February 21, 2010
UPDATE
ON ST. JOSEPH CHURCH CLOSING
The committee for the
closing of St Joseph Church has met many times and would like to update
the parish of the happenings.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
at 3:00PM will be the Closing Mass with Rev. Gregory Reichlen as celebrant.
Along with Mass will be, Homily, music and Closing Prayers and the ritual
of locking St Joseph Church and procession with the Eucharist to St Francis
Xavier Church. Following Mass there will be a catered dinner at St. John
Neumann Hall. We are trying to make the dinner special but affordable.
A journal of history and pictorial book is being prepared. This book will
be available to all who make a paid reservation to attend the dinner. Put
this date on your calendar to come and be a part of this memorable occasion.
Share sorrow and joy with your fellow parishioners. Watch for more details
to follow.
November 29, 2009:
New Parish
Name
We have finally been given our New
Parish Name. Beginning July 1, 2010 our combined parishes will be known
as ST. BRIGIDS PARISH. This name is the old Irish spelling of
St. Brigid of Ireland.
Bishop Joseph
F. Martino has announced his final decisions on parish restructurings.
The plan, which
was communicated through a recorded message from the Bishop that was played
at all Masses the weekend of January 31 - February 1, affects every parish
in the 11-county Diocese in some way. Implementation will begin in July.
Final Decisions
for Western Pastoral Region
CLUSTER
# 5 the parishes of St. Francis Xavier, Friendsville; St.
Thomas the Apostle, Little Meadows; St. Joseph, St. Joseph; Holy Name of
Mary, Montrose:
St. Joseph, St. Joseph,
St.
Francis Xavier, Friendsville, and St. Thomas the Apostle, Little
Meadows will consolidate no later than July 2010 at the St. Francis
Xavier site.
There will be an additional
worship site (the possibility of one weekend Mass with occasional funerals
and weddings) at St. Augustine, Silver Lake which will be reviewed
after two years, based on geography, attendance, fiscal realities and the
availability of priests.
The Mission Church
of St. Patrick, Middleton will close no later than July 2009.
St. Joseph and
St.
Thomas the Apostle Church buildings will close no later than July 2010.
The creation of a Partnership
between Holy Name of Mary, Montrose and the consolidated parish
at the St. Francis Xavier site no later than July 2010.
Definitions:
Partnership: Parishes that
retain their own pastors will enter into a formal relationship of cooperation
with one another. This cooperation will involve the sharing of programs
and resources such as RCIA, youth group and adult religious formation.
Partnerships conserve resources by avoiding unnecessary duplication of
services. Partnerships are one way of practicing good stewardship.
Linked Parishes: This model
involves two or more parishes sharing the same pastor. Although linked
parishes remain distinct, they cooperate even more completely than parishes
in partnership. Linked parishes are already very familiar to us in the
Diocese of Scranton for they exist wherever one pastor is caring for more
than one parish.
Consolidated Parish: This
happens when two or more parishes come together in such a way that only
one parish continues to exist. That one or new parish then serves the parishioners
of those parishes which have closed. In some instances of consolidation,
however, a church building of a closed parish may remain open for a limited
time. When this arrangement is provided, it will usually be to accommodate
a Sunday Mass, funeral or wedding.
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