Over the last 15 to 20 years, there has been much discussion and many initiatives around the concept of parish revitalization. The motivation is familiar: declining numbers at Sunday Mass, fewer baptisms, weddings, and first communions, and a noticeable drop in participation in faith formation. Compounding this is the growing reality of multiple parishes being served by a single priest—or none at all.
There has been some success in turning things around, and I believe we are seeing growing fruit from those efforts. Yet, at the same time, many have grown wary of terms like “relevance,” “revitalization,” and “renewal.” These words, while once inspiring, can now carry the weight of fatigue or even cynicism.
In the summer of 2020, the Vatican released a document that addressed this very need for renewal, urging what it called a “pastoral conversion.” I believe this framework can help us priests make the necessary shift our current moment requires. Any meaningful Catholic renewal must begin with ongoing conversion—both for the faithful and for us as priests. I often tell people that we must continually ask: Who are we? What are we about? What are we actually doing? And what must change so that we can truly live out the first two answers?
Priesthood has never been easy—and perhaps it’s not supposed to be. When we begin to live too comfortably, we risk becoming like the religious leaders Jesus criticized in the Gospels. Comfort becomes our motivator, not the Gospel. That said, the increasing demands placed on us—from the faithful, the broader community, and the Diocese—are real and sometimes overwhelming. Many priests are burned out, or on the path to burnout. “Just keep doing what you’re doing” is not only unhelpful—it can be harmful. Yet this is often the default.
We know the spiritual basics: the Liturgy of the Hours, daily Mass, Reconciliation, and a daily Holy Hour. But when these become mere duties or routines, and when we begin to skip them, our vocation is in danger. We’ve all heard stories of brother priests who left ministry and later admitted that praying the breviary had long since fallen away. The sexual abuse crisis exploded not long after I was ordained. I am certain that what kept me rooted in Christ and faithful to my vocation during those turbulent years was my commitment to praying the breviary.
Still, our personal conversion—and the renewal of our parishes—requires more. We hire lay staff and engage volunteers to assist us in parish ministry. They too need vibrant spiritual lives. The Eucharist, Reconciliation, and regular prayer should be part of their spiritual rhythm. We must also take time to pray with them—not just as presiders, but beside them, as fellow disciples. In every parish I’ve seen that is defying the trend of decline, the staff regularly prays together.
What is the most important thing we do as priests? What is the most vital part of parish life? The celebration of the Eucharist—both Sunday and daily. We often quote the Second Vatican Council: the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. But here’s the challenge: Does our daily and weekly schedule reflect this? How much time and energy do we give to preparing our liturgies—not only Sunday Mass, but daily Mass as well? How much time is spent preparing our homilies?
Too often our days are filled with demands to attend every parish club meeting, women’s guild gathering, or fundraising event. We are expected to be present, even if not actively participating—almost as if our presence is required for the group’s legitimacy. We get drawn into bulletin editing, fundraiser planning, event setup and cleanup. We handle contracts, finances, and HR issues. And in the end, our homily preparation becomes an afterthought: “That’s good enough.” The problem is that this mindset, even if occasional, can become our norm.
Beyond the liturgy, are we reaching out to new parishioners—or simply waiting for them to come to us? Do we make ourselves truly available for spiritual guidance and the sacraments, or do we hide behind how busy we are?
And what about our own continuing formation? Do we limit ourselves to the bare minimum required by the Diocese? Or do we seek out retreats, engage in ongoing study, and commit ourselves to spiritual and intellectual growth?
The truth is, our parishes—our people, our staff, and even ourselves—will not experience real renewal if we do not. We will never live the fullness of our vocation if we allow the demands, assumptions, and busyness of parish life to dictate our ministry.
So what can we do?
Start by tracking your time. For two weeks, record how you spend your day. Tally the hours: how much time is given to priestly responsibilities—Mass, sacraments, preaching, prayer, study—and how much to administrative or non-essential tasks? This exercise will reveal what needs to change.
Next, block out time for what matters: homily prep, liturgy planning, spiritual reading, study. Be realistic—no one can block off three days for homily writing. But an hour a day? That’s doable. Saying no to other things will be necessary. And yes, this may mean some long-standing traditions—like the annual parish dinner—might not happen if there’s not enough help. That’s okay.
Make regular spiritual time with your staff and volunteers a priority. Something weekly, monthly, and annually. Weekly morning prayer or a shared holy hour. A monthly Mass for the team. An annual staff retreat or formation day. Include seasonal prayer experiences during Advent and Lent.
Finally, help your parishioners understand what’s happening. Real conversion requires cultural change, and cultural change takes time. One homily won’t be enough. We need to be intentional and patient—with ourselves, our team, and our parishioners. Ultimately, it’s not about what we do, but about what we allow the Lord to do in us as His disciples.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
