IMAGE: CNS photo/Douglas Deas, for the Catholic Miscellany
By Christina Lee Knauss
CHARLESTON, S.C. (CNS) — Priests and bishops from the
Province of Atlanta recently spent time considering the abuse crisis in the church,
how to respond to it and how to best carry on in serving the faithful.
The discussion
took place during the Provincial Assembly of Priests and Bishops, Aug. 20-22 at
the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston.
The gathering’s
theme, “Catholic Parishes of the 21st Century,” was meant to give the
prelates and clergy a chance to look at trends in thought and practice among
people in the pews and develop more effective ministry at the parish level.
They
reflected on that information against the backdrop of recent news, including
the Pennsylvania grand jury report documenting sexual abuse in Pennsylvania
dioceses, as well as Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick’s resignation in the wake
of abuse allegations.
Discussions
focused on ways to reach out to increasingly large and diverse parishes in the
Southeast, how to reach millennials and others leaving the church and how to
improve communication among pastors, parish staff and the laity. Workshops were
led by Charles Zech and Michael Castrilli from the Center for Church Management
and Business Ethics at Villanova University.
Participants
said the information will be helpful as priests and bishops consider ways to
help the church confront the latest crisis.
Atlanta
Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory said in an interview with The Catholic Miscellany,
diocesan newspaper of Charleston, that the meeting provided an important chance
for the region’s leaders and clergy to talk and pray together during an era
that he called “probably the most destructive moment we have faced as a church
in our nation.”
Archbishop
Gregory urged the faithful around the Atlanta Province to share their feelings
and opinions in response to the abuse crisis.
“I
would ask the people to speak boldly to their priests, to share their anger and
their hearts’ concerns,” he said. “I would also ask them to face this
moment with trust and confidence in Christ and not necessarily in individuals.”
Other bishops in attendance were Bishop Robert
E. Guglielmone of the Diocese of Charleston, Bishop Peter J. Jugis of Charlotte,
Bishop Luis R. Zarama of Raleigh and Bishop Gregory J. Hartmayer of Savannah,
plus Atlanta Auxiliary Bishops Bernard E. Schlesinger III and Joel M. Konzen.
The
clergy attended a Mass at St. Patrick Church on Aug. 21, celebrated by Archbishop
Gregory. Many of the priests who attended concelebrated from the pews, reciting
the prayers and extending their hands in prayer during the consecration.
Members of the parish sat beside them and joined in song and prayer.
In his
homily, Archbishop Gregory said it was more important than ever for the clergy
and the laity to remember the value that Christ placed on humility. It is an
important time, he said, for the church’s leaders to remember the importance of
children and the respect owed to them.
“There
is a different order in God’s kingdom, where being little is more important
than being significant,” he said. “We have been reminded recently of
that proper order, and the reminders have not always been easy. God continually
calls us back to the order of his kingdom, where the little ones are the first
and the important ones are their servants.”
During
closed discussion periods, the priests had the chance to share their feelings
and concerns about the recent abuse revelation with the bishops. Bishop
Hartmayer said the emotions expressed ranged from anger to disgust.
“It
was important for the priests to have the opportunity to share their concerns
as to what is going to be done to prevent this moral crisis from ever happening
again,” Bishop Hartmayer said.
Bishop
Jugis said the assembly was valuable because it offered a chance
both to confront the abuse crisis and consider ways to better serve the
faithful in a province where the Catholic population is booming.
“It
is beneficial for us to consider how to prepare for the growth that is still
expected,” Bishop Jugis said. “I would ask both the clergy and the
laity to remember that we are all here to serve Christ the Lord.”
Bishop
Guglielmone said the assembly’s theme and the discussions on ways to confront
the future were especially important.
“We
recognize that for many people there may be anger and disappointment right now,
and a fear that the church they knew and loved is falling apart,” Bishop
Guglielmone said. “By looking at ways to make the parishes stronger, we’re
also considering ways to rebuild the sense of trust in the people we serve, to
focus on what we’re all about and to do what they have entrusted us to do,
which is to spread the Gospel.”
– – –
Knauss
is a reporter at The Catholic Miscellany, newspaper of the Diocese of
Charleston.
– – –
Copyright © 2018 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
