CLUSTER 33 PASTORAL PLAN ONE PAGE SUMMARY
Philadelphia-South Vicariate
Rev. John Conway, Vicar
Accepted by Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, January 8, 1998
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St. Agatha-St. James |
St. Irenaeus |
The Cluster Pastoral Plan includes the following goals:
1) Form a Cluster Advisory Council to ensure the implementation of the Plan.
2) Respond to the Office for Clergy's priest projection by reducing St. Agatha-St. James Parish by one priest in 1998 and Good Shepherd Parish by one priest in 1998; by sharing one priest between MBS and St. Francis de Sales in 1999 ("Twinning"); by consolidating St. Carthage and Transfiguration of Our Lord parishes in 2000; by allocating three priests among Our Lady of Loreto, St. Barnabas and St. Mary of Czestochowa parishes in 2000. St. Clement Parish will retain two priests and St. Irenaeus Parish will retain one priest.
3) St. Carthage and Transfiguration of Our Lord parishes will continue to prepare for consolidation. Meanwhile, other parishes, according to the groupings listed below, are to engage in serious and formal dialogue with the idea of restructuring:
- MBS, St. Francis de Sales and St. Agatha-St. James
- Our Lady of Loreto, St. Barnabas and St. Mary of Czestochowa
- St. Clement and St. Irenaeus
Good Shepherd will dialogue with St. Louis in Yeadon, St. Clement and MBS.
4) Upon the retirement of the pastor of St. Carthage, appoint a new pastor to ensure the proper transition which must take place in consolidating with Transfiguration Parish.
5) Expand the hospital ministry presently charged to St. Agatha-St. James to other parishes.
6) Set up a structure for effective evangelization.
7) Set up a structure for effective youth ministry.
8) Set us a structure for effective development programming.
9) Bring back to the Cluster the presence of Catholic Social Services.
The Plan for Cluster 33 has been accepted by Cardinal Bevilacqua. In a letter to Father John Conway, Vicar for Philadelphia-South, dated January 8, 1998, the Archbishop encouraged implementation ofthe Plan and offered his observations. His comments included commendation on the Plan's emphasis on evangelization, youth ministry, social services and stewardship.