ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

CLUSTER 61 PASTORAL PLAN ONE PAGE SUMMARY

Delaware County Vicariate

Rev. Michael McCulken, Vicar

Brookline-Broomall-Bryn Mawr-Havertown-Manoa-Newtown Square-Villanova-Wayne

Approved by Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, November 7, 1997

The Cluster Pastoral Plan includes the following goals:

1)Stewardship

Establish a Stewardship Subcommittee with representation from each parish. It will meet several times a year. The following themes should be explored: ownership, leadership, consultation and communication. The parishes will explore ways in which they can promote stewardship together as a Cluster. The Cluster will target one Sunday as Stewardship Sunday in order to provide a focus by the Cluster on this topic. The Cluster will endeavor to provide opportunities for speakers to address Stewardship for the Cluster.

2)Youth Ministry

Establish a Subcommittee on Youth Ministry which will meet several times a year to evaluate the current Archdiocesan youth and young adult programs. They will establish a liaison with the appropriate Archdiocesan offices. They will, if deemed beneficial, recommend improvements or modifications for use by the Cluster. The subcommittee will plan occasional social events for participation of the youth of the cluster; schedule a Eucharist at least once a year for the youth of the cluster, planning for which would be the responsibility of the youth, with guidance from adult youth leaders; and plan a joint service project which attempts to connect to existing community programs and attempts to incorporate different age groups.

3)Adult Education

Establish a Subcommittee on Adult Education. They will meet several times a year to discuss the ways in which they educate the adults of their parish and the ways in which they can work together as a cluster to educate adults. This subcommittee will begin by devising a survey tool to evaluate and determine educational needs in each parish by their respective parishioners. The parishes will explore ways in which they can combine their efforts as a Cluster to educate adults. These potential areas of cooperation will include sacramental preparation for adults and their children and might include preparation of liturgical ministers, teacher training and the like. They will attempt to initiate and integrate the Archdiocesan initiative "Unity Through Holiness" which addresses the ages from 25-50.

4)Clergy Assignments

This Cluster is fully aware of the continued situation regarding available diocesan priests. One of the parishes staffed by religious order priests has recently been staffed with diocesan priests. Currently then there are 14 diocesan priests and three religious order priests serving the 8 parishes of Cluster 61.

The archdiocesan projection is that one less diocesan priest will be available near the year 2000. In light of that projection, this Cluster accepts the determination of one priest per three thousand registered individuals and recommends any reduction which becomes necessary be done in accord with this determination. If there are other needs or concerns regarding priest personnel beyond this projection, then the Implementation Committee will review the situation and make appropriate recommendations.

During the past year, the parishes of Cluster 61 have engaged in a prayerful and reflective dialogue examining the strengths and needs of the parishes in this area. At the end of the summer, the recommendations contained in a Cluster Pastoral Plan were submitted to Cardinal Bevilacqua for his review and acceptance. Much work and effort was expended by the committee and the parishes and everyone is to be commended for this work. The following is a summary of the plan submitted to Cardinal Bevilacqua for acceptance. Cardinal Bevilacqua accepted this plan on November 7, 1997.

Background:

The communities that make up the eight parishes of Cluster 61 are uniquely gifted in many ways. In working to develop a Cluster plan, we strove to incorporate the giftedness that we share in order to work on the common concerns that we also share. We identified three areas of significant need that we have committed to working on together: Stewardship, Youth Ministry, and Adult Education. While there was recognition that each parish needs to develop its own programs in these areas, there was consensus that Cluster parishes can be a catalyst for one another both in facilitating the process and in developing some joint projects.

Implementation Committee:

The Implementation Committee will consist of each Pastor and one representative from the Parish Pastoral Council of each of the parishes in the Cluster. They will meet at least twice a year in October and May. Summary Minutes will be prepared for communication to parishioners via the church bulletins.

Looking forward to cooperating together in fulfilling the goals outlined, a word of thanks is extended to the members of the Cluster Pastoral Planning Committee, Parish Pastoral Councils and parishioners for the work accomplished.