Clinton Township — It may be tough to admit, but Father can’t be everywhere, and he can’t know everything.

It’s true that pastors are responsible for all the souls in their parish, and pastors have the final say over the day-to-day operations of the parish. But priests need help, too.

In his pastoral letter, Unleash the Gospel, Detroit Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron wrote about the need for every parish to form “parish leadership teams” as a way to lighten the load on pastors’ shoulders.

Just as the archdiocese’s Synod 69 called for the formation of parish councils to involve the laity in the financial and physical upkeep of their parish, Synod 16 called for the formation of parish leadership teams to advise pastors on strategic planning and assist with the daily tasks of parish life.

A fruit originally stemming from the Amazing Parish Conference in the spring of 2016, parish leadership teams are small, tight-knit groups of advisors upon whom a pastor can rely for completing tasks, brainstorming ideas, and at times, discretion.

“The leadership team shares in the responsibility, but not the authority, of running the parish day to day,” said Fr. Brian Cokonougher, pastor of St. Thecla Parish in Clinton Township, which formed a parish leadership team soon after the Amazing Parish Conference.

Unlike parish councils, the parish leadership team meets with the primary mission of assisting the pastor in whatever tasks he needs done.

Fr. Cokonougher said the more informal setting of the parish leadership team encourages members to serve as a sounding board for the pastor’s thoughts on the needs of the parish, and a chance for the pastor to hear the needs and concerns of parishioners and parish staff.

“The parish leadership team meets regularly almost every week to discuss a lot of the day-to-day issues of the parish,” Fr. Cokonougher said. “Because of the high trust level we’ve worked to establish, the parish leadership team is able to bring up very sensitive issues, issues I can’t normally bring to a staff meeting or the parish council.”

Parish leadership teams must build a rapport among one another, taking the time to pray together and understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses, said Deacon Mike Barthel, a member of the parish leadership team at St. Joan of Arc Parish in St. Clair Shores.

Deacon Barthel says prayer is vital to all parish leadership team meetings.

“Our parish leadership team did workshops so they could get to know one another, understand our strengths and weaknesses, and understand the power of prayer,” Deacon Barthel said. “The leadership team meets three hours a week at the parish or with the pastor, and we open with prayer.”

Having that prayer time together grounds the team members, preparing them to give input, Deacon Barthel said.



“Before, it all fell on the pastor when certain things needed to be done or decisions had to be made,” Deacon Barthel said. “Now we go around the table, and the pastor asks who can make this phone call, who can make these adjustments. Everyone picks up a chore or looks at something for further analysis.”

Fr. Cokonougher and Deacon Barthel are quick to add the parish leadership team in no way limits the pastor’s authority at the parish. Rather, the parish leadership team is meant to be a helpful tool.

“Basically, the parish leadership team is the right arm of the pastor,” Deacon Barthel said. “It’s an advisory team. Some pastors feel, since the decision is ultimately on them, they have no one they can turn to. But the pastor isn’t an expert in every field, so this gives him added resources to help make those decisions.”

Parish leadership teams allow the pastor to access different perspectives of parish life, from the music ministry, youth groups or the parish school.

Soon after Geoffrey Fisher was hired as the principal at St. Thecla School before the 2017-18 school year, Fr. Cokonougher asked Fisher to become a member of the parish leadership team.

“Father said it was important for the principal to be on the parish leadership team to connect the school with the parish,” Fisher said. “As a team, we identify areas Father wants to work on and asks for our perspectives. We then branch off to the parishioners who can take over the project.” While the proverbial “buck” still stops with Father, Fisher suggested the parish leadership team eases the burden for pastors to better concentrate on the priestly aspects of their ministry.

“Father is obviously the expert when it comes to the sacraments,” Fisher said. “But people who work outside the church can bring the best practices, a new perspective. By having laity on the leadership team, it shows other laity there are things they can do to assist Father. We’re here to be the eyes, ears and arms of our priests, who can’t be everywhere all at once.”