PROPOSED NORTHWEST ONTARIO
COUNTY PLAN
Welcome to the Catholic Community of Northwest Ontario County. We are the parish communities of St. Bridget/St. Joseph, St. Dominic, St. Felix, St. Francis, St. Mary and St. Patrick. We attest to the strength of the faith in this area and the continued growth our communities are experiencing. Having completed five years of praying together, mutual support and living in these communities, we are ready to offer another plan for five (and ten) years of life together. This plan is submitted, building on activities that have been shared and that will continue.
INTRODUCTION
Our parishes have an on-going
commitment to continue the following: the Planning Group (pastoral leader plus
two lay representatives from each parish) meets monthly and is supportive and
understanding of the philosophy of collaboration. The Pastoral Leaders meet every six weeks for communication and
support. Pastoral Visitation teams are
in place and regularly visit the three hospitals, nine health care facilities,
hospices, and private homes. Pastoral
Visitation teams are also in place and regularly visit the Ontario County
Jail. Annual Lenten retreat days take
place for our Catholic Community. The
parishes have combined Confirmation preparation and celebrate twice
yearly. The six parishes share in RCIA
enrichment days. A Pastoral Planning
newsletter has been developed and is circulated quarterly. The four full-time assigned priests
sacramentally care for the sick in hospitals and health care facilities as well
as inmates at the jail. These
activities reflect the cooperation of leaders, staff persons, and the people of
the communities. We build on these
exciting adventures as we present this plan.
As we expand our pastoral plan in
light of diocesan guidelines, these are the fundamental value statements on
which we have built our plan:
Value One calls forth the
responsibility of our six communities to provide Catholics with the sacramental
ministry and faith formation essential to supporting and growing lives of faith
and service according to the mind and heart of God.
Value Two invites us to
understand that, through worship and parish life in our region, our faith
communities will be tangible signs of Christ’s presence in our world.
Value Three reminds us that
parish life in our region should be restructured in such a way that the gifts
of the people will continue to be honored, drawn upon and shared. The spaces
where we gather for worship, faith formation and community life will be
welcoming, safe and open to all.
Parishes must be financially able to sustain and grow essential
ministries and facilities.
Value Four reflects the fact
that beyond our parishes, the pastoral needs of all who live, work, suffer, and
study in our region will be served, with outreach beyond our borders.
To insure that these values are
addressed, the structure and relationships of parishes and personnel will be
developed according to the following steps:
From July of 2005 until June of
2007, the Sunday Eucharist will be celebrated sixteen times per weekend. This is the current number of Masses in our
six churches. During this time, a plan
will be developed to reduce this number from sixteen to thirteen. Thirteen Masses presumes four assigned
priests and the assistance of a retired priest. A process will be developed whereby the assigned priests will
preside at Sunday Eucharist in parishes other than their assignment twice each year.
The pastoral leaders of each parish
will continue to meet regularly as well as continuing to serve on the Northwest
Ontario Planning Group. Two
representatives from each parish will also serve as active members of this
Planning Group. This group will provide leadership in implementing this plan as
well as act as a sounding board for recommendations for future growth and
development.
During 2005-2007, the pastoral
leader, working in conjunction with the Pastoral Council and the Finances
Council of their parish, will continue to make decisions for that parish, which
are appropriate to the situation. It is
a courtesy to inform the Pastoral Planning Group of such decisions. Parishes in our region agree not to incur new debt from
discretionary spending that would be carried over into the next phase of the
plan.
A Communication Coordinator will be
chosen to insure that valuable and pertinent information is provided to the
Catholic Community of Northwest Ontario County in a timely way. This person will also oversee a committee of
volunteers from each parish assisting in sharing information on specific issues
regarding emerging needs of each cluster/parish.
The following working committees
will be established with membership drawn equally from each parish. There will be two sets of these committees. One will serve the parishes of St. Dominic,
St. Felix and St. Francis. The other
will serve the parishes of St. Bridget/St. Joseph, St. Mary and St. Patrick.
1.
Committee
for Faith-Community Growth, Unity and Ministry
(hospitality, social activities, retreats, youth
ministry, social
justice, etc.)
2.
Buildings
Assessment Committee
3.
Leadership
Building Group (trained in group process, attentive listening techniques,
psychology and theology of Church)
4.
Committee
for Sacramental Life (developing unity of sacramental life among disparate
communities – creating, ritualizing and celebrating life)
The
work of these groups will help the transitions necessary for the implementation
of this plan.
St. Dominic, St. Felix, St. Francis parishes will work to
get to know each other in anticipation of becoming one cluster under one
pastoral leader. Their current Pastoral
Councils will meet jointly at least semi-annually beginning in September 2005
to shepherd the process on behalf of their communities. The current finance councils will meet
jointly at least semi-annually beginning in September 2005 to share information
and possible strategies for the future.
By July of 2006, a new Pastoral Council will be formed with three members
from each parish. This Council will
begin preliminary work (by-laws, selection process, mission) and will be seated
when the new cluster under one pastoral leader is formed in July 2007
In
January 2007, St. Dominic, St. Felix and St. Francis parishes, by agreement,
will formally petition the Bishop to become one cluster under one pastoral
leader and take all necessary steps leading up to this by July 2007. Based on capacity of existing churches and
Mass attendance, four Masses will be necessary until the facility options of
the new cluster are explored and implemented.
In
July 2007, St. Dominic, St. Felix and St. Francis will celebrate becoming one
cluster with a new pastor or pastoral administrator. A staff will be assembled depending on what the new cluster needs
and can afford. A key to carrying out
the work of the Committee for Faith-Community growth, Unity and Ministry would
be to include a Parish Life Coordinator on this staff. The recommendations of the working
committees of 2005-2007 will be given to the newly formed Pastoral Council.
In
the years 2007-2015, St. Dominic, St. Felix and St. Francis cluster will become
one parish.
ST. BRIDGET/ST. JOSEPH, ST. MARY, ST. PATRICK
The St. Bridget/St. Joseph and St. Mary parishes will work to get to know each other. Their current Pastoral Councils will meet jointly at least semi-annually beginning in September 2005. They will also develop a working plan for their merger as a cluster of two parishes with one pastoral leader.
The St. Bridget/St. Joseph, St. Mary
and St. Patrick parishes will work on facilities assessment to address the need
for adequate worship space – this may include but not be limited to St.
Patrick’s long-term need to build or enlarge, St. Bridget/St. Joseph’s need to
enlarge, and St. Mary’s parking limitations.
They will also work to identify ministries that can be shared, what
mutual benefits are possible by working together, and how pastoral staff will
further participate in the shared ministry of this region. While not at this time clustering with another parish, St. Patrick will continue as an
active partner with the other parishes of the Catholic Community of Northwest
Ontario County. St. Patrick will
continue to discern and address its needs in relation to the rapid growth of
its community.
In July 2007, the St. Bridget/St.
Joseph and St. Mary parishes will celebrate becoming a cluster with a new
pastor or pastoral administrator and will begin working even more closely
together. A staff will be established
according to need and finances available.
A new Pastoral Council representing both parishes will be formed. The working committees will offer their
recommendations to the new Pastoral Council.
In the years 2007-2015, St.
Bridget/St. Joseph and St. Mary cluster will become one parish with two worship
sites.
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Within the first year, the pastoral
leaders and sacramental ministers of the region will meet to establish
procedures for working together for the coming year (e.g., a convener of the
group and a coordinator for sacramental ministry). Together, these leaders will assure continued support for St.
Mary’s School, ministry at Finger Lakes Community College, and work through
emerging questions in the parishes and the region.
During 2007 through July 2008, the
communities will live together, test and measure the plan. Recommendations
from the work committees, pastoral planning group and pastoral leaders will be
addressed.
Within the first year, each cluster
and parish will look for ways of continuous feedback to evaluate pastoral
life. One way to do this is through a
town meeting. Recommendations for the future will be welcomed.
These two new parishes and St.
Patrick’s will grow as a community with pastoral presence in each village and
city. During this time, consideration
will be given to maintaining current facilities or expanding existing
facility/facilities or building a new facility or other options as they become
apparent.
In conclusion, while the pastoral
leaders work in specific parishes they will also work collaboratively in
Northwest Ontario County. These
leaders will meet every six weeks for prayer, support and sharing. Collaboration will be encouraged among
communities. This plan presumes a
commitment to the on-going ministries in which the parishes are already
involved. Further, the plan looks to
gather all the staffs annually for enrichment.
Pastoral Leaders and the Planning Group will look into the feasibility
of sharing services where possible.
Plans will be developed for more extensive sharing of gifts, talents,
programs and prayer among communities.
There is much joy in the service of
People of God in the Finger Lakes. This
plan offers the conscious efforts of the present Planning Group to look to the
future and insure not only the service but also the joy of service through
prayer, vision, collaboration, and cooperation.