Top photo: For a number of years, the parishes of St. Catharine, Holmdel, and St. Mary, Colts Neck, have enjoyed a collaborative partnership that both parishes believe has strengthened their work and ministry efforts. Staff members from the two parishes, along with their pastor, participated in a day of reflection and team building at Francis House of Prayer, Allentown. Here they are pictured with Sister of St. Joseph Marcy Springer, Francis House director, who facilitated the day. Photo by Father Jeff Lee
By Mary Stadnyk | Associate Editor
For a number of years, the parishes of St. Catharine, Holmdel, and St. Mary, Colts Neck, have enjoyed a collaborative partnership that both parishes believe has strengthened their work and ministry efforts.
That collaboration was recently highlighted when the two pastors, Father Patrick McPartland from St. Catharine Parish, and Father Jeffrey Lee from St. Mary Parish, and the staff members took time away from their busy schedules to participated in a day of reflection and team building at Francis House of Prayer, Allentown. The day was facilitated by Sister of St. Joseph Marcy Springer, Francis House director.
Reflecting on the partnership, Father McPartland said the parishes share two staff members, along with having a common Order of Christian Initiation of Adults process and the coordination of priest schedules. The impetus for the partnership was the guidance and direction given by the diocesan Faith In Our Future initiative which encouraged parishes “to find ways to start to think together instead of each parish thinking on its own,” he said.
While the process to work collaboratively had its challenges and “it is difficult learning to think and work this way,” Father McPartland said that it was a “a great comfort to know that we are not alone in ministering to our community amid the great challenges of being a Church today.”
Father McPartland was pleased with the day of reflection saying that, “One way to continue to learn to think together is to pray together.”
“Both parish staffs spending a little time together in prayer was a great way to recognize why we do what we do and how the Lord is calling all of us to serve,” Father McPartland said. “We need to step back and let the Lord refresh us from time to time.”