January 1999
Issued: January 16, 1999
CARDINAL BEVILACQUA ACCEPTS THE CLUSTER PASTORAL PLAN
FOR CLUSTER 16
I am pleased to inform you that Cardinal Bevilacqua has accepted the Cluster Pastoral Plan for Cluster 16. Cluster 16 is composed of twelve Parishes and a Catholic population of over 43,000 people. It is one of the most ethnically and geographically diverse Clusters in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It is made up of the following parishes: All Saints (Bridesburg), Ascension of Our Lord (Kensington), St. Adalbert (Port Richmond), Holy Innocents (Juniata), St. George (Port Richmond), St. Joachim (Frankford), St. Joan of Arc (Harrowgate), St. John Cantius (Bridesburg), Mater Dolorosa (Frankford), Mother of Divine Grace (Port Richmond), Nativity B.V.M. (Port Richmond), Our Lady Help of Christians (Port Richmond).
The Cluster Pastoral Plan includes the following goals:
Goal #1-To address the projection of diocesan priests in the year 2000.
(reduction of diocesan priests from 19 to 14 in the year 2000)
Goal #2-To offer quality Catholic education which meets the changing cluster needs.
Goal #3-To share cluster riches and spiritual resources.
Goal #4-To increase lay leadership and involvement in the Church with special emphasis on evangelization.
Goal #5-To oversee the implementation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan upon acceptance by Cardinal Bevilacqua.
His Eminence, Cardinal Bevilacqua commended the Plan's emphasis on evangelization, lay leadership, youth ministry, family-oriented spiritual programs, promotion of priestly vocations and its two-year study of the quality of Catholic education in the Cluster.
An Implementation Committee will meet in the near future to begin the process of overseeing the implementation of the goals for the Cluster Pastoral Plan on a timely basis.