ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Informal Evaluation by the Cluster Implementation Committee

During the Spring, 2003, the Cluster Implementation Committee conducted an informal evaluation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan in consultation with the Parish Pastoral councils. The purpose of this informal evaluation was to determine the current status of the cluster plan. They considered the following questions:

1. What action(s) has (have) been taken to carry out the Cluster Pastoral Plan?

2. What action(s) still need(s) to be taken to meet the goal(s) of the Cluster Pastoral Plan?

3. To what degree has the vision of the Cluster Pastoral Plan been implemented?

4. Were any new needs discovered or new actions taken during the implementation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan?

5. What obstacles, if any, stood in the way of the implementation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan?

The committee found the following actions have been taken:

Goal #1 - To develop a coordinated Evangelization outreach program directed to inactive Catholics.

• The Cluster hosts a Marian Celebration each year;
• The Cluster hosts a Divine Mercy Celebration at Maternity B.V.M. Parish;
• The Cluster promotes a prayer program for Vocations and for the return of inactive parishioners;
• Each Parish has a greeters team for Sunday Masses;
• St. Dominic, St. Jerome, Christ the King and Maternity B.V.M. Parishes have Disciples in Mission;
• St. Katherine of Siena Parish has the Alpha for Catholics Program;
• St. Anselm and Our Lady of Calvary Parishes have a home visitation program for inactive Catholics;
• St. Dominic Parish has the Neocatecumenate Program;
• St. Martha Parish has weekly home Masses.

Goal #2 - To form and nurture Lay Leaders for the Cluster.

• Cluster Stewardship and Ministry Workshop held at Our Lady of Calvary Parish;
• Formation of Young Adult Catholics of the Northeast;
• Cluster sponsored the La Salle University Leadership Workshop, presented by Father Francis Berna, O.F.M. (4 week program);
• Cluster Parishes have sent lay leaders to the Church Ministry Program at Archbishop Ryan High School.

Goal #3 - Conduct a Cluster Adult Religious Education Program.

• Throughout the past five years, the Cluster has sponsored adult religious education programs in different parishes. The responses to these programs have been minimal, despite the fact that the parishioners have been surveyed to determine what their interest might be.

Goal #4 - To use the multi-media to communicate the basic teachings of the Catholic Church.

• The Cluster sponsors the "Cluster corner" in the parish bulletins, where they advertise Cluster events and programs;
• The Cluster developed a Cluster 14 Website (www.cluster 14.org) for each parish to share important information with the whole Cluster, as well as links to the Archdiocesan Website;
• The Cluster created a press packet, as a resource for parishes to advertise special events with local newspapers;
• The Cluster hosted a technology seminar for the Cluster elementary schools and technology coordinators from the high schools who service the parish youth;
• The Cluster multi-media committee marketed Cluster adult religious education events.
  
  

Actions that still need to be taken include:

• Work with the Young Adult Catholics of the Northeast and the use of the multi-media to communicate the basic teachings of the Catholic Church.

Status of the Plan

In light of the information collected, the Cluster Implementation Committee in consultation with Parish Pastoral Councils recommended to the Regional Vicar that the status of the plan be

To continue - implementation is not complete, new data does not indicate a need for revised cluster plan but further work is required on the current plan.