Idaho bishop, priests gather to cultivate unity, raise concerns

Published: 2006-03-22

JEROME, Idaho (CNS) -- Bishop Michael P. Driscoll of Boise and a group of his priests gathered at the Monastery of the Ascension in Jerome to work on nurturing their personal relationships with one another and to raise common challenges they face. Held Feb. 21-23, it was the last of three deanery meetings facilitated by Dominic Perri of Chicago, an independent church facilitator for dioceses, religious orders, parishes and Catholic organizations around the country. "I have been very impressed by Bishop Mike's willingness to talk about whatever issues the priests put on the table and by the priests' willingness to speak openly and honestly with one another," he told the Idaho Catholic Register, newspaper of the Boise Diocese. "They really roll up their sleeves and get into it. They seem to relish the opportunity to spend time with one another. Laypeople don't always realize that their priests face some really tough challenges," he said. Each deanery meeting was three days long and the bishop was at each one.

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