February 18-19, 2023

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

ALL THINGS NEW: A Renewed Church / A Renewed Mission / A Vibrant Future

It was about two weeks ago that the All Things New (ATN) draft parish models were shared with all of us.  Those models are available on the website allthingsnew.archstl.org.

From the very beginning of All Things New, the guiding question has been: “Which communities does it make most sense to have come together in light of demographic shifts, evangelization and social outreach efforts, resources, and priest availability?”  The current draft models show the archdiocese being reshaped from 178 individual parishes into 88 “pastorates” in order to best serve the lay faithful.  A pastorate is a community under the pastoral care of one pastor and pastoral team. 

⁕    In some cases, an individual parish will remain as its own pastorate but may have to adapt some of its ministries and sacramental offerings.

»  One pastor oversees a parish, potentially with associate pastors

»  Pastor is canonically the pastor of that parish

»  Potential new Mass times or regional ministries

»  Shared vision articulated by the pastor

»  Mass celebrated regularly in one church

»  One parish staff and outreach ministries

»  One pastoral council

»  One finance council

⁕    In other cases, two or more parishes remain financially independent, but become a new pastorate with one pastor and pastoral team.

»  Comprised of multiple parishes sharing the same priest as pastor, potentially with associate pastors

»  Pastor is canonically the pastor of each parish in the pastorate

»  Shared vision articulated by the pastor

»  Mass celebrated regularly in multiple churches

»  Parish staff shared between multiple parishes

»  One parish council

»  Each parish retains finance council

»  Parish finances are not combined

⁕    Finally, in some cases parishes will merge their resources together, forming a new pastorate under one pastor and pastoral team.

»  One pastor oversees the parish created by the merger of parishes, potentially with associate pastors

»  Pastor is canonically the pastor of the merged parish

»  Shared vision articulated by the pastor

»  The churches in which Mass will be celebrated regularly will be determined locally

»  One parish staff and outreach ministries

»  One parish council

»  One finance council

»  Parish finances of the merged parishes are combined

 

In order to support parish life and ministries, there are plans to restructure the Archdiocesan Curia.  The proposed structure would place each of these 88 pastorates into one of three or four “vicariates.”  A vicariate will be made up of twenty or more pastorates and will provide them with both leadership and support services.  This would be a different way for some of our current Curia functions and ministries to be located around the archdiocese, and better serve the pastorates, vicariates and ultimately the faithful of the archdiocese.  The specifics and details of this are still being discerned.

As we continue with this process, we ask you to pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, so that all might be accomplished according the God’s most holy will.  Let us also pray for Archbishop Rozanski during this time of discernment, with confident faith that Jesus makes All Things New.

 

                  Sincerely yours in Jesus, 

                Fr. John Seper