Shaping Catholic Parishes: Pastoral Leaders in the Twenty-First Century

Catholic parish life in the United States is changing. As a result, new organizational models are emerging: clustered parishes, large "megachurches," one pastor overseeing multiple parishes, lay leadership... Pastoral leaders, ordained and lay, need to learn new skills and adopt new leadership styles to function effectively in this changing pastoral environment. Shaping Catholic Parishes looks at these changes from the pastoral leader's point of view. Twenty-two priets, deacons, religious, and lay people share first-person accounts of their experiences serving as pastoral leaders in these new situations and roles.