Lenten resolution:
Give up self-focused provincialism

		Notes from the  Vicar General  Msgr. Paul J. Swain

Lent is associated with giving up things that we like. Chocolate and other sweets seem to be the most popular sacrifices.

While losing a little weight might be a motivation, hopefully it is also a sign of our commitment to use the season of Lent to identify and put aside those things that stand in the way of a closer relationship with God.

Anyone who has tried to break a bad habit knows how strong the temptation is to stay in our routine, our comfort zone. It takes commitment and self-discipline to move beyond them, to move with change.

It is possible when our purpose is worthwhile. Archbishop Fulton Sheen wrote, Self-discipline never means giving up anything, for giving up is a loss. Our Lord did not ask us to give up the things of the earth, but to exchange them for something better.

Something we Catholics - priests, staffs, and parishioners - might consider giving up, or rather, exchanging for something better, is self-focused provincialism in our faith and parish life. We can exchange it for outward looking recognition of the privilege we have together to be part of the one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

In exchange for the larger picture

When change comes our way, we can deal with it narrowly, asking what does it mean for me? Our response usually is negative. Or we can examine more broadly, asking what does it mean for the good of all our brothers and sisters in faith?

With the continued reductions in numbers of priests there inevitably will be reassignments of pastors more often than in the past to meet the common needs of the over 268,000 Catholics in our 135 parishes.

More parishes will be without a resident pastor. It is usually painful to lose a pastor who has touched so many lives, or to no longer have a pastor in residence. Pastor replacements will have differing gifts and differing ways, which require our adjustment.

The challenge for the Priest Personnel Board and any bishop is in balancing the desires and needs of priests, parishes, and the diocese as a whole.

Bishop Bullock has established the guiding principles for making such decisions: 1. Assure that the sacraments will be available (perhaps, however, not as often or at the same time as previously); 2. Assure solid religious education will be provided; and 3. Assure that the people in the parish will be able to gather regularly as faith community.

A Lenten resolution might be to pray, identify, and encourage more to respond to God's call to priesthood, so that such changes are necessary less often.

A second Lenten resolution might be that we evaluate priest assignments and linkages with an openness that puts them in the context of what is best for all the people, not just ourselves. We might also resolve to volunteer in new ways, to assure vibrant and welcoming parishes with the changes.

We remain blessed

We as a diocese remain blessed. Recently a new bishop was appointed for the Diocese of Vitoria in Brazil with an estimated one million Catholics. There are only 68 priests. Imagine the task for that bishop to assure the sacraments, religious education, and strong faith communities.

We need to work together with neighboring parishes, being open to collaborate and back-up one another even if inconvenient on occasion. It requires self-discipline, but with good will and trust in the Spirit, seeing the larger picture will help us cope.

Perhaps like giving up chocolate and sweets, there will be a trimming that results in better health and vitality for the diocese, our parishes, and each of us.