PARISH BULLETIN
When a Pastor Meets His New Parish
Robert S. Humitz |  Summer 2009

The time of a pastoral transition in a parish community can be a time of both uneasiness and creative opportunity, depending on how it’s approached.

The new pastor may feel uneasy about going into an unfamiliar community. He may have heard about problems in the parish, or about the wonderful pastor he’s succeeding. For good or ill, he knows he cannot be exactly like the previous pastor. The previous pastor probably hired most of the staff that is in place, and they have adjusted to his style of ministry and management. Especially for those who are becoming pastors for the first time, there may be a certain sense of apprehension about whether and how he will be accepted.

What worked in a pastor’s previous parish may not work in the new one. Getting familiar with the new context may provide a different frame for what he has done in the past.

The parish staff may feel uneasy because a new pastor can directly affect their lives and job status. They wonder about his style of ministry and administration. They wonder if he will want to bring in his own team, putting their jobs in jeopardy. Will he turn back the clock on all that they have been working to achieve or will he build on that past? Is he “liberal” or “conservative”? Will he listen to them or be autocratic?

Some parishioners will be uneasy because they know a new pastor will bring changes. They wonder how much things will change, and how quickly. What kinds of changes can they expect? Will the new pastor be friendly and approachable? Is he pastoral or academic? Will he be “orthodox” or “dissenting”? With whom in the parish will he align himself, and to whom will he listen?

It’s important that these questions get answered in a way that will bring direction and focus to the parish. The lack of some kind of transitional process can sometimes create lingering anxiety about the future of the parish, and can lead to the formation of sub-groups that will be difficult to deal with down the road. Nature abhors a vacuum. If there is a vacuum created by a pastoral transition, it will be filled. Power playing can then distract the parish from its mission and goals, and may put it on a road that will be difficult to manage. Deciding on a process and putting it in place at the very start of the transition can help pull the parish together and redirect its focus with regard to the new pastor. It can be a creative moment for the parish.

There are many ways to go about using a pastoral transitional process. I would like to suggest one that I have used several times and suggested to other new pastors who have also found it successful.

When he comes to a new parish, for the first few months the pastor usually does not have a lot of appointments. He doesn’t know a lot of people, and the people are trying to find their way with him. It is a good time for him to invite a personal interview with staff, pastoral council and commission members, and the parish at large.

I announced at all the parish Masses on Sunday and printed in the parish bulletin as well that, having newly arrived in the parish, I would like to have a series of one-on-one interviews during the next several months. No groups, just one-on-one, with the only exception being married couples who chose to come together. Anyone was welcome to come. The interviews were conducted in my office, but could have taken place anywhere.

People were instructed to call the parish secretary to set up a time for an appointment. Each interview would take no more than a half hour. I gave the parish secretary my schedule and had her fill it in. In the two-month period that I allotted for the interviews, I had more than eighty responses from people in all age ranges. I insisted that the staff and pastoral council members come for an interview; others were free to choose to come, but all were invited.

I compiled the answers to the questions for each interview onto a form that had space for the person’s name and the date and time of the interview as well as the questions. I had one form for each interview, and I made notes on the form relative to the responses to the questions from each interview.

When I had finished with all the interviews, I reported to the parish on what I had heard them say and what I had learned in response to the questions. After carefully reading through the interview responses I identified major findings, major conclusions, patterns, and trends leading to major focus areas of parish concern.

I published an executive summary of the report in the parish bulletin and talked at all the Masses about the findings. I was surprised by what I learned about the parish through those interviews. I was able then to work with the pastoral council and staff from the findings of the report, which provided a smooth transition and direction for the immediate future of the parish without being critical or judgmental about the past. I found out when I asked that people have it pretty well figured out. You just need to listen and to ask them. Having a process of listening in place at the time of transition is important. It doesn’t just happen.

The end result for me was that the staff, council, and people felt they had been listened to, and the direction that we took as a result was one in which they felt they had some ownership and could support. It served as a strong instrument in pulling the parish into unity and reduced any polarization. It also served as a foundation to conduct further data in follow-up surveys and needs assessments that we did. The results of this process led to revisiting our parish vision, mission, and values statements and laid the groundwork for a pastoral plan for the parish in greater depth.

Through it all, the parish felt a sense of leadership and direction. This is very important when building up commitment to ministries in the parish community today. A transitional process, whatever it is, can be very helpful and creative. This is the transitional process that I used and found successful. Other pastors who used it have had the same experience. You may have your own plan. The point is, have one!

The Rev. Msgr. Robert S. Humitz is a retired pastor of the Archdiocese of Detroit. He built and ran the archdiocesan television network there before being named pastor of St. Daniel Church, where he served for fourteen years.