My next assignment is...

...to be the Director of Priestly Formation for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

My responsibilities will be to organize a host of programs and activities aimed at the ongoing spiritual and intellectual formation of our priests: retreats, days of recollection, continuing education, and the meetings the Archbishop calls with his priests each year, and every five years.

Priests are expected to make a retreat every year, and to take several days of continuing education each year as well. I will be responsible for assisting priests in doing so, providing opportunities and--to the extent I can--give encouragement to take advantage of these opportunities.

Every ten years, priests are welcome to take a sabbatical--which is meant to be a time of additional learning, as well as spiritual recharging. Again, promoting and providing for sabbaticals will be my responsibility.

This position also assists in organizing training and continuing education programs for parish administrators and lay employees; and because so many of these activities overlap with many disciplines, the Director of Priestly Formation collaborates with the Worship Office, the office for youth, the school offices, the business offices--in other words, all the offices of the Archdiocese. After all, these are all areas where ongoing formation is helpful and valuable.

It's appropriate to say that this is a position for which I did apply. But before I applied, and before I told anyone I was considering it, I did have several priests contact me to ask if I would consider it. I'm honored by that--but even more grateful to see that as a confirmation that it will be a role where I can do good for my fellow priests, and thereby for the Archdiocese.

I will be reporting directly to Bishop Joseph Binzer.

This is not considered a full time position, so there will be other duties, likely in a parish setting, but that has not been assigned yet. But it is likely to be Cincinnati, so that I can commute to the Archdiocesan offices without too much difficulty.

The new pastor for Saint Mary and Saint Boniface parishes has been named, and will be announced at the 4 pm Mass on Saturday, so watch this space for that information. The reason it's not announced sooner is a courtesy to him and his parish so that he can give that information to them first.