By David Myers

Southwest Kansas Register

In many parishes, priests are forced to juggle sacramental and other duties with an ever-increasing administrative role, overseeing committees, commissions and councils, organizing events and activities, all of which steal away time from the simple act of ministering to God’s people.

The Diocese of Salina has addressed that dilemma by initiating a position called Pastoral Administrator.

Father Bill Surmeier of Hays recently visited with representatives of the Dodge City diocese in Jetmore to discuss the pastoral administrator model of leadership, which Father Surmeier and another priest began designing at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish back in 1993, in preparation for a change of pastors at St. Nicholas.

If adopted by the Diocese of Dodge City, the parish administrator would be a paid, full time or part time position (depending on the size of the parish) that would work in collaboration with the parish priest.

"The position allows people not ordained to exercise their baptismal ministry, while freeing the priest to exercise his ministry that comes from the sacrament of holy orders," Father Surmeier said. "It frees the priest up to do what he was ordained to do."

Besides serving as Sacramental Minister and Canonical Pastor at St. Nicholas of Myra Parish in Hays and St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Munjor, Father Surmeier is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) for the State of Kansas, working at Catholic Charities in Hays.

"The role of a canonical/sacramental pastor is to provide for the spiritual life of the parish, to provide all the sacraments," Father Surmeier explained. "The role of a pastoral administrator is to administrate the parish. The pastoral administrator works with the pastoral council, the budget council and other commissions in the parish."

He stressed that the creation of the position was not an answer to the shortage of priests.

"God does not create shortages, He creates opportunities," he said.

Lilly Binder, who accompanied Father Surmeier to Jetmore, was appointed pastoral administrator of St. Francis Parish in Munjor in 2002.

"I meet with families preparing for their child’s baptism, with couples anticipating marriage, with families when death occurs to offer consolation and plan the liturgy," Binder said. "I meet with Father Surmeier in the planning of other sacraments, First Communion, communal penance services, and anointing of the sick. I attend all parish meetings."

Binder was very active in the parish prior to becoming pastoral administrator. She is a lector, Eucharistic Minister, she sings in the adult choir, and is a member of Christian Mothers. She also has served as parish office manager. When Father Surmeier was appointed pastor of St. Francis, he set up a parish "town hall" meeting during which parishioners asked Binder if she would consider pursuing the pastoral administrator position.

"I did pursue it and was accepted into the pool of candidates by the diocese," she said. "After completing the requirements set by the diocese I was officially installed as pastoral administrator in our parish by Bishop Fitzsimons in July of 2002."

Ten pastoral administrators are currently employed at parishes throughout the Diocese of Salina. The position requires a significant number of hours of adult religious education that can take up to five years to complete. In the Diocese of Salina, classes are held through the Pastoral Leadership Program, which trains individuals for a variety of ministries by offering some evening and Saturday classes, at locations across the diocese.

"We are so rural and spread out," Father Surmeier said in regard to the classes. The time it takes to earn certification "probably depends on where you live and other responsibilities. You may have another job, or be a full time parent, so you have to pick and choose your schedule."

How the classes would be incorporated into the Diocese of Dodge City hasn’t yet been determined, but because the diocese utilizes the ITV system, distances to travel to the classes shouldn’t be as much of a concern.

What is a concern though, is how each candidate will work with the priest and the people of the parish. Each candidate has to undergo an interview with the priest and the bishop, who will ultimately appoint him or her to the new position.

"One important thing is that there be a good mesh of personalities between the sacramental priest and the pastoral administrator," Father Surmeier explained. "The person must have people skills, problem solving skills, good listening skills, and good leadership skills."