ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

OCTOBER 2002

The Cluster 23 Implementation Team continues to meet to complete the work of implementing the Pastoral Plan.

At their September 18^th meeting, plans were finalized for the Cluster Lay Leadership Day. This will take place on October 27^th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM at St. Edmond Parish Hall. Pastoral Council members of all six parishes, and Cluster 23 Stewardship Committee members, are being invited to attend. The purpose of this event is to educate participants on leadership concepts, roles and responsibilities. The speaker will be Steve Honeyman from Eastern Pennsylvania Organizing Project (EPOP).

The parish schools in the Cluster (St. Charles Borromeo, St. Thomas Aquinas, and Our Lady of Angels) completed their self-studies. A committee made up of the Principal, Pastor, and two lay persons from each of the parishes involved met with Monsignor Conway to formulate goals, discuss the need for a feasibility study, and make recommendations for the future of the schools which would be presented to the Archbishop. A formal request has been forwarded to Cardinal Bevilacqua to begin a feasibility study of St. Charles Borromeo School.

The Cluster has also formed a Youth Ministry Program. Representatives from each parish in the Cluster were named to the Steering Committee. The first meeting was on May 1^st. A Program Committee was formed to design the mission, personnel, funding, etc.

The Cluster Stewardship Committee has set dates for the following events for 2002-2003. Please mark your calendars for these important gatherings.