Several readers were curious about the identification of Jim and Mary
Jean Smith, who wrote a Viewpoint column ("Wisconsin amendment aims to
marginalize") published March 19.
In terms of Catholic law, the identification was inaccurate.
The Smiths, now of Chetek, Wis., identified themselves as having served
as "co-pastors" in Roman Catholic churches in Alaska and Wisconsin, and
the Pioneer Press accepted that identification with their Viewpoint
piece. In Alaska, the couple says they were hired by the Diocese of
Northern Alaska at Fairbanks for the mission Holy Family Church in the
Yukon community of Holy Cross. In Lima, Wis., the Smiths lived in the
rectory and managed the day-to-day operations in the Diocese of La
Crosse church, work that had been done by nuns before them. The priest
serving then in Durand also ministered at Lima.
According to Catholic law, only priests, not lay people, are called "pastor."
When the Smiths identified themselves in the Viewpoint column as
"co-pastors," Jim Smith said later, "we were using it generically."
He said the couple did everything a pastor would do except administer
sacraments. He also said, "We should have been more careful with what
we said. It was not our intent to make people think we were legal
'pastors'."
