As we announce the new priest assignments, in light of Into the Deep, it gives us pause to reflect on the gift of those priests in our lives who have powerfully impacted our practice of the faith.
Through their preaching of the Gospel, their celebration of the sacraments — especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation — and their shepherding and pastoring, our priests bring us to Christ and to His salvation.
For each of them, we are very grateful, and for good reason, we often become attached to our particular priests.
These deep connections forged in parish life make it difficult both for the priests and the people when it comes time for a change.
We find comfort and consolation in the gift of the priestly ministry we are blessed to receive, and the priest rightfully comes to know and love the people he serves so generously.
The great asceticism of the parish priesthood is the difficult challenge of investing deeply in the life of a parish, coming to love the parishioners, serving them in many capacities, and then moving on to another assignment and starting all over again when that time comes in God’s providence.
Throughout my priesthood and episcopacy, I have moved many times, constantly having to adjust to new assignments, changes, and challenges.
These shifts were not always easy, as I felt a deep investment in the people and places where I was serving.
But in hindsight, I must say that every change of assignment held graces and blessings that I could not have anticipated at the time.
Every place and position in which I served was the manifestation of God’s will for me in that moment. I firmly believe that.
In this current strategic realignment of our resources throughout the Diocese of Madison, I am asking all of our priests to take a new assignment, and the majority of them to physically move.
While the extent of this change is significant, I am convinced that it will greatly benefit both our priests and our people in the long run.
As our 102 parishes eventually merge into 30, our priests will be able to work together in teams instead of in isolation.
Fewer pastors will mean that more of our priests and more of our priests’ time will be available for the pastoral work that they and our people seek.
Our priests will find greater support, communion, and friendship with each other.
Those who desire to live together in one rectory will be able to do so, sharing a common life together.
In many ways, Into the Deep will help us to return to a more traditional function of parishes and parish priesthood.
Our people will benefit from the pastoral service of a team of priests, a unified and stronger staff, and greater resources to help our parishes flourish and do the work of the Gospel more effectively.
As we enter into the fourth year of Go Make Disciples, our evangelizing initiative, we seek to continue the dynamism of this endeavor, equipping more and more faithful Catholics to love, invite, evangelize, and nurture faith in those around them.
Into the Deep will help us to evangelize with greater fruitfulness and resourcefulness.
I readily recognize the pain that comes from change. I have experienced change in abundance in my own life and ministry.
It is difficult to lose a beloved pastor, to readjust to a different Mass time, to expand the experience of a parish into a newly merged community, or for a priest to take on a new assignment.
Nevertheless, these forthcoming changes will build a strong future for our diocese, as we acknowledge the profound challenges of our culture at present and seek to increase the fervor of our parishes as dynamic communions of missionary disciples.
Instead of fruitlessly seeking to maintain all of the ecclesial structure we currently have, we are fully committed to the mission of the Church — the proclamation of the Gospel, the formation of missionary disciples, and the salvation of souls.
Aligning our structures will better facilitate this mission.
Please know that after these current reassignments, I also envision a stability of priests and parishes for a good number of years, as we fully implement our Into the Deep plan.
In other words, once the dust settles with these upcoming changes, I do not anticipate many fundamental shifts in the immediate years ahead.
It is natural to be attached to our priests and to our parishes — they mediate Christ to us. We experience God through them. But, more importantly, the ultimate questions are these: Are we fully attached to Jesus Christ Himself, to His saving Gospel, to the Church universal as the Mystical Body of Christ?
The more we are rooted in Christ, the more we will be able to weather any change or challenge that comes our way, because we know that the Lord is indeed in the boat with us and that we can trust in the Lord with all our heart.
For more information on Into the Deep, visit intothedeepmadison.org