More than 30 priest assignments affecting 42 churches in the diocese were announced during the weekend of Feb. 11-12 at the parishes where the moves will take place in July.
The public disclosure of clergy moves normally occurs in June, but a number of factors related to the ongoing Real Presence Real Future initiative led to the early release of the information.
“Making the announcement of new assignments now gives the priests and parishes time to plan in advance for the changes,” Bishop Earl Fernandes said. “The timing now allows for a smooth transition due to the sheer number of changes and the need for parishes to plan their budgets.
“We also wanted to be sensitive to priests, especially those who will be retiring or moving, to allow them to enjoy the upcoming seasons of Lent and Easter with their parishioners and vice versa.”
The diocese’s Priest Personnel Board has met more frequently during the past few months due to the complexity of assigning priests while considering their needs and the needs of the parishes before announcing the moves.
As the diocese becomes more culturally diverse, factors such as language, logistics and obtaining visas for international or missionary priests had to be considered.
Several assignments involve priests becoming pastors at multiple parishes or administrators of a church.
A priest administrator in the Diocese of Columbus leads a community in the way a pastor does but without a fixed (six-year) term of office.
The diocese has also added more priests from religious orders in the past several years to provide for the sacramental needs of the people of the diocese.
Two religious orders are coming to the diocese in July to serve at parishes on the east side of Columbus.
The Franciscan Capuchin Fathers of the St. Augustine Province have been assigned to Christ the King and St. Thomas the Apostle churches. The Capuchins, who served for many years in Tuscarawas County, are returning to the diocese.
The Pallottine Fathers from the Province of Our Lady of Good Health in Tamil Nadu, India, are assuming responsibility for Holy Spirit and St. Philip churches.
Concurrent with the moves of active clergy to new assignments were senior priests of the diocese moving away from parish pastorates into retirement or other duties within the diocese.
RELATED: Living in rectory offers retired priests convenience, change to serve
Msgr. Joseph Hendricks, 75, pastor at Dublin St. Brigid of Kildare Church and the former vicar general of the diocese, will leave the parish after 25 years as pastor to become Bishop Fernandes’ full-time delegate for community relations (a role he currently fills on a part-time bases) in addition to overseeing the Villas of St. Therese and Seton Square Housing, Inc. He is also helping to guide cemeteries as well as the renewal and restructuring of the annual appeal.
Msgr. Hendricks initiated a conversation with Bishop Fernandes last September about stepping away from his parish duties to focus on the diocesan roles that demanded time and energy.
At weekend Masses on Feb. 11-12, Msgr. Hendricks made the announcement to parishioners that he was leaving and said, “I was pleasantly surprised that people were extremely accepting and very gracious about my future.
“I think the bishop made a wise choice, at least in my personal priesthood and life, that’s obviously going to help the diocese and help me as I concentrate my energies,” Msgr. Hendricks said. “I think the transfer will assist the Real Presence Real Future initiative.
“They have placed a younger man, a seasoned pastor (Father James Black, pastor at Powell St. Joan of Arc Church) here at St. Brigid, and that will be a great new chapter and a great new adventure for the parish.
“I certainly don’t feel in any way pressured or forced to make this decision. It was something that the bishop was extremely conscious of, and I think it will be a really positive move.”
In addition to the work for the diocese, Msgr. Hendricks, like many retired priests, plans to be available to help at parishes throughout the diocese and has already had conversations with pastors about helping out when there’s a need.
“We’re in a time in the church where there is lots of need and lots to do with Real Presence Real Future,” he said.
RELATED: ‘Thank God for our senior priests!’
Many of the senior priests scheduled for retirement from full-time parish duties have expressed a desire to remain active in ministry, assisting in parishes and being present to the people of God.
The Priest Personnel Board considered how to keep pastors at retirement age engaged in diocesan life while planning for the future. Bishop Fernandes refers to retiring priests as “deepening the presbyteral bench.”
“Older priests have experience and can serve as a ‘bench’ so that when a priest requests a sabbatical or is ill, older priests can jump in and serve as a an administrator at a parish,” Bishop Fernandes said. “Additionally, younger priests will have diocesan-wide access to the older priests’ experience.
“As we work to plan Real Presence Real Future, we can anticipate priests pastoring multiple parishes. Having retired priests around to assist naturally leads to reduction of stress and workload on the priesthood as a whole. For all of our priests, this leads to rest and good mental health, which is greatly enhanced by the availability of the experienced priests.
“Our retired priests will continue to be ‘community leaders.’”
