The six pastoral priorities identified through the Speak Up Sessions: Liturgy, Priestly Vocation, Compassionate Outreach, Lifelong Faith Formation, Youth and Young Adults and Lay Ministry

The diocese is undertaking the initiative to strengthen and revitalize parish life in response to changing demographics and shifts in the Catholic population, a decline in Mass attendance and the number of priests available for ministry, and the need to advance key pastoral priorities identified by the Catholic people at more than 140 “Speak Up” sessions that were held in 2005 and 2006 with Bishop Galante. These priorities include lifelong faith formation, vocations to priesthood and religious life, lay ministry, compassionate outreach, liturgy, and youth.

A vibrant parish has several basic indicators: a visible community of faith that has a good liturgical life through worship and celebration of the sacraments, provides faith formation for every stage of life, provides opportunities for the exercise of stewardship of time, talent and resources, and provides outreach for those in need in various ways (see “Indicators of a Dynamic Parish”).

No parish plans alone. As Bishop Galante said when the planning initiative was announced, “We are saved as a people, we will plan as a people.” Each parish is a part of the diocesan Church that is likewise a part of the Universal Church.

Therefore, parishes were asked to work collaboratively within deaneries in order to consider approaches to strengthening parish life for entire geographic areas of the diocese. As St. Paul described, we are all members of the one Body, the Church. A flourishing parish is associated with all the parishes in a diocese as in one Church living out the mission of Christ.

In a merger, two or more nearby parishes join together to form one larger parish under the care of a pastor. Both the assets and liabilities of participating parishes are united and become the responsibility of the merged parish. One budget is created with one new pastoral council and one new finance council, with representation from each of the parishes involved in the merger. In unique circumstances, such as in areas of the diocese where there is a surge in the summer population, secondary worship sites may be used to accommodate the need for additional worship space during those times of the year that require it.

In some areas of our diocese, population changes have left a greatly diminished Catholic population and under-utilized facilities. In these circumstances, it is difficult or impossible for the parish to offer vibrant, well-celebrated liturgies and to maintain the material, financial and human resources necessary to carry out the level of care that the Catholic people need and deserve, all of which will be necessary to advance the pastoral priorities parishioners have said are most important. By joining the resources of two or more parishes, increased opportunities are created for vibrant parish life.

Property legitimately acquired by a parish is owned by the parish, not by the diocese. Both assets and the liabilities belonging to a parish, therefore, belong to the newly reconfigured parish. This includes real estate (land, buildings); property such as automobiles, furniture; long-term investments in securities; restricted funds that have been set aside for a specific purpose, such as pension funds or certain building or educational funds.

While the Bishop must provide for and review the fiscal operations of all parishes and work to ensure that the goods of each parish are being applied to their proper purposes, he functions in this regard in a supervisory manner. The pastor, not the bishop, has the decision-making authority over the assets of a particular parish.

Before we can think forward to the good that lies ahead, we often need time to own and acknowledge the feelings we have. That is why before any kind of process of transition can occur, there must first be a period of time to deal with the reality of change. For this reason, the diocese has gathered and trained men and women in every area of the diocese to assist parishes in this regard. The “Coping with Change Together” resources are being made available to every parish in the diocese and pastors have been given information on how to arrange for them at each parish location.

Furthermore, before parish communities can be formally merged together, there must first be opportunities for the parish communities involved to begin to know each other better, to begin to form bonds that will help bring about the strongest possible faith community when it is finally established. There will be opportunities in the months ahead to create new relationships through prayer, common celebrations and sharing.

In the meantime, as we consider the concept of merging parishes, we might consider the imagery of marriage, wherein equal partners come together in love to form a new reality.

Neither spouse gives up who they are, the experiences that have helped shape and form them, or the things that have been a part of their lives up to that point, but they both bring these to the new union. Likewise, two or more parishes, each rich in traditions and charisms, come together in peace and love to form a new faith community, deriving its strength from the gifts of both communities. This new reality, in turn, will give birth to new gifts and new life.

No. A “mega church” is a term used by non-denominational Protestant congregations to designate a church which has 2,000 or more congregants attending each scheduled worship service. The largest “mega church” in America averages 35,000 in attendance, according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research.;;;These numbers are far greater than any Catholic parish in this diocese, even after parishes are joined through merger.

Bishop Galante’s goal is not to create “mega churches,” but to create stronger Catholic parishes that have greater resources that will enable them to better meet the needs of the Catholic people. In citing the experience he has had with parishes in other dioceses, some of which are much larger than the merged parishes that will be established here in this diocese, Bishop is not trying to replicate them here, but rather is drawing attention to the range of ministries that many of these parishes typically offer, ministries which would meet the needs of parishioners if they were offered in this diocese.

Indeed, many of these needs were identified by the people of the diocese themselves at parish Speak Up sessions and include youth and young adult ministry, lifelong faith formation, compassionate outreach, lay ministry, liturgy and priestly vocations.

Of the 124 parishes in the diocese currently, only one has a full-time, paid youth minister. Many parishes, as presently configured, lack the means to add the full-complement of paid, professional ministry positions that would be necessary to address the needs that the people themselves have identified as most pressing. By joining parishes together, the parishes will have the human and financial means to offer these important services and ministries. The new parishes will still be of a modest size so that pastors and parish teams will be able to offer quality pastoral care to the people and parishioners will be able to know each other well and form strong faith communities.

A new entity is being formed. Just as a child is neither totally the mother or the father or a simple composite of the two parents, the new parish is a new community with new life and should have its own name.

The name of the largest or oldest parish in the merger is not the name chosen for the new entity; however, a variation derived from that title might be possible if it is acceptable to all the merging parishes. For example, St. James Church, when merging with another parish, may become SS. Phillip and James Parish, or St. Peter Church may be named SS. Peter and Paul Parish when it is merged. St. Luke Church may be the worship site for the newly merges parish named St. Luke the Evangelist Parish or St. Stephen Church may be a worship site for the newly merged Holy Martyrs Parish.

If there are already several parishes in the diocese with the same name, it i advisable to choose a new title or choose a variation on the title.

For example, St. Joseph Church could be part of the merged parish named St. Joseph the Worker Parish; St. Peter Church might merge with others and be named St. Peter the Fisherman Parish; St. Mary Church might be the home for the new parish, Notre Dame Parish, or Mary, Seat of Wisdom Parish.

In the process of planning for the use of sacred goods, items of both churches will be used at the seat parish as part of the new environment and community. Items not able to be used at the seat parish will be placed in the “historical archive room.” Items that will not be used in the seat parish or in the archive room will be placed in a depository which the Diocesan Real Estate Office has set-up at Our Lady of Grace Church in Somerdale for the preservation of sacred goods. This would be done after the property of Holy Maternity is sold.

For the first year, there will be one change for weekend masses to compromise the present times from both parishes(4P and 5P). The schedule will be 4:30 p.m. vigil, 8:00 a.m., 9:30a.m. and 11:00 a.m.

The current 9:00 a.m. daily liturgy at Sacred Heart will be revised as follows:  Monday: Communion Service; Tuesday and Thursday at 9:00 a.m.; Wednesday and Friday at 8:00 a.m. No Saturday Masses.  The location for Masses during the week will be the seat parish. The weekend and daily mass schedule will be revisited in one year.

Mass schedule for weekend and daily Masses will continue as scheduled until a merger date is given. After the merger, Masses will be moved to the seat parish. Notification to the people of Mass change and place will be announced once we receive a merger date. Parishioners may request a Funeral at Holy Maternity until such time the property will be sold.

We plan to use the present Sacred Heart School for both Religious Education classes and office space.
Office spaces include: Pastor, Parish Secretary, Religious Education, Deacon, Bookkeeper, and Meeting Room.

The recommendation of demolishing the old church building, thus adding spaces, is one way; possible parking across the street at Walgreens and the corner restaurant. It was suggested to check with the township for crosswalks and/or have police escort during mass times. The other possibility is using the PNC Bank parking lot.

No. We will wait for a year before we have a re-registration drive.

The celebration of First Communion will be celebrated at Holy Maternity and Sacred Heart as planned.

Planned strategies to initiate an ongoing welcoming environment for deaf and persons with disabilities so that they are included in church and parish life.
Sacred Heart Parish has:
> an outside ramp, with handrails leading into the front entrance of the church off the parking lot.
We have recently consulted with the Diocese and Township for:
 >handicapped access rest rooms for the church upper-level,

>handicapped access rest rooms for the church hall basement

>access into the church hall from the upper-level church and from the outside entrance into the church basement.

>plans are set to add a ramp to the entrance of the Sacred Heart School where the parish offices will be maintained.

 >plans to have signage directory for parishioners and visitors leading them to the parish offices

>plans to re-paint the lines in the parking lot and mark clearly  handicapped area both on the ground and in signage.

 >plans are set in motion at the present time to evaluate the sound system in the church

> plans to invite those with disabilities to be more active in the life of the parish
      
> to make a couple pew cuts for people with wheelchairs, one in the front  and one in the middle of the church at the already break
      
>to place a ramp going into the sanctuary for handicapped-ministers