I love my faith. I love the Catholic church. I love our sacraments, I love our community, I love our history and tradition, I love everything that creates the Catholic identity that I embrace. I could probably do without its hypocrisies, do without its lack of enthusiasm regarding lay ministry, and perhaps when it employs a derogatory attitude towards women, but I really like being able to express in a very full and satisfying way the love for life in Christ with a community of believers. There are very few faiths and denominations that can express this with me.
Working with teens in the church? Seems like a pretty darned good match, doesn't it? Yet as I said in the things I could do without in the Catholicism, its lack of ability to understand lay ministry and its hypocritical approach regarding expectations of lay ministers and paid work create an atmosphere of low morale and confusion. So often in our parishes and diocese it is hard to see Christ in the administration of ministries and workers, where such important documents like Rerum Novarum, written in 1892(!) have not been taken seriously in our own Holy Mother Church.
And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation. (Gen 2:2-3)
Working for weeks straight without a weekend, working 10 hours a day for days on end, not receiving recompense for extra responsibilities that have been taken on and yet expected, not being able to draw appropriate time boundaries because there is not adequate nor reliable help from those who ensured they'd help with responsibility. What does this say about human dignity? For me, it feels as though my work is more important than who I am. I am absolutely certain that this attitude is not Catholic, so why is it dominating our Catholic workspaces in so many places? I am aware that I have worth because I am loved by God, not because of what I can do. I am certain that my work, though important, is not more important than who I am. I know I am not the only paid pastoral minister who experiences this. I am aware that this problem extends beyond the Catholic workspace, but as a faith organisation who has written documents to not only Catholics on this topic, but also addressing the world on these issues, I find this a crime against the Catholic church's very beliefs and a crime and violation against humanity to promulgate this attitude in the Catholic workspace.
While at a Diocesan Youth Minister's meeting at the beginning of the month, I was given some enlightening information: approximately 20% of youth ministers who continue in their ministry at their parish after 13 months. That means there is approximately an 80% rate of youth ministers who quit within 13 months. One of my first questions is this: is this stat relevant to all paid pastoral lay ministry? If so, why? In the emergence of the importance of lay ministry, why is our theology so lacking in expectations for lay ministers who have not devoted their lives to celibacy? For those who have a vocation to family or the single life? Where is our church showing the love of Christ for them in the workspace?
Is this a rant? No, it's much more thought out than a rant. It is a problem with ministry in our Church that has not been adequately dealt with, nor has it been properly recognised in diocese by bishops who are entrusted with the responsibility for paid pastoral lay ministers. This is a call and a challenge to think about this issue and ways in which we can all work towards a just workplace, in modelling it in our churches and advocating for it secular workplaces. It is hard for an orgnaisation of believers to advocate for something that is not first modeled in its own leadership.
Peace,
Jane
6 comments:
For the whole 20%/80% thing: My impression is that youth ministry has a higher drop-out and burn-out rate than most other ministries (or at least it happens faster). Also, it might not be that 80% quit. Some could be fired or otherwise laid off. Some may have been hired who weren't suitable, and after a year either they or the parish realized it. Some may be genuinely incompetent. Some may move on to other things (though that's technically "quitting", I suppose, but it has a different reason).
And I know many ordained ministers feel similarly overwhelmed, overworked, and underappreciated at times.
But overall, yeah. I agree. There's a definite tension and lack of clarity regarding the role of laity in pastoral ministry. And there simply aren't systems in place to ensure they are treated justly. I recall a news story a couple years ago of some ministers (United Church, I think) who were trying to unionize. It's one of those things that shouldn't have to happen, but sometimes it (or something similar) is needed in order to protect people's dignity.
I understand how there are many more aspects to this than which I covered in my post. One, which I may post one day about, is the conflicts between seeing what we do as a ministry and yet also as a job. Another is how much can we do ourselves without having our voice cut off by losing our place on a pastoral team because we voiced our problems and concerns. Its tricky.
Hell no! What on earth are you talking about???? Freak!!!
Umm, ok, that post above is very strange. And *not* at all by me... Strange, indeed.
Darryl (for real)
Hey Jane,
I don't really know much about lay ministry in the Catholic Church, or really what you've been going through, but...
Have you voiced your concerns with your working conditions to anyone? Try to think about it this way: if your job was with a corporation, and not a church, how would you address the situation? I know that it can be difficult when you work for the church to not feel obligated to do more than you're paid for (trust me - while I do not work for my church full time, I do get paid for some of the work that I do there). However, it is still a job. They cannot expect you to work overtime with no weekends and be happy about it.
You have boundaries. You need to find out what they are and not let people walk all over them. Tell your supervisor that you can't do it all. You're not super-human. Obviously, because you work for a church, they can't always hire someone else to help you...but the one thing churches do have is people. Tell them you need more volunteers to take some of the work load off of you.
I completely understand where you're coming from though - where is the balance between "job" and "ministry" when you work for the church? That's a tough one. I am eternally grateful sometimes that I go to a church where all the paid staff are married with kids and understand the need for regular hours and time off :)
Sharon
Hey Jane:
I was at the college this afternoon and saw Andy. It made me think of you so I thught I'd check out your blog and saw your posting.
I don't know if you know but I've been appointed Associate Priest at the parish in St. Albert with responsibility for ministry to families (which includes Youth). Can you just see me doing Paintball!!! It's gonna happen I'll send you pics.
I'm still doing Morinville as well, so trying to juggle two parishes can be a bit tricky, but I've very quickly learned that I need to steward my time very carefully. I only have so much energy and in order to be effective I have to be sure to take time for prayer, recreation and family.
My solution is to carefully schedule my time. What I have done is to divide my time into tasks and if something isn't done in the allotted time...oh well. It has meant that I have had to learn to say no to some really good things that I've been asked to do, but my response is always, "I'd love to do that, and normally I would, but in order to get done what I have alrady committed myself to do, I'll have to say no. Why don't your ask ..... for some help."
Honest Jane, it does work and I've gotten over my guilt. I also schedule in regular prayer time (around 1 hour per day). I only allow three evenings out a week and if I am out in the evening, then I sleep in the next morning.
I know that as an ordained person, I am probably able to "call the shots" in a way that you feel you can't but as you so eloquently pointed out it really is a matter of social justice. As a lay person, you absoutely must show professionalism and model good self care. After all, what is attractive to the young people you are ministering to in an overworked, overwhelmed and exhausted youth leader?
I truly believe that we have to show those who are around us that life serving and promoting the Kingdom isn't awful, it is joy and freedom and peace. I think in so many ways, we have allowed our spoken theology of abundance and grace to be subsumed by our lived theology of striving. Don't do it! Our words and actions have to line up (as you pointed out), and sometimes we have to call others (even our superiors) to repentance.
At least that's how I see it.
Grace and Peace,
Elizabeth
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