Informal Evaluation by the Cluster Implementation Committee
Cluster 64
| Holy Spirit, Sharon Hill Our Lady of Fatima, Secane Sacred Heart, Clifton Heights Saint Joseph, Collingdale |
Saint Eugene, Primos Saint Gabriel, Norwood Saint George, Glenolden |
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:
Much time and effort was put into publishing a directory of parishes and personnel in Cluster 64. The impact of the directory was negligible and thus a disappointment to the members of the cluster committee.
The cluster sponsored a Leadership Training Program held at Neumann College targeting volunteers and those in parish management areas. The results were evaluated as minimal, and the program was not repeated.
Overall, the consensus was that implementation of the vision of the cluster plan was almost nothing. Concern was expressed that three of the parishes in the cluster did not respond to the focus questions that had been presented to the Cluster Implementation Committee.
Actions that still need to be taken include:
Concern was expressed for the ability of Sacred Heart Parish to continue to provide a priest for Sunday Mass at Saint Hedwig Church in Chester City.
Some members felt that there is still a need to address adult education on the cluster level.
Accelerated demographic changes are a major concern.
There is a desire to share concerns on financial planning in the light of ever-increasing costs and to be proactive in planning.
As a group, there was a desire not to continue efforts to further pursue the goals.
Obstacles, that have stood in the
way of the implementation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan are:
Most parishioners seem not to have awareness of the cluster.
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 hold - implementation is complete, new data does not require a new cluster plan at this time.
There was, however, general agreement that there is a need to continue to meet to share information on parish activities. There was a felt need to continue to meet to make use of information available through the Office for Research and Planning.