Parish Event Prioritization

Theological considerations

General Rules
Level A
Level B
Level C
Level D

General Rules

1. Based upon the foregoing theological reflections, the events at St. Anthony parish can be broken down into four levels: A, B, C, and D.

Level A events are general ministries initiated by the parish and are serving the whole parish. The staff persons or volunteers carrying out the ministries have a mandate from the pastor for their ministries.

Level B events are specific ministries initiated by the parish and are aimed at the whole parish, or at certain layers of the parish. The staff persons or volunteers carrying out the ministries have mandate from the pastor for their ministries.

Level C events are group gatherings initiated by parish-sponsored groups and are serving only the goals of the groups. Though some group events are occasionally aimed at the whole parish; basically, the groups are ministering to the special interest of their members.

Level D events are sports and recreational events.

2. A lower level has to yield to a higher level. Level B events yield to level A events; level C events yield to both level A and level B events; level D events yield to all other events belonging to higher levels.

3. Events within the same level are scheduled on a first-come-first-served or on a fixed-time basis. An event can have a fixed time slot if it occurs regularly on the same day and at the same time of the day. Within the same level, a fixed-time event may have priority over a non-fixed-time event.

4. Before requesting a lower level event to yield, organizers of a higher level event have to exhaust all other alternatives. Bumping a lower level event should be only the last resort.

5. Events of any kind taking place in the Parish Hall, in the Multi-purpose Room of the School, or in the Music Center do not have to yield to an event of a higher level if the number of the participants of the higher level event is low and the higher level event can be accommodated in a smaller room.

6. Large events, like dinners, sales, lectures, and performances, advertised in advance and/or attracting a large crowd do not have to yield, after already being scheduled, to events of a higher level.

7. If the classification of an event is contested or if a dispute arises regarding scheduling events of two different levels, the arbitrator is the pastor or the designee of the pastor. If a conflict arises between two events belonging to the same level, the conflict can be diffused through negotiation. If these negotiations fail, the arbitrator is the pastor or the designee of the pastor.

8. No private celebrations are allowed.

Level A

Level A events are ministries initiated by the parish and serve the whole parish. The staff persons or volunteers carrying out the ministries have a mandate from the pastor for their ministries.

Liturgical celebrations:
Masses
Communion or prayer services
Other liturgical celebrations

Events tied to liturgical celebrations or to the ecclesiastical year:
Funeral receptions
Soup suppers
First Communion receptions
First Reconciliation receptions
Easter Vigil reception
Confirmation receptions
Coffee and donut hours
Breakfasts after Masses
Money counting

All-parish events:
Town meetings
Parish missions
Volunteer appreciation celebrations
All-parish picnics, gatherings

Level B

Faith formation events:
Religious education classes
GoLF (Generations of Living Faithg)
Youth ministry gatherings
First Communion classes, gatherings
First Reconciliation classes, gatherings
Confirmation classes, gatherings
RCIA sessions, gatherings
Returning Catholics sessions, gatherings
Marriage preparations
Baptismal preparations
Lectures, events with guest speakers
Bible classes
Sonshine Days
Other Faith Formation activities

Liturgical training, practices:
Lector training
Cantor training
Eucharistic minister training
Ministers of hospitality training
Altar server training
Choir practices

Meetings of consultative bodies:
Pastoral Council meetings
Finance Council meetings
Hispanic Commission meetings
Stewardship Committee meetings
Liturgical Commission meetings
GIFTS Ministry Core Team meetings
Faith Formation Comission meetings
School Commission meetings

All-school events:
Classes, including PE classes
School Masses
School prayer services
Theatrical plays, performances
Octobearfest
Graduation celebrations
School dances
PTC general meetings
All-school sports events

Ministry to the homeless and needy:
St. Vincent de Paul meetings
ARISE

Level C

Level C events are group gatherings initiated by parish-sponsored groups and are serving only the goals of the groups. Though some group events occasionally are aimed at the whole parish, basically, the groups are ministering to the special interest of their members.

Spiritual, social, and ethnic groups:
Small Christian Community gatherings
Legion of Mary meetings
St. Anthony Prayer Group evenings
Hispanic Prayer Group meetings
Familia gatherings

Fund raiser events:
ASSAP spaghetti dinner
Barrio Fiesta
Rummage sale
Other fundraiser events

Scout meetings:
Girl Scouts
Boy Scout Troop 448
Cub Scout Pack 448

Level D