Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany

Definition of Terms

1.  Terms Used in the Albany Diocese to describe its Planning Process over the past three years: 2006-2009:

Pastoral Planning: A structured process of systematically visioning and determining how to ensure the ongoing viability and vitality of the mission and ministry of the church in the Albany Diocese.

Called to BE Church:  The theme or name given to the ongoing pastoral planning process in the Albany Diocese since 2006. 

Local Planning Groups (aka LPGs): The term given to the members of the planning teams for each of the thirty-eight (38) local geographic and parish groupings created throughout the Albany Diocese to carry out the grassroots planning process over the past thirty months. These 38 LPGs were groupings of parishes ranging in size from 2 parishes to as many as 8 parishes working together. The Local Planning Groups were charged by Bishop Hubbard with developing plans and recommendations for the future of the church, in their local area, and to submit the recommendations to the diocese by

June 30, 2008.

Called to BE Church Review Commission: Twenty-four members appointed by Bishop Hubbard in the summer of 2008 for purpose of reviewing the recommendations and plans submitted by the Local Planning Groups on June 30, 2008. The members of the Review Commission were priests, deacons, religious and lay leaders from throughout the 14 County Albany Diocese.

Presbyteral Council: A Council of priests within the diocese required by Canon (Church) Law.  In the case of restructuring of parishes, as is the case with Called to BE Church, the Bishop must present his decisions to the Council and receive their input.

2. Terms describing Church Entities:
Parish: A specific community of the Christian faithful within a diocese, under the authority of a pastor, parochial administrator or parish life director. As a general rule, a parish is territorial it comprises all the faithful within a specific geographical territory. Non-geographic parishes based on rite, language, nationality or other factors may also be established by the Bishop.These are commonly called personal parishes.

Closed Parish: A canonical declaration by the bishop, in consultation with the Presbyteral Council, that a parish ceases to function as a parish as of a given date.The territory of the closed parish then passes to the nearest geographical parish or to the parish designated by the Bishop.  Discussions regarding assets and liabilities of the closed parish occur between the Diocesan Finance Office and the pastor/parish to which the territory of the closed parish has been assigned.

Linked Parishes: Two or more separately incorporated parishes agreeing to share programs, activities, services, staffing, use of facilities, finances, parish organizational bodies and communications vehicles to the extent possible.

Merged Parishes: Two or more parishes joined to become a new single parish corporation with shared assets and liabilities. Generally, a new name is recommended to the bishop through a consensus process with parishioners.Implementation of the merger may take several months. A date is selected to officially close the two or more merged parishes, and the new parish is established on the following day through canonical decrees by the Bishop and by following appropriate civil law requirements.

Mission: A community of the faithful, generally not large enough to be a vital and viable parish on its own, committed to the care and administration of a specific parish by the Bishop.

3. Terms Related to People

Pastor: A priest appointed by the Bishop to be accountable to him for the pastoral care of one or more parishes. Under Canon Law, only a priest can be designated the pastor of a parish.

Administrator: A priest appointed by the Bishop to administer a parish. This appointment has less stability than that of a pastor appointment and generally is for a specific period of time. Under Canon Law, only a priest can be designated the administrator of a parish.

Sacramental Minister: A priest assigned by the Bishop to provide sacramental ministry for a parish led by a parish life director. This is often an assignment given to retired priests or priests on special assignment who are performing full or part-time jobs within the diocese.

Permanent Deacon: A minister trained and ordained for service. Deacons are ministers of the word, sacrament, and charity. They proclaim the Gospel and preach, preside at baptisms, wakes, funerals, and communion services, witness marriages, assist at liturgy, lead Benediction and prayer services.

Parish Life Director: An individual who is not a priest, appointed by the bishop to be accountable to him for the pastoral care of a parish in accord with Canon 517.2. A parish life director may be a deacon, a woman religious, or a lay person. When a parish is led by a parish life director, a priest is appointed as the sacramental minister to celebrate the sacraments. The parish life director and sacramental minister work in collaboration. In the Albany Diocese, a parish life director must have a master's degree in theology or equivalent degree.