Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

The Development of U.S. Roman Catholic Church Lay Leaders For a Future with Fewer Priests

Parker-Martin, Gloria J

Abstract Details

2013, EdD, University of Cincinnati, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Urban Educational Leadership.
The Catholic Church of the United States is facing a future with fewer priests. The diminishing number means many more parishes will be without a resident pastor, and some parishes will no longer have a priest available to them at all. The trend makes it more likely that new models of ministry will need to be launched to maintain Catholic faith communities throughout the country. It is likely more and more responsibility for the growth of such churches will rest with lay leaders. This study looks at the problem through the lens of Change Theory with the methodology of Action Research. This report examines the effects of the priest shortage trends on St. Anthony Parish in Madisonville, and the efforts to define the best ministerial and administrative structure for its lay people to position the parish within a Pastoral Region in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. For the U.S. Church to survive the laity must begin to take on roles that priests once held. There is a new vigor for the laity, particularly women, to assume stronger roles in the parishes. Lay people, church members who are not ordained, have always had some role in the Catholic Church. It was largely “pay, pray and obey,” until the late Twentieth Century. Today there are more opportunities and a new urgency for the people to move from the passive parishioner stage to the engaged lay volunteer. This study discusses the challenges in that transformation, and highlights the urgency to develop training programs for lay leaders. The laity will play an important part in the church in the future, but at this point, they are not even at the table to participate in the discussion. With the shortage of priests comes a new vigor of the laity to take on more leadership roles in the church.
Mary Brydon-Miller, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Rev. Jeffrey M. Kemper, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Patricia O'Reilly, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Vanessa Allen-brown, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Cheryll Dunn, Ed.D. (Committee Member)
180 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Parker-Martin, G. J. (2013). The Development of U.S. Roman Catholic Church Lay Leaders For a Future with Fewer Priests [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1367936803

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Parker-Martin, Gloria. The Development of U.S. Roman Catholic Church Lay Leaders For a Future with Fewer Priests. 2013. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1367936803.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Parker-Martin, Gloria. "The Development of U.S. Roman Catholic Church Lay Leaders For a Future with Fewer Priests." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1367936803

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)