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DECEMBER 2003

Cluster 33 Parishes Submit Proposals to Archbishop
Cluster 33 / Philadelphia-South Vicariate

St. Agatha-St. James St. Francis de Sales
St. Barnabas Good Shepherd
St. Clement St. Irenaeus
St. Cyprian Most Blessed Sacrament

Since March 2003, Cluster 33 Advisory Council members have been meeting monthly to evaluate their 1997 Cluster Pastoral Plan, to identify and address current pastoral needs, and to plan for the foreseeable future. A major factor in their planning is the significant decrease in the number of registered members in the parishes of the southern end of this Cluster in recent years. Also, early in the planning process, Monsignor John Conway (Regional Vicar) informed Advisory Council members that Cluster 33 must work toward the reduction of "at least one parish priest" by June 2004.


In November, Advisory Council members reached consensus on several proposals for restructuring, and presented them to parishioners for their constructive feedback. Then, they met again to consider parishioners' suggestions. Their most recent discussions, based on the input of parishioners, resulted in two significant revisions to the proposal regarding the "area Catholic elementary school". The Advisory Council members now are recommending that the new school have one campus (at the present St. Barnabas site), and that the name of the new school be changed. With these revisions identified, the proposals for restructuring schools and churches in Southwest Philadelphia are being submitted to Cardinal Rigali as follows:

  • Consolidate St. Clement, Good Shepherd and St. Irenaeus parishes to form one new parish, using the buildings of the present Good Shepherd Parish; the church building of the present St. Irenaeus Parish serving as an additional worship site of the newly-created parish. All of the parish buildings at St. Clement would be closed.

  • As part of the restructuring of three parishes into one, have the Darby-Colwyn, Delaware County section of the present St. Clement Parish become part of Blessed Virgin Mary Parish, Darby (Delaware County Vicariate/Cluster 63).

  • Close SS. Clement-Irenaeus School and make St. Barnabas an "area Catholic elementary school".

  • The restructuring of these parishes and schools would be effective July 1, 2004.

Again, you are asked to keep these planning efforts, and all those involved in this difficult process, in your daily prayers. Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!

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