[This letter was originally part of the Bulletin insert which accompanied the parish models information.]
May, 19 2005
Dear St. Vivian Parishioners;
This letter involves the Futures Project which is a planning process for looking at the future with dramatically fewer priests to serve as pastors. Given our recent history and my newness to the role of pastor, this may not be the best time for us to engage in major planning for the future. However, that’s exactly the kind of planning that the Archdiocese is asking us to do. The need for this planning is growing urgent. The parishes that we are working with are St. Bartholomew, Our Lady of the Rosary, St. James, and St. Matthias. If one of the pastors presently serving the five parishes in our region were to take a new assignment, retire, or pass on (God forbid,) there is no guarantee that that parish would be assigned another pastor. The remaining priests would have to work out some way to administer the parish and provide the Sacraments. Eventually, there may be only 2 priests to serve these five parishes.
The Archdiocese has learned by experience that decreeing from on high that parishes close or consolidate creates enormous amounts of hurt feelings and resentment. This is why every parish in the Archdiocese is working with its neighbors to formulate plans for a time of dramatically fewer priests. It is hoped that if the plan comes from the local level, whatever the arrangements are, they will be implemented with greater ease and less hard feelings.
That brings us to our present task. Our Region, the five parishes mentioned above, has been in the planning process for over a year. Now we are at the stage of envisioning what restructuring we will need to do in order to maintain a strong Catholic presence in this area. The regional planning committee has offered us three different models that it believes could work within our situation. Your representatives need to know what you think of them. These models along with a cover letter are attached. Please consider them carefully and prayerfully. The “Questions for Consideration” provided at the bottom of each page should help you in this. St. Vivian will hold a “town hall meeting” to discuss these on Tuesday, June 7 at 7 pm in the Filippine Center. This meeting will end at 8:30. If you cannot attend this meeting, you may mail or email to or drop off your written comments at the rectory prior to the meeting.
As you consider the three models, I also ask you to consider the thoughts and feelings you have at the possibility of “the parish” as you know it now being dramatically transformed, perhaps within the next ten years. As much as we need to plan and prepare as a community, we also need to plan and prepare as individuals. Please be assured that all five parishes are facing the same prospects for change. Most likely, this huge transition will be difficult for everyone. We need to attend to our own thoughts and feelings so that they do not overwhelm us, but that we may channel our energies into constructive responses to this call for change.
Our Faith tells us that the Holy Spirit guides the Church where it needs to go. Let us pray for the openness, charity and wisdom to follow the Spirit’s promptings during this process.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Fr. Paul Gebhardt