MY travels to the United States were educational. I had the opportunity to visit parishes in St. Pettersberg (Florida); Walpoole (Boston) and a parish in New Jersey (New York). My impression is that their concerns are now not unlike our own; falling numbers, Church amalgamation and closures and a loss of Church authority.
The sex abuse issue is just as real but it is not clear to people the extent to which it is feeding other issues. The biggest single difference is that parishes are generally better resourced to meet the challenges.
Of particular interest was the strong emphasis on music and song in the liturgy and the length to which the parish will spend money and resources to ensure this is maintained at a very high standard.
They are much more ‘cashed-up’ financially and employ good numbers of young, competent and theologically trained workers.
One has a sense that more is happening. With youth, aged, housebound, poor and marginalised people they have the resources to meet real needs. There are programs for young people; for engaged and married people; for the aged, sick and poor; social justice and parish partnership; for bereavement and special interest groups.