Year for Priests: Keys to a successful parish merger

By Father Kenneth J. Doyle One in a series The parish I serve as pastor has, within the last month, completed a merger. Since pastors around the country are facing similar situations (particularly in the Northeast), I thought that a recap of our own experience might be helpful and could save some stress. I can’t […]

Year for Priests: How do priests set priorities for ministry?

By Father Kenneth J. Doyle One in a series Thirty years ago, in the parish in which I am now stationed, there were three priests assigned. In those days, the parish served about 1,000 Catholic households. Today there are twice as many families, and I am assigned here alone. One result has been a necessary […]

Year for Priests: One small plan to encourage vocations

By Father Kenneth J. Doyle One in a series Our modest-sized Diocese of Albany, N.Y., is in the middle of a transformation.  Within the next two years, 33 churches will merge or close, about 20 percent of our worship sites. One of the reasons is the outward migration of Catholics, from the cities to the […]

Year for Priests: Grateful to serve, despite challenges

By Father Kenneth J. Doyle One in a series On June 29, I posted my first blog regarding the Year for Priests.  I confess to having been a bit surprised at the reaction, termed by one observer a “minor firestorm.” In that entry, I described a “typical” day in the life of a parish priest, […]

Year for Priests: A modest suggestion for the priesthood

By Father Kenneth J. Doyle One in a series On June 19, at a vespers service in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Benedict XVI formally opened what he has proclaimed as the Year for Priests. The purpose of the year, the pope has noted, is to encourage among priests a deeper prayer life and a renewed […]