As I stated in my homily this past Sunday, our Bishop and a few select advisors have devised a "Mission and Ministry" plan to prepare the Diocese for a shortage of priests. Although, I would like to think that things weren't so dire, the Pope has entrusted the keys to the Diocese to one who knows more about Church governance than me!
Representatives working for hope and change in the future
The thing that concerns me is that it seems that the document doesn't include a lot of input or insight from those who are 40 years old and younger. The bishop is interested in "shaping the future of the church" and I would imagine those of you, with God's help, who are going to be participants in the Church of the future may be interested in what our bishop offers as a possible destiny. There are some hints of the traditional Catholicism ( "Eucharist as the center of worship") with some view to a new incarnation ("Praise dancers" as a ministry).
Bishop Latino is assisted by Mary Woodward in dedicating a Glenmary Mission in Ripley last month. The Glenmarys will leave the church to the Diocese in a few years.
The document is included in it's entirety here. Read it! Study it! And, like our diocese encourages often, question it and use your imagination on it!
And in hope (fear) of our future, here's an "above 40" priest getting down with some praise dance...
