ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

MARCH 2003

The Pastoral Plan for the parishes of Cluster 24 was submitted to Cardinal Bevilacqua in February 1999. Now, after four years of implementation, these parishes are undergoing an evaluation of the Plan. Such an evaluation is taking place in each of the 41 clusters of the Archdiocese.

At their March meeting, Cluster 24 Advisory Board members began this process by gathering information. This was accomplished, first of all, by answering five questions: What has been carried out? What still needs to be carried out? To what degree has the vision been implemented? Are there new needs to be addressed? What are the obstacles?

Besides the obvious (that is, the closing of one parish, the reduction in the number of parish priests assigned here, and the closing of one parish school), Advisory Board members agreed that "less than half" of the goals of the Plan have been (or are being) implemented. St. Casimir School has completed a self-study, and continues to monitor their situation. Several of the parishes have hired business managers (either full-time or part-time). A second cluster workshop for liturgical ministers is to take place at Neumann High School on March 22, 2003. An outreach by telephone to young adult parishioners was attempted two times. Paid advertising is used each Easter and Christmas to invite inactive Catholics and others to attend Mass and other Services at local churches. A few of the parishes have initiated "Disciples in Mission" (an evangelization program), while St. Casimir and St. Paul parishes jointly conducted a Bible Study program.

Advisory Board members identified several actions which need further attention. Vocations to the permanent diaconate need to be fostered. More programs and devotions should be coordinated among the parishes of the Cluster. Multi-cultural education is needed. Programs for young adults (preferably one-time or short term commitment) are needed. Further evangelization efforts should be established with the help of our Cluster Coordinator for Evangelization.

Some new actions surfaced at the Advisory Board's March meeting. It was suggested that vocations to the priesthood and Religious Life be fostered on a cluster level. Also suggested was that all of the pastors be members of the Advisory Board, and that the priests of the Cluster meet periodically on their own to discuss issues.

Cluster 24 Advisory Board members will meet next on April 8^th. At that time, feedback on this information, from the individual Parish Pastoral Councils and other parishioners, will be considered.