Key Terms
- Bishop
- Deacon
- Deanery
- Merging Parishes
- Parish Leadership Team
- Parish Finance Council
- Parochial Vicar
- Pastor
- Vicar Forane (Dean)
- Parish
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Bishop
The Bishop is appointed by the Holy Father and Ordained in the fullness of the Sacrament of Holy Orders as a successor of the apostles to be the chief shepherd of a diocese. He is responsible for the temporal and spiritual well-being of his diocese. He also has the faculty to ordain men to the Diaconate and the Priesthood in the Sacrament of Holy Orders.
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Deacon
A deacon is a man ordained to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. A deacon will proclaim the Gospel at Mass, may preach a homily, assist the priest at the altar, and preside at Weddings outside of Mass and prayer services. Permanent Deacons may be married when they are ordained.
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Deanery
A Deanery is a group of parishes located in the same geographic area, which are grouped together to facilitate collaboration in ministry.
The Diocese of St. Petersburg has 7 Deaneries: Upper and Lower Pinellas, East and West Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, and Citrus.
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Merging Parishes
In a merger, two parishes are redefined into one parish. This does not necessitate any particular actions with respect to the physical properties of either pre-consolidation parish.
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Parish Leadership Team
The Parish Leadership Team (PLT) assists the pastor in taking the parish through an assessment process which is designed to provide useful information for the parish to consider in future planning. The information from the (PLT) will also provide useful information for the Deanery Leadership Team to use in the Serving God’s People planning process. Specific components of the PLT assessment process include: conductng a parish survey, completing a parish profile inventory, and offering town hall meetings for the parish to communicate the findings, as well as explaining the purpose, status, and results of the process.
For more information, visit the Resource Binder > Team Descriptions.
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Parish Finance Council
The Parish Finance Council is required by Canon Law (the law of the Church) and advises the pastor in the financial administration of the parish.
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Parochial Vicar
A Parochial Vicar is a priest assigned by the bishop to a parish to assist the pastor in the administration and sacramental life of a parish.
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Pastor
The pastor is the priest assigned by the bishop to be responsible for the pastoral, spiritual, and temporal administration of a parish.
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Vicar Forane (Dean)
A Vicar Forane (also known as a Dean) is a priest who has been charged by the bishop to work with a group of parishes, in this diocese called a deanery, to promote coordinated pastoral efforts among the parishes within the deanery and to foster community among the priests of the deanery.
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Parish
A parish is a portion of a diocese which the diocesan bishop entrusts to the care of a priest as pastor.
Resources consulted in compiling these definitions:
