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Priestless Parishes: The Baptized Leading the Baptized

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Virginia Stillwell has written for the Sunday Lectionary for World Library Publications, and is an instructor on ritual and ecclesiology in lay and diaconal certificate programs. She has a master of divinity and a master of arts in theology.

She writes in the Introduction to this 2002 book, "This book tells the story of lay Catholics who are heading parishes without resident priest-pastors. Each chapter begins with a conversation between people whose lives are affected by this ministry... Each chapter explores a key issue for ordinary Catholics that is illumined by their experience and ends with questions to consider."

Here are some quotations from the book:

"How many priests does the church of the twenty-first century need to unfold 'the baptismal grace of all Christians'? On the one hand, many bishops from around the world would envy our abundance. One diocese in Kenya has parishes with 20,000 parishoners and a total of twenty-four priests for 350,000 Catholics---one for every 17,500 people." (Pg. 25)

"Salary, benefits, and length of contract are areas in which tension erupts between lay leaders and their parishes. In the small sample of people interviewed, only one feels her salary is appropriate to her level of responsibility and adequate to meet her family's needs. A few are working for part-time salaries and need to work elsewhere to supplement their income." (Pg. 81-82)

"The Holy Spirit is 'efficaciously present' in the courageous witness of the baptized leading the baptized. With the lay leaders of today's parishes, may Saint Perpetua and Saint Felicity lead ALL the baptized to claim the vocation, authority, responsibilities, equality, collaboration and communion of the priesthood they hold in common." (Pg. 140-141)