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On 1 August, Bishop Douglas J. Lucia, 62, of Syracuse took up the pastorate of three churches in Baldwinsville, New York — St Augustine’s, St Elizabeth Ann Seton’s, and St Mary of the Assumption. The appointment was announced in a diocesan letter dated 9 August.
“Well, today, I am able to share the news that I will be your new pastor,” the bishop wrote to parishioners. “Although I was called to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Syracuse six years ago, it has always been with the hope of continuing to be a parish priest and I guess God has taken me at my word.”
Lucia said the move was driven by the essential role of the priest in parish life. “Without the priest, there is no Mass; and without the Mass there is no Eucharist, no food for the journey,” he wrote.
The unusual arrangement is in response to the growing shortage of priests in the United States. Figures from Georgetown University’s Centre for Applied Research in the Apostolate show a fall of more than 43 per cent since 1965, from 59,426 to 33,589 in 2024. Parishes have also declined by 8 per cent over the same period, from 17,763 to 16,267.
Matthew Loveland, associate professor of sociology at Le Moyne College, told Syracuse.com: “It’s not something I’ve seen before… I would have to imagine that folks in those parishes are worried today.”
The bishop will be assisted by Fr Benjamin Schrantz, parochial vicar, and retired priest Fr Thomas Ryan, who will provide sacramental support. A revised Mass schedule will take effect at the end of August.
Bishop Lucia emphasised that pastoral planning must consider the health and well-being of clergy as well as resources. “The Diocese must allow for balanced lifestyles for clergy and parish staffs, as well as the ability to serve Christ’s faithful both in our urban and rural settings,” he wrote.
While it is rare for a diocesan bishop to take up regular parish duties, history offers precedents. In the 19th century, bishops in frontier territories often combined episcopal oversight with parish ministry due to the scarcity of clergy. In recent decades, however, such arrangements have been seen chiefly in small mission dioceses rather than in long-established sees like Syracuse.
Bishop Lucia’s decision comes against a backdrop of declining Mass attendance in the United States, especially in the Northeast. Analysts have noted that the shortage of priests is compounded by an ageing clergy, with the average age of American priests now over 60.
Pope Francis appointed Bishop Lucia as the 11th Bishop of Syracuse on 4 June 2019. Ordained in 1989, he has long combined diocesan leadership with parish duties, having served in 2006 as both chancellor and episcopal vicar in the Diocese of Ogdensburg while pastor of three rural churches.
“I am committed to providing the best pastoral care for the Baldwinsville area within the means we possess,” Bishop Lucia commented.
