Amen to the points about importance of music and liturgy. I am a “convert” to Catholicism, raised a Presbyterian, familiar with, and with very-fond of, Anglicanism. My wife is an evangelical, so I am well acquainted with their ways of handling liturgy (too little for my tastes) and music (sometimes a bit too enthusiastic perhaps, but sometimes very powerful as a way of creating a powerful devotional climate).

I didn’t know, when I was received into the Catholic Church, anything about “charismatics.” So it was quite a shock when I found out what a profound deepening of worship that can bring. I do not refer to the glossolalia. I mean something that evangelicals simply would call a “prayer and praise” approach to use of music in the liturgy.

My parish, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Denver, has a high Mass that uses what evangelicals would recognize as “prayer and praise” music, but adapted for use in a high liturgy. The community I belong to is aimed at the “young adult” (not youth) community of Denver, which is why that particular musical format is used at one Mass a week.

It works. I also have attended Catholic “praise and prayer” services in Denver and northern Virginia. Just about anybody would say these are slightly charismatic in form, but that’s not my point. In some cases, a more-charismatic musical approach, more commonly associated with evangelicals, can work even in a Catholic high Mass. It is not unrestrained. It is not disruptive. It is powerful and worshipful, without distracting in any way from a central focus on the actions at the alter.

Music can be a powerful way to point worshipers to the many realities at the Mass. Real presence, real praying “together with all the angels and saints,” genuine sacrifice and active participation, but all oriented towards the saving work made physically present.

The results of a computerized survey indicate the perfect priest preaches exactly fifteen minutes. He condemns sins but never upsets anyone. He works from 8:00 AM until midnight and is also a janitor. He makes $50 a week, wears good clothes, buys good books, drives a good car, and gives about $50 weekly to the poor. He is 28 years old and has preached 30 years. He has a burning desire to work with teenagers and spends all of his time with senior citizens.

The perfect priest smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his work. He makes 15 calls daily on parish families, shut-ins and the hospitalized, and is always in his office when needed.

(I got that from Fr. Z)

Yup…this is a proper ordering for a pastor in an American Catholic church.  Hearing confessions does need to be first and foremost, because the concept of sin is just so screwed up in our consciousness.  Dis-empowering the laity is also a worthy second priority, since it helps prevent abuses in many ways.  Respecting the sacraments, the liturgy, and the music should be requisite, but should be fruits of the previous two things.

Of the concerns you listed, I’d prioritize them thusly: 1) Respect for Liturgy; 2) Lots of Confession; 3) Music; 4) Ordinary Ministers of Holy Communion.  I’m in a parish now where devotion to the rubrics of the Mass is lax (to put it charitably).  While the other issues that concern you are important, it is my experience that having a permissive liturgical environment is probably the most divisive thing that could happen to a parish.  So pray and pray hard that your bishop sends your parish the holiest priest available in the diocese.  A holy priest is always an obedient priest and will not see fit to mold and shape the liturgy to personal tastes.

Re: skeeton “a holy priest is always an obedient priest”

Exactly!  A priest friend of mine puts it thusly: “the liturgy does not belong to me.”

My current pastor is great 90% of the time, so I’ll swallow any complaints.

However, to me, his homily always has three parts: The part in which he’s made his point (usually very well) but doesn’t stop, the part in which he’s made his point so many times and is still brining in enough tangents that I don’t think he’ll ever stop, and the part in which he finally does stop, but on a weaker point that just kind of washes away instantly.

So clear, authoritative, pithy homilies would and continue to be my dream.

I’ll second William’s comments abut a good homilist. We have lots of “vague homilies about vagueness” (my sister-in-law’s favorite phrase to describe them). It would be nice to have a priest who incorporates a point of Catholic belief or doctrine into the homily.

In the Diocese of Arlington, my expectations are often exceeded. It was during a period when it most definitely did not, that I drew up the three-point minimum:

1) Celebrate Mass validly and licitly, with appropriate reverence,

2) Preach in keeping with the teaching of the Church, without error, and

3) Act your age.

To read more ...

http://manwithblackhat.blogspot.com/2009/10/bless-me-father-if-its-not-too-much-to.html

I totally agree on the ordinary ministers.  During the Tridiuum I noticed how nice it is when all the deacons are at mass (we have 3) at my parish.  Effectively, all the hosts are done by ordinary and the precious blood is extraordinary (there’s 8 total stations, with an occasional ninth).  Even the 91 year old deacon is out there doing his job!

I’d add “catechesis”.  It’s something that I wish was more in my parish.  In those “middle years” there’s not much focus on teaching, but more “how can you serve the kids or the seniors?”.  So getting a pastor who really makes those things happen would be fantastic (even if it’s just more in the homily).

I agree with much of what has been posted.

I just want a priest who has a deep abiding love for God’s people and who is obedient to Rome.  I want a courageous man who will teach the faith - who will not water it down because he is afraid of offending parishoners, staff or the DRE - and in the process lead us all to heaven.

I am weary of not being able to trust 99% of the priests and church staff I’ve met because they think they know better then Rome.  I am tired of explaining to my children that “even though Vatican document “abc” says “xyz” Father does it differently.”  I want a priest who will rein in (or fire) the irreverent liturgical staff and the DRE who is pro-choice, and feels it necessary to drop the word he or men from scripture and the creed. 

The people of God deserve better.  We can take the truth.  We hunger for the truth.  Priests!! Be not afraid!!

1. He must be obedient to his God through being obedient to his bishop, not merely in a legal but in a virtuous sense.
2. He needs to have a prayer life that involves listening to God on behalf of those he has charge of. Only then will he learn how to love in the way that Jesus commanded in John’s Gospel.
3. If he has the first 2, he will preach how to live the faith in full agreement with the magisterium. He will see to it that all have the opportunity for on-going catechesis.
4. If he has the first 2, he will naturally not only spend time in the confessional, but God will give him increased insights and spiritual gifts in advising and healing those to come to him in the confessional.
5. If he has the first 2, he will revere the liturgy properly.
6. If he has the first 2, he will have progressed in his spiritual journey enough to serve as a guide to others in his care who are on that journey.

The first 2 are the foundation, and I am always saddened when I see a pastor betray by his speech and action that he really doesn’t have a personal relationship with his Lord.

I don’t want much in a pastor - just a saint.

All the above comments regard liturgy, which of course is vitally important, especially to the average parishioner, whose only interface with the pastor occurs once a week. But remember that the pastor spends FAR more time doing business-things to keep the parish and it’s buildings and it’s staff afloat. Liturgy is important, but not the only thing, and I guarantee that business-things will be foremost on the auxiliary bishop’s mind. Not every priest’s strength lies in liturgy or preaching, and a priest’s strength must be matched to the parish’s needs (how in debt is the parish, for example).

“I suppose the primary quality of a good pastor is that he is first and foremost a good priest, dedicated to the sacraments.  I suppose that should go without saying, alas.

That said, here are some things I would like to see from my new pastor.”

Some things just never change!
I am from a large parish, and we have three priests and three deacons. We do the liturgy, confession, catechesis,and music excellently. Kudos to our church, St. Joseph’s in Macon, Georgia.

When all of us become perfect, maybe we can pontificate about what’s best for our particular church; but, I just thank our Lord for what our faith and church provides and think more about what I can do to help.

Placido, parishes would do well to have a business manager to handle the parish finances/debt/operations.  The priests should focus primarily on priestly duties, things that can’t be handled by a lay person (e.g., Confession).

If a priest can perform his primary duties and also manage the finances, great.  But he should delegate when needed.  He’s a priest, not a combination priest/accountant/foreman/janitor.  Other people can do the accounting, other people can make business decisions, but other people can’t celebrate the Holy Mass or hear Confessions.

I would add strong preaching.

Amen, Matthew.
However, in the smaller parishes—-He’s a priest, not a combination priest/accountant/foreman/janitor.—-is not at all possible. So, all that sounds great but it is the size of the parish that really dictates all of those things.
Charlie

In looking at these responses, including my own, it occurs to me that we all know what we want from a pastor, and by extension, a parish. Would we devote as much combox space to what a pastor, and by extension, a parish, might need from us?

I doubt it.

St. Paul instructs Timothy on being a good priest thusly, “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”  His points are,

1. Make Jesus the center of your life because it is in Christ that you will find the grace to be a good (strong) priest.
2. Be a teacher of the received faith.

I want my pastor to love us the way our Lord loves us. I want him to desire our holiness.

Charlie,

However, in the smaller parishes—-He’s a priest, not a combination priest/accountant/foreman/janitor.—-is not at all possible. So, all that sounds great but it is the size of the parish that really dictates all of those things.

But I would think that even smaller parishes would have someone who can do the janitorial work, someone who can do at least some of the accounting, etc.  I think one of the great tragedies in contemporary parish life is how little people are willing to give of their time and talent to their parish.

Gosh, I feel bad—because our parish already has the almost perfect pastor. We do not have extraordinary ministers (deacons instead). We do not have the “sign of peace” disrupting Mass, and we have the Novus Ordo, English and Tridentine Masses.  He gives 100 %  to God and the parish but sadly there is only one of him, and he is in his 70’s.