Decision #2 - Weekend Mass Rotation
Problem to be Solved
Currently, each of the four previously independent parishes has a Mass schedule that works well for one priest. Because we will still have four priests, our family has the luxury of maintaining the current Mass schedule for the time being. However, with our new arrangement (1) the one Pastor needs to celebrate Mass at all of the locations regularly and (2) the Viking Catholic Chaplain always needs to celebrate the Viking Catholic Mass. How will we rotate our priests each weekend to accommodate these needs?
A Giant Caution
Weekend Mass schedules are one of the most important - and most contentious - topics we will need to discuss as a parish family. This post does not resolve the long-term question about the weekend Mass schedule. This discussion merely lays out a plan to cover Masses until that conversation can be had (likely 18 - 24 months into the Partners process).
Major Factors to Consider
Factor #1 - Pastor Rotation
Pastoral ministry is built on relationships, meaning that if the Pastor of Whatcom County is going to be successful, he needs to be present to every community in the county. The easiest and most effective way to do this is to be present at every weekend Mass on a regular rotation.
The county currently has four Mass schedules that one priest is able to cover alone. If the Pastor rotates to a different Mass schedule each week, he will be present to each community once a month, which is the best we can hope for without changing Mass times.
Factor #2 - Sanity and Relationship
The needs of the Pastor aside, it is generally not good for priests or the faithful to have a different priest at Mass each week. This level of rotation makes it difficult to develop relationships or follow up on pastoral needs. Given this, even if the Pastor is at a different location each weekend, it would be best if the Vicars had a little more stability, for their sakes and the sake of the people.
Unfortunately, the one thing we cannot do is permanently assign each Vicar to a specific parish or grouping of parishes, as might be done in other Families. We have four previously independent parishes but only three Vicars, so one of our parishes would be disadvantaged by this system. Imagine, for example, if Sacred Heart, Ferndale/Blaine/Lummi, and Lynden/Deming all got their “own” priest: Who would be assigned to Assumption, if the pastor is rotating through to all the communities?
However, we can create a system where three communities are paired with a specific Vicar for a limited time, while one community takes a turn with rotating priests. Then we can switch, to keeps things fair. It is proposed that we focus on a two-month cycle, which balances stability with the need to rotate.
Factor #3 - Specialty Masses
Currently, each previously independent Mass schedule has 1 x Saturday evening Mass and 2 x Sunday morning Masses. Beyond these, the Family has three “specialty” Masses: 2 x Spanish Masses and 1 x Mass for Western Washington University. These specialty Masses require special charisms or skills, so scheduling them becomes more difficult.
The Mass for WWU should always be celebrated - except when he is on vacation - by the Viking Catholic chaplain.
The Spanish Masses should be celebrated by a priest who speaks Spanish. With the July 01, 2024 priest assignments, only the Pastor speaks Spanish, and he cannot cover all the Spanish Masses, so some of the Masses will be said by priests who do not speak Spanish.
Creating a Schedule
A Caution: This is an example schedule and is subject to change.
Step #1 - Schedule the Pastor
Place the Pastor in an equal rotation for the English parish Masses.
Step #2 - Schedule the Vicars
Place the Vicars at the English parish Masses for their “stable” parish in the rotation.
Step #3 - Schedule the Rotation Parish
When the Pastor is at one of the “stable” parishes, switch that Vicar into the “rotation” parish.
Step #4 - Schedule the Specialty Masses
The WWU Chaplain always takes the Viking Catholic Mass.
In this configuration of priests, in which only Fr. Moore speaks Spanish:
When Fr. Moore is at Assumption or Sacred Heart, he celebrates the Assumption Spanish Mass.
When Fr. Moore is at Blaine/Ferndale/Lummi or Lynden/Deming, he celebrates the Lynden Spanish Mass.
The remaining Spanish Masses are divided equally between Fr. Thumbi and Fr. Stephen.
Step #5 - Multiply
Repeat for the number of months of stability/rotation. In this example, the pattern is kept for 2 months, to balance the benefit to 3x parishes of having a priest consistently with the detriment to 1x parish of having a new priest each week.
When there is an extra week in the month, that extra week will be used to accommodate Pastor vacations, to make sure he does not miss a community when he is gone over a weekend.
Step #6 - Switch
After a set number of months, each parish switches its Vicar:
Assumption: Rotation -> Thumbi
Sacred Heart: Johnson -> Rotation
Blaine/Lummi/Ferndale: -> Thomas -> Johnson
Lynden/Deming: Thumbi -> Thomas
Open Question
The question still remains whether a 2-month cycle is best for these next two years, or whether a 1-month or 3-month cycle would be better, using these same principles.