Cluster 64 and Cluster 65
Review of Catholic Education in the Clusters
Cluster 64 Parishes |
Cluster 65 Parishes |
Sacred Heart St. Joseph St. George St. Gabriel St. Eugene Our Lady of Fatima Holy Spirit |
St. Rose of Lima |
In January 1999, Cardinal Bevilacqua, then Archbishop of Philadelphia, accepted the Cluster Pastoral Plans for Cluster 64 and Cluster 65. These two plans proposed a total of six distinct goals established by the Cluster Pastoral Planning Committees. The goals for Cluster 64 were identified as: Lay Leadership Training; Adult Education; Promoting Catholicism; and, Priest Personnel. The goals for Cluster 65 were identified as: Adult Education; Youth Ministry; and, Evangelization. When the Implementation Committees of each Cluster reviewed this work in 2003, they called for a continuing effort to review and update the plans. It is noted that, at the time the goals were established, the review of parish elementary schools and parish religious education programs were not designated as a goals.
Realizing the declining enrollment in the schools of both clusters, the Regional Bishop and the Regional Vicar began meeting with the pastors of these schools shortly after the close of the 2007-2008 school year in order to review the situation. In March 2009, at the request of the pastors, Cardinal Rigali granted permission for the parishes in both clusters to review the state of Catholic education together.
The combined enrollment in all the schools has declined from 2,741 students in the 2003 school year to 1,986 students in the 2008-2009 school year, over 27%. There were 412 infant baptisms in 2008, down from 559 in 2003, and considerably below the number of infant baptisms in the early 1990's of around 900.
Each parish has formed a Review Committee. Some members of each Parish Committee will join to form a Cluster Steering Committee, which will meet for the first time in early June. These individuals are committing themselves to develop a plan which will ensure, in the best way possible, excellent, accessible, affordable and sustainable Catholic elementary education for future generations of children within this part of Delaware County for both the immediate future and long term.
This review will entail a broad consultation process involving all the parish and school communities. On a regular basis, the Steering Committee will publicize updates on the progress of this review by means of communiqués such as this one. At the conclusion of the consultation process, the Steering Committee will present a recommendation to the Archbishop regarding both the parish elementary schools and parish religious education programs. This report is expected to be completed by winter, 2010.
We invite your prayers that the Holy Spirit will guide this work.