In one of my columns last month, I talked about some of  the insights that I had gleaned at our Priests’ Convoca tion that we had at the beginning of the month.  Over time I hope to share with you some of those insights with you.  This week I want to share some insights that I gained about splitting my time each week between both parish offices.

As you know, I try to spend 2 days per week at each parish’s office. When everything is normal those days end up being Monday’s & Wednesday’s in the office at St. Vincent de Paul & Tuesday’s & Friday’s in the office at St. Pat’s. Though I may physically be in
the office at each parish only 2 days per week, that doesn’t mean that only on those 2 days am I working on things for that parish. On days where I’m in the office at St. Pat’s I will have any meeting (no matter what parish it’s for) there & when I’m in the office @ St. Vincent de Paul I’ll have any meeting (no matter what parish it’s for) there rather than constantly bouncing back and forth throughout each day. The  same holds true formy availability for you, please know that no matter which day of the week it is (other than my day away), & no matter which office I might be in, I am available for the members of either parish. All anyone needs to do is reach out.

Occasionally I’ll hear the comment that I’m at the other parish too much. Please know that, while some weeks due to Funerals, meetings, or other commitments, I may end up spending a bit more physical time in one parish office over the other during a particular week, that doesn’t impact the amount of attention or effort that I am giving to the life and the ministry needs of the other parish. With the wonders of technology, I have access to pretty much everything for either parish wherever I am & so there are many times where I’m physically at St. Pat’s & working on items for St. Vincent de Paul or vice versa.

On weekends, I have begun the scheduling rotation where the same presider is at the same parish for the entire weekend. Originally I was celebrating Mass at one parish on Saturday & the other on Sunday, but in conversation with others (from our parishes) they recommended not trying to bounce back & forth so much, saying that they felt it was adding more stress than needed. I’ve been rotating my schedule that way for about a month now & it has indeed, as they thought, a stress reliever.

Though my physical time may not always be split 50/50 between both parishes, my love, attention, & care for each parish is never a matter of one over the other. Let’s continue to pray for & support each other in this endeavor.