In this time of transition for our diocese there is an attempt to put aside the mutual distrust, confusion, and miscommunication amongst the various bodies of the diocese and with each other. This month it is my turn to write about my role on the Standing Committee. I hope that I don’t muddy the waters, so I will try to be clear in this article.

I represent the Standing Committee, or the Ecclesiastical Authority, to the Diocesan Council. Now I only hold this position because at the moment we don’t have a diocesan bishop. Bishop Romero is doing a fine job for us as our Assisting Bishop and he has enabled us to begin the process of healing and moving forward, but with that being said the Standing Committee is the body that is tasked to make final decisions. The interesting and a comforting part for a lot of people is we (the Standing Committee) don’t come to tell Council what we want it to do, rather I come to report and to listen to the will of the people. As liaison I am more like an ambassador. I report to the Council what is going on in the Standing Committee, and I report to the Standing Committee what is going on in Council. This is done so we can keep all lines of communication open in the decision-making process through out the diocese.

The Diocesan Council has been called ‘The Convention between Conventions’ meaning that its membership is created from all corners of the diocese to watch over the legislation and budget that Convention has created. Some people are elected and some are appointed and they are tasked to represent all of us, and the people on Council take their job seriously. Because of its composition its members usually have a good idea what is the will of the people of the diocese, and that cannot be ignored. The Ecclesiastical Authority, whether it’s the Standing Committee or a Bishop, cannot ignore or try to dictate terms to this body, because each voice on the Council represents hundreds or thousands through out the diocese. I find myself adding my voice to the debates, but mostly I listen because Council usually has a different perspective than those of us on Standing Committee and it is that perspective that I take back to Standing Committee.

What the diocesan leadership on all levels is trying to do is to model cooperative behavior, reduce suspicion of each other and our motives and proclaim the Gospel with all of the joy that is within us. The great thing about this role is this: once we elect a new bishop and she or he takes over this job ends. I look forward to that day not because I find this job a chore (OK, I’ll not lie to you - most days it’s OK, and other days I wonder I why I didn’t take that manager’s job at McDonald’s) it means that we are moving to the next stage and there will be an orderly transfer of authority and my presence on Council will be a distant memory.

We are a diocese with great people and I have the privilege – no, I have the honor – to work with some of the finest people in the diocese. We all love God and the Church; we get together to discuss direction and to try to discern the will of the Holy Spirit.