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First parish life collaborator in diocese named
archived from: 2007-05-25

In a pilot program, Bishop Paul Bradley, diocesan administrator, has appointed the first parish life collaborator in the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Holy Family of Nazareth Sister Dorothy Pawlus has been appointed by Bishop Bradley to serve at St. Bartholomew Parish in Penn Hills, effective July 9.

Sister Dorothy had been serving as pastoral associate and social service minister at St. Bartholomew for the past three years.

Father David Bonnar, current pastor of St. Bartholomew who is completing his six-year term as pastor, will be transferred to a new assignment in the diocese at the end of June.

Sister Dorothy was appointed parish life collaborator because of her familiarity with the parishioners and the needs of the parish, and because of her excellent working relationship with the pastor and staff.

A parish life collaborator is a deacon, non-ordained religious or a lay person serving as a lay ecclesial minister appointed by the diocesan bishop to share in the exercise of the pastoral care of a parish when a pastor is not available to serve.

A parish life collaborator oversees the overall day-to-day pastoral care and administration of the parish, including everything from the buildings and budget, to parish personnel and staffing.

The parish life collaborator also plans and coordinates liturgical celebrations throughout the church year and oversees the implementation of religious education, sacramental catechesis and evangelization efforts.

Parish life collaborators have been functioning in the United States and other countries around the world. It is estimated that there are about 700 parish life collaborators ministering in parishes in the United States.

Franciscan Sister Patricia Rogan, delegate for religious and director of the diocesan Institute for Ministries, is overseeing the parish life collaborator program.

“Our local church has been experiencing a steady decline in the number of active priests available for parish ministry,” Sister Pat said. “Canon law permits the appointment of parish life collaborators when there is a shortage of priests in a diocese. The ministry of the parish life collaborator enables the diocesan bishop to provide pastoral care for all the faithful.

“Sister Dorothy’s extensive experience in pastoral ministry and church administration make her perfectly suitable as our first parish life collaborator,” she said.

Two dozen priests in the diocese presently serve as pastors for two or more parishes. Within the next five years, it is estimated that the number of active priests will be less than the number of parishes in our diocese.

In a statement to parishioners at St. Bartholomew announcing the appointment, Bishop Bradley said, “in many ways, this moment is bittersweet. While we are proud to name Sister Dorothy our first parish life collaborator, we are reminded today in a concrete way of the shortage of vocations to the priesthood. All of us must pray together that the Holy Spirit will move more young men to consider the selfless, devoted service to the people of God found in the priesthood.”

In the diocese, there are seven approved applicants in the “pool” for parish life collaborators, Sister Pat noted.

“Two of them are deacons, two lay women, one lay man and two religious sisters,” Sister Pat said. “There are presently an additional 10 in the process of completing the application process for a parish life collaborator.”

To minister with the parish life collaborator, a priest director is also appointed by the diocesan bishop. The priest director ensures the authentic teaching of the faith, the pastoral care of souls, and that the sacramental ministry reserved only to a priest is provided for the faithful in the parish.

The parish life collaborator will work closely with the diocesan Clergy Office and the local cluster to ensure that priests are regularly available for the celebration of Mass and the sacraments. Ordinarily, one priest will regularly serve as sacramental minister to a parish. Father Albin McGinnis, pastor of Our Lady of Joy Parish, has been appointed priest director for St. Bartholomew Parish. Father James McDonough, administrator of St. Regis Parish, will serve as sacramental minister.

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