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CLUSTER 74
PASTORAL PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE January 2004 Communiqué No. 9 ______________________
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Rev. Msgr. John C. Marine,
St. Genevieve, Flourtown
St. James, Elkins Park St. Joseph, Cheltenham
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Parishioners with questions regarding Cluster 74 Pastoral Planning are invited to contact their parish representatives listed above. Information may also be found on the Archdiocesan website at: www.archphila.org/cluster/c74/.
CLUSTER Pastor, Location and Phone
Holy Martyrs
Presentation B.V.M.
St. Genevieve
St. James
St. Joseph
Luke 11:9-10 "And so I say to you: Ask, and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks will receive, and he who seeks will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks." |
Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua approved the Cluster 74 Pastoral Plan in 1998 and the work of implementing the plan
is on going. The Cluster 74 Pastoral Plan Implementation Committee was formed in January 1999 and consists of two
representatives from each of the Cluster parishes, plus each of the pastors of the Cluster parishes. Cardinal Justin
Rigali has since directed that the Cluster Committees will continue in this effort. The Implementation Committee is charged with the responsibility of implementing the Cluster Plan and meets regularly to track the achievement of plan goals and to give direction and/or assistance to subcommittees carrying out the Cluster Plan goals. Periodic updates are presented to parishioners regarding the ongoing work of implementing the Cluster Plan. Please keep these goals in your prayers. The committee has observed that the implementation of our Cluster Plan goals has been hampered by the following circumstances: a) The difficulty in finding qualified dedicated volunteers to serve on the various cluster subcommittees. b) The lack of strong participation by the cluster parishioners in providing the subcommittees with feedback on their individual needs and desires. c) The geography of Cluster 74 with its widely spaced parishes and the reluctance of many parishioners to travel outside their home parishes have been a continuous problem in trying to organize cluster-wide events. The committee is always interested in your opinions and any ideas you may have regarding any aspect of the Cluster 74 Pastoral Plan. Please submit them to a Cluster 74 Parish Committee Member. The following is an update from the last Implementation Committee meeting held on October 21, 2003. Goal 1 - Strengthen religious educational opportunities on all levels Objective 1 - Educational needs of post confirmation youth Many of the Synodal Decrees are to be implemented at the parish and/or cluster levels. In light of the Synodal Decree that each parish is to have a Youth Minister and a Youth Ministry Program, the committee has agreed that each parish is to use part of an agenda at an upcoming Parish Pastoral Council meeting to discuss with the pastor whether or not their parish will conduct Youth Ministry on their own, or seek a Youth Minister in cooperation with a neighboring parish. This information is to be brought back to the next Implementation Committee meeting on February 18, 2004, for further discussion. Objective 2 - Educational needs of adults Maria O'Malley, the Adult Education Coordinator for St. Genevieve Parish, presented a report to the Implementation Committee that outlined the Adult Religious Education Programs in place at St. Genevieve Parish. She suggested that these and similar programs would be more efficient and cost effective if parishes within a certain geographic area were to work together to develop, implement and host these programs. This will require additional study and, to that end, the committee has agreed that all Pastors will identify one of their parishioners who will serve as either a Parish Director of Adult Faith Formation and/or as the representative to the Cluster Adult Faith Formation Committee. Goal 2 - Make our worship vibrant and exciting Denise Riser of Holy Martyrs Parish is currently facilitating the formation of the Cluster 74 Liturgy Subcommittee, which will consist of representatives of each of the cluster parishes. They are working very closely with Cluster 73, our neighboring cluster in Abington Township, in order to present a joint Liturgy Workshop between the two clusters to be held in the Fall of 2004. Denise reported that she met with the Music Ministers from all Cluster 74 Parishes and described to them how successful was a Cluster 73 Workshop titled "Listen with an Open Heart", at which young people affirmed how important singing is to them. Members of Cluster 74's Liturgy Subcommittee will continue to meet with Denise Risser and will offer their support to Cluster 73 in this joint effort. Goal 3 - Formulate ways to effectively utilize the five priests that are projected for the cluster Presentation BVM and St. Joseph parishes have been twinned. Also, St. Genevieve and Seven Dolors parishes had been twinned. The two-year evaluations of the twinned parishes were accomplished and the following recommendations were made: a) Presentation BVM and St. Joseph parishes will continue to be two parishes with one Pastor. Ongoing evaluation of this arrangement will take place. b) Seven Dolors parish has been closed and their parishioners are now members of St. Genevieve parish. Seven Dolors church is now an alternate worship site of St. Genevieve parish. Sunday Mass and funerals are celebrated there. Goal 4 - Evangelize both active and inactive Catholics by developing a joyful and supportive community that fosters deeper spirituality The Archdiocese has made available the program Disciples in Mission Evangelization to foster Scripture reading and faith sharing among the laity. This program has since been replaced by a new Archdiocesan developed program called Community of Disciples, in which many of the cluster parishes are participating. The Cluster Evangelization Coordinator, Doris Duncheski, is the liaison between the cluster pastors and the Archdiocese in regards to Evangelization efforts. She will assist with individual parish efforts and update us on opportunities, activities and all available resources. |