Phase 2: Clustering Recommendations To Be Sent to the Diocese

The last Planning Area 11 Meeting took place last week. The final recommendations that will be sent to the Planning Commission places St. Elizabeth in Cluster C which will also include St. Bridget, St. Paul and Church of the Redeemer. These four parishes will be served by 4 priests.

Cluster C recommends the following:

1. One pastor and one parochial vicar for St. Bridget
2. One pastor for Church of the Redeemer
3. One pastor for St. Paul and St. Elizabeth

Other information from this cluster includes:

~ Liturgy schedules are yet to be determined by each parish. St. Bridget and Church of the Redeemer will maintain their existing Mass schedules.

~ St. Paul and St. Elizabeth have unique Sunday activities surrounding religious education and visitation of the sick. Because of these existing ministries, each parish will need to determine an appropriate Mass schedule to facilitate Sunday liturgy and other important ministries. It is important that the Eucharist continue to be celebrated at least once on Sunday at St. Elizabeth.

~ In an effort to begin the process of resource needs and ministry collaboration, each parish in this cluster will be meeting in the month of June with religious education and music ministry staffs to see where synergies exist.


Next Steps

Following approval of this Local Planning Area plan, the next steps include:

~ Solidifying Mass schedules in each cluster arrangement;

~ Determining the resources (staffing, facilities) that should be shared across the cluster;

~ Determining resources and strengths that can be leveraged across the LPA for the benefit of all parishes;

~ Devising a transition plan for each parish and cluster group to make the change as relevant and easy as possible.