Questions du jour for clergy friends

What were the big surprises you had when you accepted a call?

Were there things that congregations said that they wanted that they didn't really want?

Were there things that they didn't tell you about that turned into ugly little messes?

Were there moments when you realized that they had gifts that they didn't recognize?

Were there moments when you realized you only had half of an important story that someone should have told you earlier on, or before you accepted the call?

As I try to help parishes find their next priest, and as I try to help priests looking for new calls, I'm realizing what a poor job we do of telling the whole story...what has your experience been?