Many Roman Catholics understand this predicament. The Detroit archdiocese began assigning a priest to minister to more than one parish in 1995 and today more than 42 parishes share priests. Since the priest is hopping from church to church, he doesn't have a pulse on the community and the parish he serves. But the Rev. Gerry Battersby, who works with another Roman Catholic priest to serve three Detroit parishes, disagrees. He says the arrangement asks parishioners to look beyond the provincialism of one church and see the larger church.
Every parish wants to have their priest exclusively.
But love is not a finite thing. The more you give it away, the more there is to give. Other faiths struggling Though Protestant churches are also grappling with the issue, it's a little difficult to get a handle on because there are so many different denominations. Many studies have shown that it has become a serious dilemma in many faiths. The program, which is also blossoming in Episcopal churches that have ordained leaders, trains lay people to minister to the sick, celebrate the Eucharist, teach and preach.