Partners in the Gospel is a response to real and changing conditions in parish life across our Archdiocese. Over the past several decades, we have experienced fewer engaged parishioners, a significant decline in the number of priests, financial pressures, aging facilities, and changing patterns of volunteer involvement.

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One of the most pressing realities is the shortage of priests. Our presbyterate is aging, and we have lost 22 priests in the past two years. While it is encouraging that there are currently 17 seminarians in formation, that number is not sufficient to sustain the number of parishes we have long-term. At the same time, parish life has shifted. Many households now have two working adults, which has reduced the availability of volunteers and placed greater strain on fewer people to carry much of the work.

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Partners in the Gospel invites us to respond to these realities thoughtfully and faithfully — strengthening collaboration between parishes, sharing resources, and focusing more intentionally on our mission. As we move forward into the next phase of listening sessions to discern who we want to become as a new parish and what is our vision, the conversations may become more challenging, and your input will be increasingly important. This is still an ongoing process, and your voice matters now more than ever.