UPDATES FROM THE DIOCESE
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Update From Bishop Barber On The Mission Alignment Process
"Aligning Our Reality With Our Mission" April 28, 2026 By: Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ Dear brother priests and faithful of the Diocese of Oakland, In 2021 we began the Mission Alignment Process, (MAP) a diocesan-wide effort to engage our clergy and our parishioners in a process of self-reflection and renewal. I write to you today regarding the next phase of MAP and the important role each one of us must play in aligning our operations with our sacred mission. With God’s help and with the resilience of our common faith, we press on in making our parishes places where people encounter Christ in the celebration of the Sunday liturgy, in our living the corporal and spiritual works of mercy and in our witness as missionary disciples. We do this important work not in a vacuum, but in light of the diocesan-wide trends in declining Mass attendance, participation in the sacraments and Catholic school enrollment began in the early 2010s. We are also at an all-time low of priests assigned to our 80 parishes, and the average age of our priests continues to climb. Some parishes and schools are struggling with financial sustainability. Meanwhile, some parishes are seeing growth, as demographics in the East Bay are changing. While many of our parishes were built to serve the Catholic Church of 1965, we now have far fewer priests and parishioners. Not all parishes can afford to pay for a support staff to fully serve the parish and our missionary aspirations. Others are surviving on rental of parish parking lots or empty school facilities. Our parishes were not created to be monuments to the past. As described in Evangelii Guadium (The Joy of the Gospel), “The parish is not an outdated institution; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community” (No. 28). Our clergy and lay parish leaders participated in 2021-22 in a deep and extensive MAP consultation, looking at parish data that revealed where our parishes are struggling most. The results of that consultation require significant change, change which is challenging for all involved. And, if we are open to the Holy Spirit, this change can also bring new life and blessings. Our Savior tells us, “See, I make all things new” (Rev. 21:5). We rest in that promise as we remind ourselves that, “if the parish proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it continues to be ‘the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters”‘ (Evangelii Gaudium, No. 28). This renewal begins with an effort to refocus on missionary work, therefore aligning our daily work with our divine mission. We must focus on the activities that foster prayerful celebrations of the Mass, prioritize works of mercy, and form missionary disciples. The status quo is not sustainable nor is it serving God’s people. We have successfully closed worship sites in the past. With considerable consultation and sustained prayer, I have determined it is necessary to close the following parish sites and pastoral center, and provide welcoming accommodation of all affected parishioners at another convenient location.
As I have full responsibility for the pastoral care of every Catholic in our diocese, it is my priority to ensure all affected parishioners are welcomed at a nearby parish. Many of these parish sites are already currently merged with or clustered with another parish. I am committed to working with all to find the best solutions in each situation. In addition, I want to say the following regarding MAP and the bankruptcy process. As you know, we are currently seeking bankruptcy court approval of our proposed plan of reorganization. Regardless of that outcome, we must face the realities described above and proceed with these closures. I deeply understand the sacrifice this will require. We cannot allow nostalgia and sentimentality to hold back the message of the Gospel. While we love our local church building, the church has never been solely a building. The church has always been a people called by God and united in faith. The faith of our people will continue, just in a different place and with new people. I ask all to join me in praying for those immediately affected by these changes. I also make a heartfelt plea to the “receiving” parishes to open your hearts wide to your fellow Catholics who will be joining you. Love them, make room for them not only in the pew alongside you, but in the activities of your parish. Welcome them as your own, for we are all one as Christ’s body. Together, we will fulfill Christ’s mission to go and make disciples, to the ends of the earth, as we rely on His promise that He will be with us always. With the assurance of my prayers and blessings, I am Yours sincerely in Christ, The Most Reverend Michael C. Barber, SJ Bishop of Oakland For more information, please visit: https://www.oakdiocese.org/aligning-our-reality-with-our-mission/ The Mission Alignment Process: Challenges and Opportunities
May 2, 2026 By: Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ The Mission Alignment Process (MAP), initiated five years ago, was designed to foster vibrant parishes by strategically aligning the valuable resources of the diocese. The goal is clear: to “Know Christ better and to make Him better known,” ensuring that every decision serves the mission of the Church. On April 28, I announced a significant new phase in MAP, which involves closing 13 worship sites: 12 parishes and one pastoral center. This decision brings understandable pain to those affected. I grieve with all who are coping with this change, knowing that grief is a suffering born from great love. One of the churches to be closed is where my paternal grandparents were married. These painful decisions have been made only after extensive consultation and research, in recognition that the future of our church must be distinct from its past. This is because the future demographics are vastly different from 50 years ago. Between the mid-1930s and early 1960s, the United States experienced a dramatic increase in births that is unparalleled. For a variety of reasons, Baby Boomers left organized religion in droves. But their sheer numbers meant a sizable number stayed. The generations following the Baby Boomers, Gen X and Millennial, also disengaged from a faith, but their percentage of the overall population is out shadowed by the Baby Boomers, even now. While we are seeing a resurgence in engagement in religion by Gen Z, their numbers are not expected to be anywhere near the Baby Boomers. We are seeing the impact of this reality in our diocese. It may be tempting to attribute the Mission Alignment Process solely to financial concerns, but the funding is but a symptom of other realities. Declining attendance and participation are evident in Mass attendance, ministry program enrollment, sacramental participation, enrollment in Catholic schools, and vocations to the priesthood and religious life. As the number of priests decline, and the age of our priests rises, we must acknowledge it is not feasible to expect pastors to take on additional church sites. Younger generations are delaying marriage and other vocational choices and having fewer children. Trying to maintain the status quo with “artificial income” from renting closed Catholic school properties does not address the root causes. More important than financial restructuring is the need to deepen relationships with Jesus Christ and rejuvenate our parishes. By focusing our resources where they are most needed, we address both financial and missionary objectives. Some parishes have responded proactively by utilizing the resources of organizations such as Amazing Parish and Catholic Alpha. These parishes are making concerted efforts to form missionary disciples and transition from a “maintenance to mission” model, resulting in growing congregations. All but one parish site and one pastoral center scheduled for closure already share priests and other staff and resources with neighboring parishes. This arrangement will continue in most cases. We anticipate no one will be burdened with driving more than 10 minutes to their new parish. Diocesan leadership will work closely with pastors of closing churches to determine which neighboring parishes will best welcome their remaining congregations. I am looking to my pastors and to the faithful of the diocese to help us through this challenging chapter in our history. With goodwill and consultation, we can find the best way forward so that no one is lost, and all are welcomed at their new place of worship. Jesus promised never to abandon His flock. With His guidance and the intercession of our Blessed Mother, let us work together in facing the current challenges. |