March 14 , 2006

Pastors Informed on Plans for Potential Parish Mergers

An explanation of the process underway on the reconfiguration of parishes in Brooklyn and Queens highlighted the agenda of a pilot program instituted by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio designed to keep pastors and administrators current on issues and programs affecting the Diocese of Brooklyn.

The first pilot session took place March 9 at the Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston, led by Auxiliary Bishop Frank J. Caggiano, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia, and a second is set for May 15.

If the meetings are successful in enhancing communications within the Diocese, five meetings for pastors and administrators will be scheduled in the pastoral year that begins in September, he said.

In a process begun two-and-a-half years ago, diocesan officials have studied the combining of neighboring parishes in several parts of the Diocese, taking into consideration how a merger would allow the mission of the Church to go forward in the community where it would take place and the effect of limitations in personnel and finances.

Because the idea of a merger needed to be examined early on in the reconfiguration process in several communities of Brooklyn, four mergers were explored and completed, with the actual canonical merger having taken place effective Jan. 1 of this year.

Bishop Caggiano listed as canonically merged the parishes of SS. Peter and Paul and Epiphany in Williamsburg, St. Martin of Tours-14 Holy Martyrs and Our Lady of Lourdes in Bushwick, St. Matthew’s and Our Lady of Charity in Crown Heights and St. John the Baptist and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Bedford-Stuyvesant.

In each instance, there is one administration---a pastor and a pastoral staff, but each of the eight merged church buildings will continue to serve as a worship site, he said.

In recent months, Bishop Caggiano has chaired a still-developing Diocesan Reconfiguration Committee, now numbering about 20, which he considers a “sounding board” for reviewing the elements for potential mergers in other sections of the Diocese. He told the pastors and administrators that discussions have begun in 12 areas and are at different stages of progress.

He listed as being under review the following in Brooklyn: St. Michael-St. Edward’s and Sacred Heart, Adelphi St., St. Mark’s and St. Margaret Mary, Our Lady of Victory, St. Peter Claver and Holy Rosary, St. Thomas Aquinas, Ninth St., and Holy Family, 14th St., St. Mary’s, Maujer St., and Most Holy Trinity, St. Peter-St. Paul-Our Lady of Pilar and St. Agnes, St. Michael’s, East New York, and St. Malachy’s, St. Gabriel’s and St. John Cantius, and All Saints and Our Lady of Montserrate.  

In Queens, discussions underway regarding potential canonical mergers include the parishes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and St. Margaret Mary in Astoria, St. Bonaventure and St. Benedict the Moor in Jamaica, and St. Thomas More and St. Genevieve in Breezy Point/Roxbury.

The 182 pastors and administrators who attended the meeting received a 60-page manual described by Bishop Caggiano as a “blueprint” for the reconfiguration process.

“We want to be open, transparent, consultative and collaborative,” he said.

Bishop Caggiano said the “foundational principles” involved in the reconfiguration process were an awareness that “Diocesanwide, we are all in this together,” that “the People of God have a role” in consultation and collaboration, that the four territorial vicars “will always have a role,” that decisions will be made by Bishop DiMarzio in consultation, and the vitality and viability of the potential mergers will be critical factors.

A canonically completed merger allows the new entity to enter fully into pastoral planning for the next three to five years on the parish and cluster levels, he said. The pastoral planning process being undertaken in the Diocese currently involves about 98 percent of the parishes in Brooklyn and Queens, said Robert Choiniere, who heads the Pastoral Planning Office.

He noted that parishes are developing their pastoral plans, which are to be completed and submitted by Nov. 30 for later presentation to Bishop DiMarzio. The plan calls on parishes to examine seven elements of pastoral life: worship, word, community, service, leadership, stewardship and evangelization.

The agenda for the pilot meeting also included a presentation on the role and responsibilities of parish trustees, particularly those associated with merged or merging parishes, given by diocesan attorney Kevin M. Kearney. He noted that under the Religious Corporation Law of the state, each parish is separately incorporated with five trustees,  two lay trustees serving with the Bishop, the Vicar General and the pastor.

Sister Patricia Hudson, C.S.J., director of the diocesan Safe Environment Office, noted that a full audit by an auditor or an audit team on compliance with the U.S. bishops’ 2002 “Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People” will take place in all dioceses of the U.S. in 2007. She said that in each of the next three years one-third of the dioceses will be audited by a visiting auditor. The others will do paper audits.

Sister Angela Gannon, C.S.J., director of the diocesan Pastoral Institute, summarized the ministry guidelines for parish pastoral associates who assist the pastor with day-to-day pastoral care and administration of the parish. She said that pastoral associates are generally involved in one or more areas of ministry, including administration, faith formation, the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, spirituality, liturgical ministry and social/collaborative ministry.

The pastors and administrators also received a copy of diocesan norms governing reception of the first sacraments for school-age children. They note that there is no option to receive First Communion before First Penance and that at least two full years of academic instruction should precede First Communion.

In discussing the norms and the role of families in preparing children for the sacraments, Bishop Caggiano drew attention to the challenge brought by the non-participation of some parents in Sunday worship and the fact that two groups notable in their absence at liturgies are young people and adult men.

He urged the clergy to continue to emphasize Sunday worship in their parishes.

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3/14/07