ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

CLUSTER 74 PASTORAL PLANNING IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE UPDATE
JULY 2000

Goal 1: Strengthen religious educational opportunities on all levels

Objective 1 - Post Confirmation

The Cluster Sub-Committee on Post-Confirmation Religious Education examined over a 13-month period the needs of youth to have opportunities to continue their religious education and spiritual growth and to expand their roles as part of our religious communities.

The subcommittee found that many opportunities are available within the parish, Archdiocese of Philadelphia and, in some cases, the schools that they attend. These include some exemplary religious education and service programs; CYO sponsored service and spiritual activities, youth liturgical music groups and other types of parish activities that include youth. Young people in the post-confirmation age also participate in the life of the parish as lectors, altar servers and other service positions.

The subcommittee confirmed the commitments of each of our parishes to celebrating our youth and to continue offering them opportunities to learn and grow closer to Jesus Christ and the Church. They recommended forming a search committee to hire a person part-time as either a cluster youth minister or religious education coordinator. Father Carl Janicki from St. Genevieve, Ms. Barbara Schmidt from St. James and Mr. Frank Farrell from Presentation BVM will be on the search committee. A proposed job description for cluster youth ministers is being drafted by the diocesan office and should be helpful to the search. The following are some key activities that we hope to accomplish over the course of the next two years:

• Opportunities for religious educators working with post-confirmation groups to meet, share resources and obtain training and offer diverse learning opportunities to young people.>
• Combined service projects for the entire cluster or for each of the two townships in the cluster including opportunities for reflection and learning about social justice.
• Creation of a religious forum in which young people share ideas and provide suggestions for the parishes and clusters about how to interest them and maintain their participation in continuing religious formation and the life of the parish.
• Opportunities for shared worship services, including shared music ministries, for young people in the parishes.
• Educational opportunities for parents to obtain education and share ideas about how to encourage and support religious formation in their children.
• The development of a cluster-wide day(s) of religious education, held during the school year, in which both Catholic and public school students would attend. Possible activities could include travel to important sites in the Archdiocese and to Catholic College campuses for religious instruction, etc.

Objective 2 - Educational needs of adults

A Cluster Sub-Committee for Adult Religious Education has been formed to specifically address the religious education needs of adults. Representatives from four parishes attended this subcommittee's first meeting and preliminarily agreed to target young adults with families. The subcommittee worked with a diocesan representative in developing an assessment questionnaire that will be used for a random phone survey of adults in the parishes. This phone survey will occur over the summer. The subcommittee wil report the results at the September Cluster meeting.

Goal 2: Make our worship vibrant and inspiring

In order to foster spiritual renewal among our cluster parishioners, we will continue to identify and develop educational and spiritual formation opportunities for liturgical ministers and other interested parishioners.

Cluster mini-workshops for all lectors, cantors, choir members, musicians and others interested in those ministries, were held at Holy Martyrs Parish Hall on Saturday, March 11, 2000. The purpose of the workshops was to assist those in the ministries of music and voice in better celebrating the Sacred Liturgy. About 70 people attended the workshops and the presenters were highly complimented.

Goal 3: Formulate ways to effectively utilize the five priests that are projected for the cluster

The twinning of Presentation B.V.M. and St. Joseph parishes and of Seven Dolors and St. Genevieve parishes is now a reality. The Implementation Committee is most grateful to all of the pastors and parishioners who were involved in the twinning process. The committee wishes to express its gratitude, prayers and best wishes to Fathers Joseph Quindlen, John Shelley and William Stanton as they leave the cluster for new assignments. We also wish to welcome and congratulate Father William Harrison as the new pastor of Presentation B.V.M. and St. Joseph parishes and we are grateful to Father Robert Carroll for assuming the duties of pastor of both Seven Dolors and St. Genevieve parishes.

Goal 4: Evangelize both active and inactive Catholics by developing a joyful and supportive community that fosters deeper spirituality

The Archdiocese has made available to parishes, as a participation option, the program "Disciples in Mission Evangelization". St. Joseph and St. Genevieve parishes have participated in this program. Other cluster parishes are deliberating and may participate in the future.

Parishioners with questions regarding Cluster Planning are encouraged to call the Archdiocesan Cluster Planning Hotline, 215-587-3868. Information may also be found on the Archdiocesan website at www.archphila.org/cluster/c74/.