A Week in My Life

A week in my life. Some parishioners have asked, “what keeps our priests busy”? So, here is an attempt at a brief rundown of my week from September 14-20:

Sunday. I offered the 8 and 10:30 am Masses at St. Henry. I visited “Donut Hour,” bringing a protein bar. I hurried to confessions, 9:30-10:15 am. The next 15 minutes are hectic getting ready for Mass. I’m at an age where I can't afford to skip the men’s room. From 11:30-12:30 am I fielded questions as promised. I stopped in the parish office briefly, picked up a sandwich for lunch, and rested until the 6 pm Mass, where I offered the financial-report/homily for the eighth time in two weeks. After this, dinner and bed. This was a busier Sunday than usual, due to my giving a financial report at eight Masses over two weekends.

Monday. This is my day of rest. Unless it is a genuine emergency, or the archbishop asks for something, I step away from all parish activity. I am sorry to miss some events, but fairness requires saying yes equally and that means no day of rest, which is unhealthy. This is often when I do laundry or run errands. Sometimes I cook a meal.

Tuesday. Mass at 8 am. I picked up breakfast on the way to the office. A later breakfast enables me to skip lunch most days. Since this is my first day in office since Friday, there are usually dozens of emails and several phone calls. Note: we have an emergency line, with each priest taking turns to be on call, including overnight. I fielded one call this day, scheduling a visit for the next day. I had such a call the prior Saturday; and we get calls and emails daily requesting confession, anointings and visits; the other priests, mindful of my administrative tasks, take the lion’s share of these.

Meanwhile, responding to emails, calls and also responding to the needs of our employees took most of Tuesday.  I had two scheduled meetings, plus a routine doctor’s appointment (all good), then time set aside for more phone calls. Late that afternoon, a special issue came up needing immediate attention. That required some follow up with a couple of staff members over the next several days. I had a meeting with key volunteers and staff in Bishop Leibold, from 7-8 pm, to invite their ideas for the longer-term. 

Wednesday. I had the luxury of sleeping a little later and did some work from home. In the office around 10 am. Met with some staff members from 11-11:45 am, at my desk with letters and checks to sign, and monthly financial records for 14 separate bank accounts (across the three parishes, school, and smaller parish-sponsored organizations for whom I have oversight) to review. I fit this in here and there, on Wednesday and Thursday. My sister and brother in law came by at 12:30 to take me to lunch; it’s very hard to find time to see my family. 

I dawdled over lunch and was back by 3. I’d have hurried back sooner, because I originally planned to visit a parishioner in the hospital; however, another priest happened upon our parishioner and advised me, and the family said no further visit was needed (this is why I check emails every day!) 

I might mention here that every week, various items come to me for signature. Many of our staff are authorized to approve budgeted spending amounts up to $500; I approve items over that. Parishioners or other parishes request baptismal records, confirmation sponsor forms and other things. Various items come through the mail: some I pitch, some I must deal with, others I pass along to others. 

The special need that came up on Tuesday took more time this afternoon; I hurried down to St. Mary for confessions at 5:30 pm, then Mass at 7 pm. I visited a little with Mass-goers and then headed home. Dinner, around 8:30 pm, was leftovers from the Tuesday evening meeting. 

Thursday. Mass at 9 am at Our Lady of Good Hope, including our younger schoolchildren. After this, Deacon Terry Martin met, over breakfast at Tim Hortons, to resolve last-minute questions about a funeral the next day; but that spawned some follow-up phone calls.

Back to the office at St. Henry where I had a few minutes to check calls and emails, and review paperwork, before meeting with some staff. Everyone has projects and needs to report things back to me, and get direction for next steps. I was busy at my desk until around 3:30 pm, dealing with emails, calls, and clearing through some matters in anticipation of my being away for two weeks’ vacation. 

I joined the other priests at 4 pm for some social time, prayer together, and dinner. This is vital to making plans and having a sounding board. We played some Euchre.

Friday. Mass at 8 am, some conversations with Mass-goers, picked up breakfast on the way to St. Henry office, where I continued to work through various routine matters. I wrote some letters. I wrote a homily. I fielded calls and walk-in questions. (Sometimes parishioners drop in. I see them if I can, but I might not be able to, which is why my email and phone are below.) 

Emails can involve requests for meetings, questions, complaints (a few), requests for more information, requests for help that are shared with our staff. People inquire about weddings, decrees of nullity, funerals and many very personal matters. Many of these are handled by our deacons, priests or other staff members; some I handle. I spend time planning meetings. That special issue I mentioned from Tuesday? Last, brief meeting today, unless there are further developments next week. I left the office around 2 pm, met two priests from a nearby parish, plus one of their staff, and we drove down to Cincinnati to attend a Reds game that evening.

As I’ll be away for two weeks, I’ll have a big pile waiting for me! And when I return, I’ll have to dig into some planning for the new year, including early budget questions and Mass schedules.

Saturday. Early meeting with several of our deacons over breakfast. Ran into parishioners and visited with them. Back home to spend several hours writing notes from that meeting, and a prior meeting, to share back with the deacons and others, as well as writing several columns, including this one. Later today will bring confessions and Mass at St. Mary, finishing around 5:30 pm. If you’re keeping track, that’s about 48 hours. This was a lighter week, because I planned a doctor’s appointment, and time with friends and family. I’m not including time I spend praying each day, which is spread through the day.

Father Martin Fox

Pastor