Father Joshua Weaver, Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Harrisburg, speaks with young men about discernment at the annual Quo Vadis Days discernment retreat.Father Joshua Weaver spends much of his time helping young people listen for God’s voice.
As Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Harrisburg, he works with men and women discerning whether God may be calling them to the priesthood or religious life, while also supporting the seminarians currently in formation.
“My job is to help young people discern what God is calling them to do,” he said.
That perspective makes him especially interested in the Diocese of Harrisburg’s campaign feasibility study, which is designed to help the diocese listen to the faithful and discern how best to strengthen the Church’s mission in the years ahead.
“The feasibility study will help us get a better sense of where we’re at,” Father Weaver said. “With GPS, you can’t get to your end destination if you don’t know where you’re starting. Finding out what people’s needs are, what their desires are, what they see and what they’re experiencing – it’s all going to help us serve them better, evangelize and bring Christ to them better.”
The feasibility study invites parishioners, clergy and community leaders across the diocese to share their insights through interviews and surveys. The goal is to determine whether there is strong support for a potential diocesan-wide capital campaign that could address important needs and strengthen ministries throughout the Church.
“It’s really important for us to hear from the faithful in terms of what initiatives, ministry areas and projects are important to them,” said Kim Roche, Director of the Diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development. “It also confirms for us: Are we on the right track in terms of what we’re offering to our faithful?”
Through the feasibility study, the diocese is testing support for several priorities, including:
Priests of the Diocese of Harrisburg gather at St. Patrick Cathedral in Harrisburg for the celebration of last year’s Chrism Mass.- Strengthening faith formation and evangelization.
- Expanding Catholic Charities’ outreach.
- Investing in Catholic education.
- Supporting vocations and seminarians.
- Caring for retired priests.
- Improving diocesan services that assist parishes and schools.
- Completing needed renovations at St. Patrick Cathedral.
For Father Weaver, one of the most pressing priorities is supporting future priests. Nearly 30% of priests in the diocese are closing in on retirement. Increasing support for seminarians and programs that encourage young men to become priests will help ensure that parishes continue to be served for generations to come.
“I’m excited to see where we are, what we’re doing well, where we can grow,” Father Weaver said when asked about the feasibility study. “I’m interested to see what people are passionate about so we can then discern, by the grace of God, where we’re called to move forward.”
The feasibility study also is evaluating support for renovations at St. Patrick Cathedral, the mother church of the diocese. Father Joshua Brommer, pastor and rector of the Cathedral Parish, said the project would help preserve a sacred space that serves the entire diocesan community.
Clergy, religious and lay faithful fill St. Patrick Cathedral for the ordination of three priests last June.“The longevity of the Cathedral Church and its role in the life of the diocese is something that needs to be preserved and guarded,” he said. “The renovations aren’t just for the good of the parish. In fact, many of them are much broader in their scope to be able to serve the wider needs of the diocesan community and the greater Harrisburg community.”
If the feasibility study confirms strong support, the diocese could decide to move forward with a capital campaign designed to strengthen ministries and address long-term needs. This type of campaign represents a different form of stewardship than what our diocese is accustomed to.
Weekly parish offertory gifts and the Diocesan Annual Campaign provide “ordinary stewardship,” supporting the ongoing ministries and day-to-day operations of parishes and diocesan programs. A capital campaign, by contrast, is considered “extraordinary stewardship,” focusing on major initiatives and long-term investments that help the Church grow and thrive. Gifts are typically pledged over a three-year period, allowing families to make a larger impact while continuing their regular support of parish and diocesan ministries.
For Roche, the study represents an opportunity to help the diocese move forward with renewed energy and purpose. “We’re testing these ideas to see if we can move from a maintenance mode – just funding things the way they are – to a mission-driven mode where we can respond to emerging needs.”
Father Brommer described it as moving from “being static into something more dynamic. From sitting back to going out.”
“We’re really looking at how we can position the diocese to better respond to ongoing needs, take advantage of opportunities, strengthen programs, all while fulfilling the mission of the Church,” Roche said.
Share your feedback by completing the feasibility study survey at https://www.steiergroup.com/survey/ and select Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg.
(Photos by Chris Heisey, The Catholic Witness.)
By Sara Saenz, the Steier Group, Special to The Witness
