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KEY ELEMENTS NEED
The Pastoral Planning Process now underway in the parishes of Brooklyn and Queens must develop gradually, have a “bottom up” cast and be a tool of evangelization, an assembly of priests in Queens was told last week.
“Gradualism is important,” said Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, who attended one of four sessions arranged for priests in each of the four vicariates of the Diocese. He attended the session at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church, Jamaica, Feb. 8.
“We want the faithful to be involved in planning for the future of the Church,” Bishop DiMarzio said in brief remarks. “We need to consult. And if there are tough decisions to be made, I am willing to make them.”
For Robert Choiniere, director of the diocesan Pastoral Planning Office, a true “bottom up process’ will require wide consultation as well as “time and patience.” Mr. Choiniere remarked that the initial parish and cluster planning process will take three years beginning with the development of Parish Pastoral Councils (PPCs) in each parish. “The Pastoral Councils are the planners,” said Mr. Choiniere.
Msgr. Francis J. Caggiano, who heads the Vicariate for Evangelization and Pastoral Life, drew attention to Bishop DiMarzio’s first pastoral letter, in 2004, “The New Evangelization in Brooklyn and Queens,” and said the pastoral planning process “is an opportunity to revitalize parish life.”
At the outset, the Pastoral Planning Office is working with parish leadership to develop Parish Pastoral Councils and providing training to PPC members. The training presents a model for creating a pastoral plan and completing a parish self-study. This model is flexible allowing each pastor and PPC to develop a planning process that will meet the needs of each unique parish. The planning process leads to the creation of a parish pastoral plan.
Each parish plan will then be considered by clusters of parishes. Clusters will focus their deliberation on the resources needed to address the parish priorities. “In this way,” explained Mr. Choiniere, “crucial decisions about the use of our resources will be based on the priorities and values articulated by the parishes.”
While this is the ideal planning process, there have been several parish situations that have been expatiated because of certain urgencies. Stressing possibility and new life, these immediate reconfigurations are moving forward under the title “New Beginnings.”
The proximity of church buildings, the best use of priest personnel and financial pressures were seen as principal factors leading to the immediate changes. The parishes were “at a critical juncture,” Mr. Choiniere said.”
In Astoria last June, the pastoral care of St. Margaret Mary parish was entrusted to Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish, when St. Margaret Mary’s pastor, Father Edmund P. Brady, retired. Msgr. Paul R. Sanchez has continued as Mount Carmel’s pastor, where some 1,400 attend weekend Masses, while administering St. Margaret Mary, whose Mass attendance is about 250. The hope is that one pastoral planning council will function there.
Two Williamsburg parishes six blocks apart, SS. Peter and Paul and Epiphany, have one priest as pastor, Father Richard J. Beuther, one pastoral planning council and an integrated parish life with both sites operative and an English and Spanish Mass schedule that accommodates parishioners at both churches.
In the Rockaway peninsula, St. Thomas More-St. Edmund’s, Rockaway Point, and St. Genevieve, Roxbury, about a mile apart, reconfiguration is well underway. Msgr. Michael J. Curran is the spiritual leader of the two faith communities, as pastor of the former and administrator of the latter. Father John F. Cullinane, now the pastor emeritus of St. Genevieve, will leave the parish in June. The parishes are working toward one pastoral planning council and over time a modification of the weekend and daily Mass schedule is likely.
Two Fort Greene parishes seven blocks apart---St. Michael-St. Edward’s and Sacred Heart, Adelphi St.--- are under the aegis of one pastor, Father John J. Gildea at Sacred Heart. About 320 attend Mass at the latter, while some 60 attendees are at one bilingual Sunday Mass at St. Michael-St. Edward’s.
Father James A. Hughes, who recently left St. Michael-St. Edward’s to become administrator of St. Anthony of Padua Church, South Ozone Park, prepared parishioners for the change, said Msgr. Kevin B. Noone, the episcopal vicar. “They were grateful the church didn’t close,” he said.
While pastoral services have remained available at each of the faith communities, clergy personnel are being better utilized and the changes were said to be effecting cost savings.
Mr. Choiniere noted that the four reconfigured situations were presented to Bishop DiMarzio and the 27-member diocesan Presbyteral Council for their review.
Meanwhile, Msgr. Caggiano and Mr. Choiniere said the larger pastoral planning process was advancing with the assistance of the episcopal, or territorial, vicars.
Msgr. Caggiano noted that parish councils were originally proposed during the episcopacy of the late Bishop Francis J. Mugavero and Mr. Choiniere observed that when he assumed his current post last year about half the parishes had a council in place.
Parish Pastoral Councils exist to create a vision of parish life. They are charged with creating a consultation process between parish leadership and parishioners and reflecting on the future of parish life in light of the Gospel mission and the local neighborhood. “They must look at the big picture,” said Mr. Choiniere
“It’s a process that has to be learned and lived,” Msgr. Caggiano said.
The goal, they agreed, is to foster vibrant faith communities.
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2/13/06
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