ARCHDIOCESE OF PHILADELPHIA

Informal Evaluation by the Cluster Implementation Committee

Cluster 75

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:

Goal #1: Provide Adult Education Programs and Lay Ministries Training

This goal has become the basis for a number of adult-ed opportunities:

• Scott Hann lecture
• Ongoing commitment to adult ed at St. Maria Goretti Parish with programs open to the cluster

• Catechist Certification Courses

• Lecture by Fr. Mode on the "Grunt Padre"
  
  

Goal #2: Promote Personal and Parish Growth in Spirituality

• St. Joseph's Parish has hosted an all day Ministries Retreat Day. Additionally, Perpetual Adoration schedules were coordinated in the cluster.
  
  

Goal #3: Encourage Active Participation of Youth

• Youth ministers have been hired in a number of parishes. These ministers working individually and in conjunction have offered retreats for high school students, Sunday New Life/Generation Life Masses, youth ministry training sessions.
  
  

Goal #4 Raise Consciousness of Social Justice and Ecumenical Issues

• Many parishes are participating in local ministeriums whose membership includes representatives of many denominations. There has been dialogue with the local Mennonite, Lutheran and Jewish Communities. While there have been cluster opportunities for ecumenical interaction, such interaction is best accomplished at the parish level.
  
  

Goal #5 Assure Appropriate Distribution of Clergy

• Our cluster had asked for additional priests and got them. As we move forward, however, the shortage of priests will ultimately affect the cluster. There is a plan in place that includes St. Stanislaus losing a priest and shared coverage of North Penn hospital.
  
  
• Talking points on lay leadership were developed and delivered in all the parishes of the cluster.
  
  

Goal #6 Create an Evangelizing Atmosphere in All the Parishes

• The Archdiocese introduced a number of programs including Disciples in Mission that effectively took the lead for planning and implementation of evangelization efforts.

Actions that still need to be taken include:

• Work is still needed in providing opportunities for evangelization. All parishes should have an evangelization team.
• Education and building issues were not included in the plan but are now major concerns in most parishes.
• Young adult issues were not addressed in the plan but programs have been developed to invite them to active parish life.

Obstacles, that have stood in the way of the implementation of the Cluster Pastoral Plan are:

• The cluster is too large geographically. Distinctions are often made between north and south ends of the cluster for planning of programs and activities. There has sometimes been a lack of clarity as to what the cluster is and what it is not. It is an opportunity for shared planning and resources. It is not a super parish.

Status of the Plan

In light of the information collected, the Cluster Implementation Committee concluded that most of the goals of the cluster plan have been implemented. There are several new issues that need attention that were not included in the plan to begin with. Parishes felt that additional planning could be necessary. The cluster will hold, continue and plan anew in a limited way depending on the needs as surfaced in the parishes of the cluster and, in consultation with Parish Pastoral Councils, recommended to the Regional Vicar that the status of the plan be

To hold - implementation is complete and as new data requires a new cluster plan to develop or expand the Cluster Plan to include new cluster plan actions as needed.