Ouster of lay administrator in Seattle prompts
dismay, fear of policy shift
By DANIEL MORRIS
Special to the National Catholic
Reporter Seattle
In a distinct departure from past practice in the Seattle
archdiocese, the recently appointed archbishop has dismissed, without warning,
a lay administrator for two parishes on Vashon Island.
The dismissal has set off a brush fire of rumor and speculation
accompanied by charges that diocesan leaders acted without consultation and in
a heavy- handed and condescending way toward the laity.
It has also raised fears among some that the archdiocese is in the
process of dismantling all nontraditional parish leadership and of overturning
procedures formerly used when appointing priests to new posts in the
archdiocese.
Similar fears surfaced in Sacramento, Calif., when the diocese
abruptly canceled a commissioning ceremony that traditionally had
been part of the ritual for those graduating from the diocesan lay ministry
training program.
Archdiocesan officials in Seattle, however, noted in a statement
denying such intent, that two pastoral life directors were recently reappointed
to three-year terms, and a third was given a one-year placement.
David M. Giusti, a 42-year-old, pastoral life director for St.
Patrick and St. John Vianney Parishes, was informed during a May 29 meeting
with Archbishop Alex J. Brunett and Fr. George L. Thomas, vicar general for the
archdiocese, that his appointment would not be renewed.
Since 1994, Giusti has been the director of the two parishes on
the island, a 20-minute ferry ride from West Seattle.
I was shocked, said the father of five, ages two to
16. He said no advance warning had been given and that he has written Brunett
asking the archbishop to reconsider and suspend the decision.
As a result of Brunetts action, outgoing and incoming
members of one of the Vashon Island parish councils wrote a letter June 8
seeking a session with the archbishop as soon as possible to
understand your reasons for making this change.
In addition, nearly two dozen persons present at the regularly
scheduled June 12 meeting of the South Seattle Deanery that includes Vashon
agreed to have the dean write the archbishop seeking clarification of the
process and his intent in the matter. Attending the meeting were priests and
lay people. Some of those attending head special ministries while others
represent parish councils.
Giustis dismissal is one of the latest in a recent spate of
firings and demotions across the country involving lay parish leaders and
theologians. In January, a couple serving as pastoral associates in Wisconsin
were abruptly fired, although their work seemed to be highly successful
(NCR, April 24). The trend has caused some to question whether laity
trained for ministry or as educators can find job security in church
institutions. Others wonder if church leaders who favor replacing lay
leadership have received encouragement from a recent Rome document emphasizing
the distinction between the lay and clerical states.
According to Seattles archdiocesan public affairs office,
Giusti was released because a priest became available. The archdiocese
remains committed to providing resident priests in as many parishes as
possible, said an archdiocesan release.
Archbishop Brunett is pleased that a priest is available to
assume leadership in the Vashon Island parishes ... and is grateful to Mr.
David Giusti for his years of service, the news release said.
Giusti called his removal deeply painful. Its not so
much like losing a job, but more like being fired from your family. While
the loss of income will be felt, he said, We are not going to be out on
the street. We are blessed in that my wife has a good job as a cable
television advertising executive.
Jesuit Fr. Richard R. Roach was appointed priest administrator of
the parishes effective July 1, according to an announcement in the archdiocesan
newspaper.
It is widely known that a small group of parishioners, most from
St. Patrick Parish, had campaigned against the lay administrator. In addition,
persons interviewed mentioned last Novembers much-publicized Vatican
document that emphasized distinctions between lay and ordained functions. Some
felt it might have led to the release of Giusti, the only lay male among the
archdioceses six pastoral directors.
In its statement, the archdiocese denied that neither parishioner
pressure or the Vatican document played a part in Giustis dismissal.
Because we were not aware that an additional priest would be
available until late May, the Vashon Island decision left room for speculation
and rumor, said the statement.
After serving three one-year appointments, Giusti said his 1997
contract negotiations were clearly predicated on being granted a three-year
term. He insists he was assured by the director of the Priests Personnel
Office, Fr. Paul Magnano, that the appointment was for three years.
I asked him if I could publish that, Giusti said,
and Paul told me yes. The St. John Vianney Parish annual report
issued last fall notes Giustis reappointment for an additional
three-year term.
The archdioceses statement said, The archbishop has
indicated ... that if Mr. Giusti produces official documentation
substantiating a three-year appointment he would be willing to revisit
the decision.
Giusti said he had requested written confirmation several
times but received none.
Giusti said the archbishop and vicar general instructed him to
deal directly with Magnanos office during the remainder of his tenure as
director of the Vashon parishes. Magnano, has not returned repeated phone
calls, said Giusti, who added that he fears the archdiocese might be
wanting to make Paul a scapegoat.
NCR calls to Magnano, Brunett and Thomas were referred to
the public affairs office.
Whatever Giustis ultimate fate, it is clear that
Brunetts action is a departure from ground rules that previously were in
operation in the archdiocese. Under former Archbishops Raymond Hunthausen, who
is retired, and Thomas Murphy, who died in June 1997, the long-standing
operative principles were due process, collaboration and consultation, local
observers said.
But Brunett has made it clear, via his public affairs office, that
he does not plan to meet with the St. John Vianney Parish Council members. Such
a meeting is very unlikely, said the archdioceses statement.
As a matter of course, the archbishop doesnt meet with individual
parish pastoral councils.
St. John Vianney Parish Council President Paul J. Wallrof, whose
term ended June 30, said he has talked to the archbishops secretary at
least three times trying to set up an appointment. She confirms he does
have our letter, but to date we have received no response.
What if no consultation is scheduled?
What do you do? Wallrof responded. I am pretty
sure we are not going to chain ourselves to the door or anything. We will just
know we are inconsequential -- that we really do not matter if [the archbishop]
does not allow us at least a hearing or an appointment.
In recent years the archdiocese has posted in advance scheduled
pastoral openings. Priests and pastoral life directors could submit their names
for open positions. Gatherings were held during which a parish spokesperson
would present a synopsis of the parish and its needs.
The Vashon parishes were never notified of the impending move nor
was the position posted in the usual fashion.
Giusti receives high marks for his spiritual leadership and
administrative skills from members of the St. John Vianney Parish Council, who
enumerated his accomplishments in a letter to the archdiocese. They praised his
ability to revitalize the parish through renovation projects and with the
involvement of younger married couples.
Parish Council member Jo Ann Bardeen called the dismissal a
scandal. There is much concern, she said, about whether this
means the archdiocese might be planning to replace pastoral life directors. ...
They give us all these weighty tomes to read that all talk about lay people
being involved. And here on Vashon we had one of the best situations -- strong
pastoral leadership by a layman, yet still a priest here for our sacramental
lives.
The teaming of priests, who have other full-time duties, with a
pastoral life director as was the case on Vashon is similar to the situation at
eight other parishes of the archdiocese headed by its other five pastoral life
directors.
John McCoy, an incoming parish council member at St. John Vianney
and director of the archdioceses public affairs office from 1989 to 1995
called the parish a stunning place now and said Giustis
sacking has implications beyond Vashon Island.
I guess what it says is that the laity are second-class
citizens and continue to be, even people of talent and obvious leadership
ability -- as long as any priest from anywhere can be substituted for
them.
McCoy and others are skeptical of the claim that sufficient
ordained personnel can be recruited to fill parish leadership roles.
The archdioceses 1994 document, Pastoral Care of
Parish Communities: A Pastoral Challenge, states: The norm for the
church in Western Washington has been and is the appointment of a qualified
resident priest pastor for each local community. This norm cannot be achieved
at this time, nor in the foreseeable future. The document outlines the
archdioceses blueprint for providing parishes with ongoing quality
pastoral care, notably in light of projected declines in numbers of
priests.
In its statement, however, the archdiocese said the situation
is better than some earlier projections would lead one to believe. Our
latest projections show that we are not looking at a precipitous loss of
ordained clergy.
The statement added that the office of pastoral life director is a
provision role in which the director collaborates with the
archbishop and priests in their responsibility of providing pastoral
care.
The release noted that the current Catholic population growth
has outpaced our current ability to provide resident priests to
every parish. Among the strategies being employed to provide
relief over time are redoubling religious vocation
efforts; recruiting religious order and extern priests; identifying
qualified women and men who can collaborate in pastoral ministry; and
innovative sharing of facilities and personnel to provide pastoral care
to several parishes.
National Catholic Reporter, July 3,
1998
|