who:
- Ensures the liturgical and sacramental needs of a parish faith community are met
- Works collaboratively with the Minister of Parish Life
- Is available for spiritual direction and pastoral care
A canonical moderator is one who:
- Supervises and supports the Minister of Parish Life and priest minister
- Is available for consultation and guidance
- Is a priest with another assignment in the diocese.
A mentor is one who:
- Is a seasoned pastor
- Provides practical wisdom, coaching, and advice