Cluster plans being implemented

The recent announcement of the implementation of pastoral plans in parishes in Rensselaer and Columbia counties is another example of cluster plans being put into action, according to Sister Kathleen Turley, RSM, diocesan chancellor for planning and pastoral services.

The announcement stated that St. Joseph's parish in Stephentown and Immaculate Conception in New Lebanon will be served jointly by a pastor, Rev. Joseph Halloran, and a sacramental minister, Rev. John Close. Father Halloran is expected to retire in the near future; from then on, one priest will serve both parishes.

In addition, St. John Francis Regis parish in Grafton and Sacred Heart, Berlin, will now be served by parish life director Sister Kenan McGowan, RSM, and sacramental minister Rev. Kenneth Gregory.

Clustering

These changes are just the latest in a long list of parishes that have put their cluster plans into practice. Sister Kathleen explained that more than a year ago, St. Joseph's parish in Dolgeville and St. John the Baptist in Newport began sharing a pastor.

Since then, the Augustinian order's leaving several parishes in the Albany Diocese necessitated implementing pastoral plans of those parishes, as well.

St. Casimir's parish in Amsterdam saw its plan put to use when problems with the church's roof meant parishioners had to join with the community at St. John the Baptist parish (see related story).

Prepared for change

The diocesan Pastoral Planning Office tries to plan for such changes, said Sister Kathleen. In most cases, the office begins working with the parish a year before its pastor's retirement to decide how to staff the church in light of the decreasing number of priests available for service in the Diocese.

In the case of the Columbia/Rensselaer county parishes, their cluster plans had stated that even when it was necessary to have fewer priests serving them, they still hoped to have four faith communities. Thus, the parishes have been broken into two "subsets," each served by one priest.

"I think the parishes involved are pleased to be a part of the solution," Sister Kathleen told The Evangelist. "We referred to their plan and talked about what their needs are now; they had a voice."

More to come

The next parish cluster to use its pastoral plan will be in Johnstown, she added, where two of the three pastors will be retiring in 1998. It is projected that one priest will be serving all three parish communities. At the moment, the Pastoral Planning Office and parish staffs are discussing what other staff members will be needed to assist in leading the trio of parishes.

Parishioners know that change is difficult, Sister Kathleen said, but the transitions in staffing are eased when they have a say in the future of their parishes.

In his pulpit letter to the four parishes now implementing their plans, Bishop Howard J. Hubbard wrote: "I believe that each step we take to implement our pastoral plan brings greater stability to the local community and a particular cluster. I have every confidence that your plan will succeed because of the leadership demonstrated and your strength of faith."

(11-13-97) [[In-content Ad]]