Asked to describe his vision of an ideal parish, Bishop Sullivan said:
“An ideal parish needs a pastor who is active and present and involved in the lives of his people and in the life of his community…. An ideal parish is where people feel welcome and can find what they need to grow in Christ. An ideal parish is where Christ is preached, and an ideal parish is where the teachings of the Catholic Church are taught and explained to people.
To me the church is the parish; it’s not the chancery office. The chancery is absolutely necessary for the working of the church, of course, but the life of the church doesn’t go on there. It goes on in the parishes of the diocese. Where the people are, there is the church.”