ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Informal Evaluation by the Cluster Implementation Committee

Cluster 41

During the Spring, 2003, the Cluster Implementation Committee conducted an informal evaluation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan in consultation with the Parish Pastoral councils. The purpose of this informal evaluation was to determine the current status of the cluster plan. They considered the following questions:

1. What action(s) has (have) been taken to carry out the Cluster Pastoral Plan?

2. What action(s) still need(s) to be taken to meet the goal(s) of the Cluster Pastoral Plan?

3. To what degree has the vision of the Cluster Pastoral Plan been implemented?

4. Were any new needs discovered or new actions taken during the implementation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan?

5. What obstacles, if any, stood in the way of the implementation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan?

The committee found the following actions have been taken:

Goal #1 - Education and Faith Development of Youth

• Each parish has established a Youth Ministry Program
  
  
• St. Gabriel of the Sorrowful Mother and Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary parishes have built new parish churches dedicated by Cardinal Bevilacqua
  
  
• Sacred Heart Parish has built a new parish school which Cardinal Bevilacqua has blessed
  
  
• St. Patrick Parish is in the process of planning a pre-school kindergarten program
  
  
• St. Patrick Parish and St. Gabriel Parish are looking at the possibility of developing a regional parish school with pre-school through fifth grades at St. Patrick Parish and grades six, seven and eight at St. Gabriel Parish
  
  
• Parishes on an individual basis have promoted vocations to the priesthood, Diaconate and religious life
  
  
• Assumption, Blessed Virgin Mary parish has begun perpetual Eucharistic Adoration in the original parish church. The devotion encourages prayers for vocations
  
  

Goal #2 - Education and Faith Formation of Adults

• Each parish has hosted a presentation on one of the four Gospels
  
  
• Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary parish hosts a teaching program for catechists of the Cluster
• The Cluster encourages participation of members in catechetical programs presented by the Archdiocese at Bishop Shanahan High School

Goal # 3 - Stewardship: Education and Promotion

• St. Patrick Parish has developed a Stewardship Committee that is available to assist other Cluster parishes
  
  

Goal #4 - Awareness of Latino Presence in Our Communities

• Cluster parishes have assisted the Misión Santa María Madre de Dios financially and by making churches available for Mass on the Lord's Day
  
  
• The Cluster recognizes the need for a larger Center for the Mission
  
  
• The Hispanic Ministry Task Force will conduct a listening session at the Center
  
  
• The Mission celebrates at least one Mass in each of the four parishes in southern Chester County on the weekend
  
  

The Cluster has responded to new opportunities during the implementation process. The Cluster has developed a strong Pro-Life Group.

Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary parish has developed a Cluster Newsletter. The Avon Grove Ministerium is making progress in Ecumenical discussions and activities.

With the approval of Cardinal Bevilacqua Our Lady of Consolation parish has now joined Cluster 41.

Obstacles, that have stood in the way of the implementation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan are:

The Cluster faces the obstacle of distance in establishing and addressing Cluster goals. The Cluster encompasses close to 700 square miles.

Status of the Plan

In light of the information collected, the Cluster Implementation Committee in consultation with Parish Pastoral Councils recommended to the Regional Vicar that the status of the plan be

To develop or expand the Cluster Plan - the goals have been addressed but new information indicates that some new cluster plan actions will be needed.