Our new Central Deanery initiatives are off to a truly promising start. Over the past month, our dedicated pastors and clergy have been actively engaged in collaborative planning, laying a strong foundation for a more unified and vibrant future for all our city parishes. This exciting new chapter is built on shared vision, open communication, and a deep commitment to leveraging our collective strengths for the good of all.
I want to share with you some important milestones and events that have taken place over the past month and what lies ahead beginning in August.
First Clergy Meeting: We held our inaugural Central Deanery clergy meeting on July 10th, bringing together parish priests, hospital and institutional chaplains, and our faithful deacons. It was a valuable opportunity to review sacramental trends in our parishes and demographic trends the wider neighborhoods we serve, understand the makeup of our large and diverse deanery, and outline our specific goals for the year ending June 30, 2026, focusing on collaboration, ministry, administration, and communication.
Meeting with Bishop Eckman: Our pastors were also blessed with a meeting with Bishop Eckman in July as he begins his new ministry as Bishop of Pittsburgh. It was a welcomed opportunity to hear his vision for the deanery, and we are encouraged by his strong support for our collaborative work and the goals we have set.
Weekly Pastor Meetings: Beyond these larger gatherings, the pastors in our deanery now meet weekly. This fosters open communication and dialogue, allowing us to share what's happening in our individual parishes and look for areas for stronger collaboration.
Collaboration Training: Beginning this August, our pastors will participate in four specialized formation sessions with the Catholic Leadership Institute, further equipping us for this vital work together.
As your dean, I am committed to fostering this spirit of collaboration and getting to know our deanery firsthand. I have already begun visiting our ten parishes and seventeen churches, and these visits will continue in the coming months.
My goal is to meet as many of you as possible, to listen, and to gain a deeper understanding of each unique parish community. In addition to celebrating Sunday Mass in the parishes, I am also making every effort to attend parish pastoral and finance council meetings, as well as other parish activities and events, all while balancing my responsibilities as pastor of St. Pio of Pietrelcina Parish.
Please keep our Central Deanery initiative, your pastors, and one another in your prayers as we embark on this journey together.