Priestly Ministry in Multiple Parishes

by Katarina Schuth OSF

During the past twenty years, and continuing at an increasing rate, individual priests and lay ministers have been asked to serve multiple parishes. Schuth looks at models of leadership that contribute to vital parishes as well as factors that might lead to the diminishment of vibrant parish life. Readers hear the voices of pastors as they express the rewards and challenges of serving more than one parish. But Katarina Schuth does far more than a statistical analysis of this emerging model of parish ministry. Through extensive research and interviews with pastors, she looks at models of leadership that contribute to vital parishes as well as factors that might lead to the diminishment of vibrant parish life. In Priestly Ministry in Multiple Parishes , we hear the voices of pastors as they express the rewards and challenges of serving more than one parish. These voices serve to guide and support the growing number of ministers who serve multiple parishes. Just as important, however, these voices provide insight for bishops, diocesan staff, and seminary educators as they strive to meet the special needs of these ministers and the people the serve. Katarina Schuth, O.S.F., Ph.D., holds the Endowed Chair for the Social Scientific Study of Religion at The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity. Her other books include Educating Leaders for Issues and Responses (with Victor J. Klimoski and Kevin J.O 'Neil, Liturgical Press, 2005); Seminaries, Theologates, and the Future of Church An Analysis of Trends and Transitions (Liturgical Press, 1999); and Reason for the The Futures of Roman Catholic Theologates (Michal Glazier, 1989).

256 pages, Paperback

First published November 22, 2006

Reviews

[David Szatkowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I made this book "Non fiction" rather than "theology" because the focus is the statistics on priests, rather than the theology or ministry or priesthood. This is a good book to look at the reality of priests in multiple parishes, no matter the circumstances they are ministering in. I would encourage that both priests and parishioners read this.