El Paso Bishop Seitz talks about latest priest reassignments
A day after announcing that 14 priests would be assigned to new parishes, El Paso Catholic Bishop Mark Seitz talked about the changes and the reasons the decisions were made.
“One of the joys in our lives as priests is that very quickly, when we arrive in a parish, we are adopted by the members of the community,” Seitz said at a Friday news conference. “We become a part of the fabric of their lives, dear members of their families, sharing moments of crisis and loss, as well as moments of joy and success.
“We are there to welcome the new child in baptism and to say a last farewell when they die,” Seitz said. “If that belonging takes place after a short time in a parish I can only imagine how it feels for both priest and people after 18, 20 years or more.”
Seitz said that normally priests move more frequently but that for whatever reason that has not been the case in many instances in El Paso. He mentioned that some priests being moved have been at their current parish for 10, 15, 20, 24 or even 26 years.
“Certainly there will be grieving to be done on the part of many,” Seitz said. “And my heart goes out to all who are saying farewell to their beloved priests. At the same time I am convinced that this experience of change is one that God can richly use in the lives of us all.”
Seitz doesn’t expect there to be more reassignments after these take place between June 21 and August 1.
“This is it as far as I can see for the forseeable future,” Seitz said.
Seitz said that could change, if a priest became ill, for example.
“Change will be part of the life of the diocese as long as I am here,” Seitz said.
Each priest being given a new assignment will receive a tenure renewable for six years. Seitz said this is to give them a sense of stability but also to know that their new assignment isn’t a lifetime appointment.
The Roman Catholic population served by the El Paso diocese is 656,035 of a total population of 811,739.
The diocese, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, is made up of 55 parishes, 20 missions, and 17 ministries.
