Speakers say parishes thrive with strong leadership, management

Published: 2008-07-01

PHILADELPHIA (CNS) -- When Father Joseph Donnelly became pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Southbury, Conn., in 2003, there was "no 'parish staff' to speak of" except a secretary and a religious education director, he said. Since his arrival he has hired "a full-time pastoral associate, full-time director of religious education, associate religious education director, administrative assistant in faith formation, custodian, secretary/business manager and director of music ministry," along with "a part-time youth minister." Father Donnelly reviewed his 2,200-household, suburban Catholic parish's recent history during the June 26-27 annual meeting of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management in Philadelphia. Through team-building, he and parish staffers have made themselves accountable to one another, he said. The Philadelphia meeting drew business leaders and bishops, philanthropists and pastors, educators, lay pastoral ministers and others to discuss managerial excellence and leadership in Catholic dioceses and parishes.

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