City Ministry Conference addresses issues faced by urban parishes

Priests, deacons and staff from urban parishes gathered for a City Ministry Conference to learn how to do more with less. Sponsored by the Renewal and Development Team, the Jan. 23 meeting at St. Stanislaus Parish in Buffalo was held to guide urban parishes as they set pillar goals in their families.

Nationally known evangelist Msgr. Ray East from the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., delivered a keynote address centered around three elements – St. Marian Cope, Pentecost, and the parable of the loaves and fishes.

Msgr. East spoke about his own roots – South African and Irish – as well as the German roots of St. Marianne Cope, whose feast was celebrated that day. She had taught at a German school and realized that if you don’t speak to people in their language, they will go somewhere else.

“Family,” Msgr. East said to his notetaking audience, “put down, ‘Language is important.’ It’s important that people hear the Good News in their own language. And part of the challenge of this family of parishes is for us who come from ethnic parishes. We need to come together with our roots, but be able to communicate to newcomers In the languages that they speak. If we don’t do it, they’re going to go somewhere that feels like home.”

A visit to Catholic Academy of West Buffalo found that between 50 and 71 percent of the students speak a second language at home.

“We ignore this charism of Pentecost at our own peril. It’s not only about proclaiming the Good News, but it’s so important that we realize that in the homes, where our families work, very often another language is spoken,” he said. “Can you see how important that might be to see yourself reflected? It’s a key part of Pentecost and the effectiveness as we take little and do much with it.” 

Msgr. East asked how many present were born before 1980. The vast majority raised their hands.

“Do you know what’s wrong with this group? Most of us have our AARP cards, and we’ve had them for a long time,” he said.  Protestant churches, he added, have a radically different demographic.

“Why? Because somehow, many churches have maintained the young people as the active core of those who are ministering in the church.”

In Africa, the elders are venerated for their wisdom, but the young people with fresh ideas and energy need to be respected as well.

Msgr. East praised the Synod on Synodality for allowing voices not often heard to be expressed right now.  

“We’ve got to figure out what is keeping people from full, active, conscious and passionate participation in the Church of Jesus Christ,” he said.

He then encouraged the lay people involved in parish ministry to invite their children to join them.

“That’s the thing we’re going to be exploring, some ways that we can do multiplication of loaves and fishes. And the theme of today, ‘Doing More with Less, The Reality of Urban Ministry,’ is something that is critically important.”

Following Msgr. East’s talk, breakout sessions took place – one for clergy and one for laity.

Father Robert Gebhard, temporary administrator of Family #21, summed up the challenge facing inner city pastors who were trained to serve in wealthier suburban parishes.

“The model is all suburban. We’re trained for the norm,” he said after a breakout session. “The point is when you go into an urban experience, you’re being asked to go into a resource-poor situation or model of ministry, but you’re expected to live by a resource-rich experience. The expectation is if you have problems get a business manager or ask your maintenance team to take care of the leaks in your building. … (But) you don’t have the resources that other places have.”

Click the button to hear Michael Mroziak’s report.