Koonce discusses diocesan deanery structure at First Friday Forum of Lorain County

“All efforts are being made to widen the space for the Holy Spirit to work in,” said Robert Koonce, director for deanery planning and operations in the diocese, as he explained the deanery structure recently implemented in the diocese.

Koonce addressed the First Friday Forum of Lorain County on Oct. 9. The formal title of his talk was “Fidelity, Accountability and Unity: Making Room for the Holy Spirit in the Life of the Church.”

The program marked First Friday’s return to the Spitzer Conference Center at Lorain County Community College, its longtime home, which reopened last month after a lengthy renovation.

Father Frank Kosem, a retired priest and First Friday board member, introduced Koonce and noted the importance of the laity being involved in the Church. “We are the Church and we need to speak up,” he said.

Koonce said switching to 12 deaneries (from the prior 13 districts) will help resolve some of the issues facing the diocese, including  identifying a clear, compelling vision, dedicated time for caring for one another (including clergy), broad participation from different perspectives, energized subsidiarity – lessening diocesan bottlenecks, increasing responsiveness to issues and proper accountability structures and roles – as well as dedicated budgets and staffing.

Under the deanery structure, a dean (vicar forane) is assigned to each deanery. He is a priest who replaces the presbyteral convener and has more responsibility/authority as a representative of the bishop. The term has existed for many years in the Church, Koonce said. Deanery committees are responsible for producing pastoral plans (vision) with measurable goals. A full-time diocesan position dedicated to supporting the deans and deanery operations (Koonce’s position).

Koonce explained that deans – the Lorain County dean is Father John Seabold, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Grafton – support priests, help oversee the deanery, conduct triennial visits and help resolve conflicts. The dean (in this case, Father Seabold) and Koonce work with the deanery chairperson  – Anthony Trifiletti, director of liturgy and music at St. Peter Parish in Lorain – to ensure pastoral plans align with the bishop’s priorities, canon law and Church teaching and provide leadership for pastoral plan implementation. The dean and deanery chair are appointed by the bishop.

Koonce said the deanery structure aims to make parishes stronger and to encourage collaboration among parishes while maintaining their identity. He said there have been some encouraging  developments already, with some parishes collaborating on sacramental preparation and other programs. As more priests are assigned to shepherd two (or in some cases, more) parishes, he said it’s important to ensure the pastor has the support he needs. Since many pastors live alone, they can become isolated, he added.

Koonce is visiting every parish in the eight-county diocese to conduct a sacramental audit and to become better acquainted with each.

Trifilitti, who spoke briefly, said there are three goals in the Lorain deanery: to strengthen the marriage catechumenate, to examine and improve Mass/sacramental times to help priests who oversee multiple parishes and to develop a deanery-wide youth ministry program. There also is a commitment to improved communication.

“We have to look at things that are doable and reachable in this first phase of the deanery process,” Trifilitti said.

“At the end of Mass, were told to go out and do things,” Koonce said. “We may not be able to continue existing the way we have been. But we still have a great commission and we need to follow it … We have to break our own barriers to allow extra space for the Holy Spirit to operate in.”

Bishop Malesic will speak to the group at its lunchtime program on Nov. 6 at LCCC. For more information or to make a reservation, call 440-320-3272 or email ffflorain@gmail.com.