CLUSTER 67
IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE COMMUNIQUE - JANUARY 2001
| Saint Katharine Drexel, Chester Fr. Kevin Murray Rev. Mr. Michael Finn Nativity B.V.M., Media Rev. Msgr. Francis A. Giliberti, Implementation Committee Chair Mr. Raymond DeVries Our Lady of Charity, Brookhaven Rev. Msgr. Andrew Hanlon Mrs. June Stolnis St. Mary Magdalen, Upper Providence Fr. Ralph Chieffo Mr. Michael D'Angelo St. John Chrysostom, Wallingford Fr. Joseph McGeown, Mrs. Theresa Hedlund Rev. Thomas Smith, Vicar, Delaware County |
GOALS 1.Pastoral Services - Continue to provide pastoral services that will satisfy and fulfill the needs of the people in light of the reduction of priests assigned to our Cluster. 2.Evangelization - Proclaim Jesus Christ and His call to discipleship for active and inactive parish members in the Cluster. 3.Stewardship - Call Catholics to greater discipleship to make better use of their gifts of time, talent, and treasure. 4.& 5. Youth and Young Adults - To nurture the faith of our youth (birth through high school) and young adults (18 to 30 years) to assist them in responding to becoming a disciple of Jesus.
The fall months have proved to be an extremely productive, enlightening, and exciting time for Cluster 67. With the organization of five subcommittees, representing each parish and each goal outlined above has come a unifying spirit. We are coming to "know" our neighboring parish communities with a greater sensitivity and awareness that is enabling our diversity and the sharing of insights and experiences to be a tremendous resource and support both practically and spiritually. Pastoral Services The first annual meeting of the Cluster 67 Pastoral Councils took place on November 8, 2000 and was a great success. Sr. Janet Baker provided a very informative presentation on the subject of pastoral councils and their purpose. This evening also provided a time for gathering, sharing, and fellowship among parish council members. Cluster 67 was very well represented at the Eucharistic Procession held on the Parkway, October 22 - a spiritual high for all. To continue the Eucharistic theme, Cluster 67 will host a Candlelight Eucharistic Procession for the vicariate on the Feast of Corpus Christi Sunday. This procession will take place at Nativity BVM on Sunday, June 17th in the afternoon. Evangelization Landings, a program for inactive Catholics is being offered and is very successful at two parishes. The evangelization subcommittee is researching various programs to provide each parish options that will provide spiritual literature that will address the needs of adults, children, teens, and young adults, and families. Stewardship Jerry Botto presented a stewardship workshop on October 21 that was very informative and well attended. Two parishes have existing stewardship committees and have implemented tithing that has proven to be well accepted and successful. Endowment funds are also being looked at. All parishes are looking into the various areas of stewardship and the most productive ways of implementation for each. |
Youth
Each parish is at its own place in regard to its ministry to youth, one parish with a paid youth minister, the others with various levels of volunteer coordinators. All cluster parishes offer CCD and sport programs to some extent. Concerning the other areas of youth ministry, three parishes have established programs for youth through the eighth grade and two parishes for high school age youth. The remaining parishes are at different stages of development in these areas. A youth minister at each parish is desirable.
Several cluster events have been offered with varying degrees of success, including a CROP walk for the hungry. Still more events have been planned, a cluster wide Operation Santa Claus and two separate ski trips, a weekend trip for high school age youth and a day trip for the younger group.
Organizational issues are also being addressed, revising the plan for implementation of a youth coordinating council to be established, as youth ministers are hired/appointed at each parish.
Young Adults
This area is new to the cluster parishes. Programs to best meet the needs of the young adults of these parishes as well as the needs of the Widener students are being studied carefully. Workshops, surveys, and other networking avenues are being researched to devise a plan or plans to proceed best.
The next meeting for Cluster 67's Implementation Team in scheduled for March 8, 2001, 7:00 at Nativity B.V.M.