New Seasons Committee Frequently Asked Questions
- NEW. What time will our new community meet beginning in January?
We don’t know yet. The New Gatherings Task Force will provide a recommendation to the community this summer. If you have input or feedback on this topic, please contact a member of the Task Force (Kelly Bohrer, Matt Naveau, Amy Lewkowicz, Sharie McKenny, Linda Folmar, Katy Keenan, Steve Guilfoos, Cathy Dempsey) or the New Season Committee (Meghann and Matt Naveau, Tom and Marilyn McCrate, Kelly Bohrer, Tom Zawodny, Kevin & Linda Skinner) to share.
2. I’ve heard there are Marianist and other retired priests who would say Mass for us. Why can’t we have Mass every week with their support?
It’s true that there are many Marianist priests in the Dayton area who are happy to come join us for Mass. But, the Society of Mary Province is no longer able to provide a dedicated pastor for us to be a parish after this year. As hard as that is, we must honor their decision. We must also support the Marianists in staying in good standing with the Archdiocese.
You probably recall the Naveaus talking about their Holy Spirit moment early in the New Season work with the phrase, “Build it to hold.” Having a bunch of different priests for various weeks is contrary to the execution of that vision; it’s a band-aid approach, rather than trying to create a model that is sustainable for the long-term. It may feel like that band-aided arrangement meets the needs of our community in the near-term (and feels comfortable/familiar), but it doesn’t help us build a community and model that will hold.
Just like QAC was originally formed as a parish in the spirit of Vatican II, we’re reading the signs of our times to build something new (again!). Our new community won’t be a parish, and we won’t have Mass every week. Priests around the world will continue to be in high demand in the coming years, and we’re hopeful that the new community we are building together could even be a model for other faith communities as we all find new, different ways of living our faith. We are creating a new method for new times!
3. I’m worried about participating in both a parish and the new community. Will that really be possible?
We hope so! Our goal is to structure the new community in a way that allows you to still go to Mass at a parish of your choosing when you like, as well as be involved in a parish in the way that you discern. That will look different for all of us, and likely different than the way we’ve each participated in parish life before (such as your financial contributions going to one organization, or being deeply involved in many ministries at one parish, etc.).
There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer here, and we encourage everyone to pray about your involvement in the new community (and a parish, if you choose), talk with others, and discern where God needs you in this next season.
4. Will our new lay community provide Sacramental prep and regular access to Sacraments?
No. Because our new community will not be a parish, we will not be able to provide access to the Sacraments (anointing of the sick, Eucharist, reconciliation, marriage, etc.). We do hope to have a monthly Mass offering, in collaboration with the Dayton Marianist Family Council. We encourage everyone who wishes to have regular, frequent access to the Sacraments to register at an area parish of their choosing.
One of our task forces later this year will explore parish and intercommunity partnerships, and they may make recommendations for parishes to which our community may want to belong, based on similar culture and style.
5. If we have to move out of Sieben Hall by the end of the year, do we still need to care for the facility for the rest of the year? And pay rent?
Yes. We will honor our existing parish agreements and commitments through our parish closure at the end of the year, and continue to be good stewards of the resources shared with us.
6. What is the Family of Mary?
“Family of Mary: Not an organization, but a movement comprising all those independent groups which attempt to live out the spirit of Father Chaminade in practice. All the groups mentioned in the definitions [in this blog post] so far are considered parts of the Family of Mary movement. They are all characterized by a common Marianist spirituality, by some level of consecration, by autonomy, by a friendly interdependence and exchange with one another, and by some orientation of service to the world around them.”
Our new lay community is part of the Family of Mary. There are a lot of terms and names for various organizations in the Marianist world! Some additional references are available here.
7. Will our community be recognized by outside groups (Archdiocese, Society of Mary, etc)?
Yes. As we move from being a Parish, we would be recognized under the Marianist Lay Community – North America (MLC-NA). The Marianist Lay Communities are Christian communities at the service of the mission of the church in the world. Our communities are organized as an international association of the faithful in the Catholic Church, and are one of the three branches of the Marianist Family.
8. Will working with the Marianist Lay Communities of North America (MLC-NA) would help us to be a hub?
Yes. We are working to develop and nurture relationships with the Dayton Marianist Family Council, MLC-NA, the Society of Mary (Marianists brothers and priests), and more to help encourage collaboration and build solidarity among the Marianist family.
9. Would the Dayton Marianist Family Council not accept us or turn us away?
It’s very unlikely that would happen based on the discussions we’ve already had with many members of the Dayton Marianist Family Council (DMFC); Meghann Naveau is also a member of the Council. If we’re building a Marianist lay community, we have DMFC’s support. The Council has read our overview and will meet with the New Season Committee in early April to ensure we’re all aligned.
DMFC does not have “authority” to approve or disprove of MLCs being formed. DMFC is made up of nominated representatives from all three branches of the Marianist Family of Greater Dayton (brothers and priests, sisters, laity) committed to furthering the mission of Mary. The mission of the DMFC is to facilitate greater connections among individuals and communities, promote unity, foster our shared heritage and work toward a deeper and broader common ground among the Marianist Family of Greater Dayton.
10. Are there plans to merge this new community with another community?
No. QAC will not merge with another Parish or Faith Community (e.g. St Leonard’s, St. Luke’s, etc.).
We are exploring partnerships with existing faith communities (including St. Leonard’s) who are also seeking new ways of being (perhaps for shared Mass, social justice work, etc.), and the New Season Committee will share information about partnerships explored so existing community members can collectively and individually make the decision of where to receive Sacraments, if they so desire.
11. Why are Committee Meetings closed to outside attendees?
The New Season Committee collectively decided our committee meetings would not be open to additional attendees. We did this to keep moving forward rather quickly on a timeline that’s outside of our control, knowing we’re also collaborating with the community coordinators and soliciting feedback as we share updates with all of you.
The NS Committee is not making decisions without consulting the Leadership Team or community. We’re gathering feedback, creating recommendations and setting direction to then bring to the LT and community for input and decisions.
12. In our new season, will our community have Mass together every week?
No, in our new season, our community will not celebrate a weekly Mass together as we are now. We are planning to join together weekly as a community for some type of gathering; we’ll be establishing a task force soon to develop what the format for those new gatherings will be. We are also hopeful to help host a monthly Mass for the Dayton Marianist family, too.
If you have a specific question or concern, please email qacnewseason@gmail.com.