February 2006
TWO MONTGOMERY COUNTY PARISHES TO CONSOLIDATE
ST. PETER PARISH IN POTTSTOWN AND ST. CLARE PARISH IN LINFIELD
TO FORM A NEW PARISH IN LIMERICK AREA
Reverend Monsignor Joseph P. McGeown, Pastor of Saint Clare Parish in Linfield (1228 Main Street) and Reverend Edward P. Kuczynski, Pastor of Saint Peter Parish in Pottstown (1126 South Street) announce that Cardinal Justin Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia, has approved the recommendation of the Joint Strategic Steering Committee to consolidate into one new parish effective July 1, 2006. The suggested name for the new parish is awaiting approval from Rome.
The new parish will be situated on 24 acres in the area of Swamp Pike and Neiffer Road in Limerick. The boundaries of the parish will include all of the geographic area currently included within the boundaries of Saint Clare and Saint Peter Parishes.
Because Saint Peter Parish is a Polish parish many of the parishioners do not live within the territorial boundaries but are parishioners because of their ethnic background. Those parishioners will have three options: to become members of the new parish; to become members of the parish where they reside or to become members at the closest Polish Parish.
The Joint Strategic Steering Committee made the recommendation to consolidate after extensive discussion, deliberation and consultation with parishioners. The recommendation was based upon tremendous growth in the surrounding area of the two parishes. The committee considered the present number of registered and active parishioners (please see below) and the present number of school children who could be served through a new educational center. The demographic reports also show a significant future growth.
Background
In spring of 2003 Saint Peter Parish and Saint Clare Parish began meeting to explore the possibility of developing one Catholic educational center to meet the needs of both parishes. (Currently Saint Peter has its own school while the students from Saint Clare Parish attend four different Catholic schools in the area.)
A Joint Steering Committee was formed to explore the option. By May 2004, the committee reached the decision that neither parish would have the facilities that would be able to meet the future needs of their parishioners. In order to meet those needs, the committee has recommended that the parishes combine into one parish and provide a facility that would be both a new worship site and an educational site for the Limerick area. This would also benefit the two parishes financially.
There has been extensive consultation with the members of both parishes during the study process. The parishioners have been informed both through their Sunday bulletins, by Sunday announcements and through various communiqués and surveys. The response to the surveys indicated that the parishioners are interested in progressing with the planned consolidation. The positive response has been very high from both parishes. These parishes have worked diligently to see that every parishioner has been given an opportunity to respond to the various communiqués and presentations that have been made. The pastoral councils and finance committees of both parishes have strongly supported the consolidation concept.
Based upon municipal projections, there will be up to 10,000 parishioners within the area of Lower Pottsgrove and New Hanover Township by the year 2030.
Currently there are:
Parishioners (as of 2004)
2,871 Saint Clare Parish
2,013 Saint Peter Parish
Schools (2006-2006 school year)
180 students Saint Peter Parish School
67 students students from Saint Clare Parish enrolled in four Catholic schools in the area.
For more information, please contact the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Office for Communications
at 215-587-3747.