CATHOLICS PONDER LOCAL CHURCH FUTURES

Catholics ponder future of the church
"I believe it is essential that every parish realize things cannot remain the same." - Bishop Kenneth Angell
"I couldn't imagine convincing my son in today's world that celibacy is the way to go." - Peg Goldsbury, of St. Mary's Parish in St. Albans
By LEON THOMPSON
Messenger Staff Writer
ST. ALBANS CITY Catholic churches might thrive in only Richford, Swanton, Enosburg, Fairfield, Fairfax and St. Albans by 2014.
Or perhaps there would be only three churches in Franklin County, with two priests in each parish.
Or maybe there should be a priest who rotates from church to church, easing some of the burdens for his fellow clergymen.
Those are some of the scenarios that could play out locally when the number of active Vermont priests drops to 55 in the next decade, leaving only five or six for each of the state's 12 Catholic deaneries, or regions.
Vermont had more than 150 Catholic priests 50 years ago; there are 97 today, and 32 of them are 70 or older. Only six are under 40.
A shrinking clergy has caused the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington to meet with parishioners around Vermont and address the future of the state's 131 churches.
About 150 people attended one of 10 regional meetings at St. Mary's Parish Center in St. Albans Tuesday. Parishioners varied in age and traveled from throughout the deanery to discuss how they might consolidate or close buildings while keeping their faith strong.
"We do not have to solve all our problems here tonight," said Fr. John McDermott, 41, diocese program director. "We don't have that burden on our shoulders."
That rests with Bishop Kenneth Angell, who, in a Jan. 11 letter to Vermont Catholics, said the diocese has reached a "critical point" in its history.
He wrote, "The question we face is, 'With fewer and fewer priests in the future, how can we effectively celebrate, live and proclaim the Gospel ... in Vermont?"
Angell acknowledged "some people will be upset" with parish reconfigurations, consolidations and changes in Mass schedules that will emerge from the regional meetings.
"Some may be glad to talk about change, so long as their parish is left alone," he wrote. "However, I believe it is essential that every parish realize things cannot remain the same."
Those who attended the meeting last night seemed willing to make sacrifices.
Following 15 minutes of prayer, attendees worked in groups to discuss how Franklin County's Catholic future might look in two situations: If there were only six priests and no churches, or if there were only six priests to serve in the existing buildings.
The consensus was that, in either case, there should be churches in the area's Catholic population hubs - Enosburg, Fairfield, Richford, Swanton and St. Albans. Many suggested St. Albans keep two parishes and have one priest serve both.
There were concerns, though, that priests and elderly parishioners would have to drive 15 miles or more one way for Mass. Montgomery Deacon John Raymie said that would hurt Mass attendance.
"There will be a core group of people who won't go to church anywhere anymore," he said.
That trend has grown, too, and it worries church leaders.
According to figures from the diocese, which grouped Milton with Franklin County, the deanery currently has 10 priests serving 15 churches. There are 17,778 Catholic individuals in 5,997 Catholic households.
About 5,092 people attend the region's 33 weekend Masses - less than one-third of area Catholics.
The diocese estimates that of the 150,000 Catholics in Vermont, 30 to 33 percent attend Mass regularly.
"And I think that's high," McDermott said.
Figures show distribution of the state's Catholics varies widely by region. Fewer than 2 percent of Orange County residents are Catholic, but 25 percent are Catholic in Chittenden County.
More than a third of all Vermont Catholics now live in Grand Isle County, where 57 percent of residents are Catholic, and Franklin County, where 36 percent are Catholic.
Yet statistics show a drop in sacramental trends, particularly baptisms, a standard rite for young, Catholic families. St. Mary's Parish posted 12 baptisms last year, down from 70 in 1970. At All Saints Parish in Richford, baptisms plunged from 37 in 1970 to four in 2003.
"What can we do to bring people back or get them to come to the church for the first time?" McDermott asked.
Peg Goldsbury, 47, a St. Mary's parishioner, believes the church must start educating young people more about the historical context of Jesus Christ and the Bible - not just the religious aspects.
She cited a literature course at Bellows Free Academy-St. Albans - where the Old Testament is discussed strictly as literary work - as a good way to introduce Catholicism to young people.
"We don't need to preach religion to kids, or force it on them right away," she said. "We should teach them who Jesus was as a historical figure and the Bible as a piece of literature. From there, they can make their own choices about religion. That's how they'll get interested and stay interested."
She said the Vermont clergy is smaller because Catholics priests face more pressing obligations than they once did, and because most young people reject a priest's lifestyle in 2004 America.
"I have two daughters," Goldsbury said. "I couldn't imagine convincing my son in today's world that celibacy is the way to go."
Father Maurice Roy agrees.
At 57, he has been a priest for 30 years. The recognition of value in the Catholic faith is decreasing nationwide, he said, though he was encouraged by the enthusiasm at the meeting last night.
"I'm glad people are interested in what we face and exploring the possibilities in fixing it," he said.
McDermott asked parishioners to return to their churches and discuss ideas with their priests and others at nearby parishes. This fall, Angell will analyze the information collected at the regional meetings and develop a proposal for release in early 2005.
McDermott estimates more than 1,100 Vermont Catholics will attend the sessions, which end in late May.
"If you're concerned there already is a plan, or that we're just going through the motions, I'm here to allay your fears," he told the parishioners. "It's not sitting in a vault. I wouldn't be up here saying that if it wasn't true."
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Reach Leon Thompson at 524-9771, ext. 112, or leon@samessenger.com