‘The sign of a living Church’
Father Bernard Oleru looks over building plans and meets parishioners as the new pastor of St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville. Nearly two dozen priests are settling into ministry at new parishes and schools across the Diocese of Charlotte as part of this year’s priest assignment process – a time of excitement and apprehension as priests and parishes embark on a new era together.
Some priests have been appointed to lead a parish as pastor for the first time; others will assist pastors as parochial vicars, serve as school chaplains, or in one case, at the Pennybyrn retirement community in High Point.
The annual assignment announcements from Bishop Peter Jugis – eagerly awaited by priests and parishioners alike each June and July – is one way the local Church responds to the evolving needs of parishes and priests. It’s an auspicious time as priests pack and unpack, move into new rectories in new communities, and begin to forge new relationships with the people they serve.
“It’s the sign of a living Church to have many priests moving around,” said Monsignor Patrick Winslow, who, as vicar general of the diocese, plays an integral role advising the bishop about clergy assignments.
“Necessity drives the equation,” he says. “We are trying to accommodate parish needs in light of growth and priest retirements, deaths, departures for missionary and other work, and at the same time be mindful of priests’ interests. Ultimately, we hope these changes will strengthen the diocese and help spread the Kingdom of God.”
How it works
The process begins with a survey sent to priests about their assignments and any ministerial desires they might have to develop their vocation.
Bishop Jugis reviews the surveys and convenes the priest personnel board to help evaluate parish needs and priest input. The board offers recommendations to Bishop Jugis, who either directly or through a delegate speaks with the priests to discuss more deeply. While it can sometimes be challenging to align ministerial inspirations with the needs of the diocese, the process prioritizes practical realities and relies on divine inspiration to discern the best way forward.
“These conversations might appear to resemble the career planning you see in any profession, but they go deeper than that,” says Monsignor Winslow, who has served in eight assignments over 24 years. “Each priest has come to know the conviction of a vocation to sacred ministry. He is aware that sometimes he must be prepared to go where duty calls.”
Unlike some dioceses, the Charlotte diocese does not routinely move its priests every certain number of years. Instead, each assignment is calibrated to specific circumstances and needs at that time. This offers stability for parishes and more leeway for clergy. Most assignments are announced all at once with changes typically taking effect at noon the second Tuesday of each July.
Bishop Jugis is a prime example of a priest whose vocation led him to serve and explore a number of parishes and communities. Over his first 20 years as a priest, he served at 10 different parishes – from Reidsville to Denver to Monroe to Charlotte.
With a similar servant spirit, Father Bernard Oleru says he’s excited about his assignment as a first-time pastor, at St. Philip the Apostle Church in Statesville.
“This assignment came to me with great joy. It is an opportunity for me to serve God’s people in the Diocese of Charlotte…,” he says. “I must confess, that the parishioners of St. Philip have really helped me to settle in. Their love is amazing. I am looking forward to building a praying community of God’s people in charity, joy, and love for the sake of the Kingdom of God.”
Seeds of growth
Typically, pastors are assigned for an extended period, usually five or six years or more. Parochial vicars typically move more often, either to other parishes in need or to replace a retiring or reassigned pastor.
Priests’ formation is continuous and does not end with their ordination. In the first several years as a parochial vicar, they learn about parish and ministry operations, receive mentoring from senior priests and pastors, and they develop their ministry of serving the faithful.
“Every priest has an opportunity to develop skills and talents of his ministry in different assignments,” says Father Noah Carter, pastor of Holy Cross Parish in Kernersville. “This is especially true for newly ordained priests who serve as parochial vicars, assistants, or chaplains. Typically, they won’t serve in these positions for a long time. In different environments they’re able to really show their skills and their aptitude in particular ministries, and grow.”
Winds of change
Change can be challenging, especially when a beloved pastor is reassigned.
“For some, this process can cause a little anxiety, but this is normal,” says Father Julio Dominguez, vicar of Hispanic Ministry and member of the bishop’s priest personnel board. “It happens every year in our diocese and in dioceses around the world. It’s a tradition of the Church that priests are invited to move from one community to another, to help the bishop in the service of the diocese and the entire Christian community.”
Parishioners need not “cling solely to the priest they already know and with whom they have grown in their faith,” Father Dominguez says, “because the faith – the Church – are much bigger than the clergy.”
Just as a parish gained wisdom and comfort from a beloved priest, other communities will now benefit from his ministry, too.
“The new priest brings new expectations, new programs, new improvements,” he says. “Every priest has something to give to his parish. So, the change is very nice because it enriches the communities with the vast doctrine of the Church.”
Father Carter says over the course of his priesthood every assignment has helped him grow in his vocation.
“One assignment gave me experience in a parochial school, teaching and being part of the administration,” he says. “Another assignment had a very robust Hispanic community, and I began learning their cultures and customs and how they expect the Church to serve them. Little by little, as I moved from parish to parish, I learned and grew – piecing together the things that are needed to be well-rounded and ready to take on a parish as pastor.”
Yet priests understand that assignment changes can be difficult.
“It is often the case that both the priest and parishioners struggle with the reassignment of the pastor or parochial vicar because, over time, they develop relationships of comfortable trust with one another,” says Father Christian Cook, who moved last week from pastoring Immaculate Conception Parish in Hendersonville to St. Margaret Mary Parish in Swannanoa. “Those relationships take time to build, and so a priest transfer is tough because of a feeling of the loss of that relationship between the shepherd and sheep.”
And, of course, the business of the parish doesn’t slow down even as clergy come and go.
“The new pastor comes in cold, and it takes time for him to get up to speed with his new parish. We move on a single day,” Father Cook says. “On Monday we are running one parish, and the very next, we land in a totally different parish. Not only are we trying to unpack and get settled in an unfamiliar house and town, but also trying to get a handle on the new Mass schedule, and keep up with (sacraments) that were scheduled prior to our arrival.”
With a smile, he adds: “It’s natural for parishioners to want to rush to their new pastor with their questions, their complaints, their needs and ideas. I would suggest that the biggest gift you can give your new pastor is a kind welcome, and some patience and prayers as he settles in.”
— Spencer K.M. Brown & Annie Ferguson
Related: See the full priest 2023 assignment list
‘Where would our lives be without our faith?’
When I was ordained, I was deeply grateful to God for receiving the ministerial priesthood. Since I had very good formation and an excellent education, l thought at the time that I proved worthy of this incredible gift. Now, after 30 years of service, l see things differently.
While I know I have grown in so many ways in my vocation, I realize more clearly I am never worthy of this vocation. The Lord’s generosity of grace has revealed to me how to trust wholeheartedly in God in order to be faithful in this ministry.
In particular, the pandemic that we all endured these past two years has made it clear to me how Our Lord operates a unique grace that has made it possible for all of us to not only make our way through this ordeal, but even flourish. What do l mean by that? Consider how we were tested in unfamiliar ways and had to exercise unnatural behaviors such as social distancing, remote learning, refraining from physical contact such as shaking hands, and not being able to see one another’s faces because of masking. While all of this was uncomfortable and inconvenient, it was also an invitation to grow in charity. Whether we felt personally vulnerable to the virus or not, we were constantly reminded that others around us had real health concerns and we needed to look out for each other. Interacting in a charitable way towards others – loving our neighbors as ourselves – took on a whole new perspective.
I have been quite inspired in how much I witnessed the mindfulness of parishioners to think of others and how to reach out in creative ways.
While we celebrate our 50th anniversary as a diocese this year, recall the words of St. Peter about how precious our faith is. We have much to reflect upon in gratitude. What would our lives be without our faith? How has our faith transformed our struggles into renewal?
My journey is united with so many others. When l look forward to continuing to serve, l believe if I keep my focus upon the Lord l will have more to celebrate – with blessings that truly are “more precious than gold.”
Father Stephen M. Hoyt, V.F., is the pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Lenoir. He also serves as vicar forane for the Hickory region. He will celebrate his 30th anniversary of ordination on Nov. 21.