Clarifying a Few Items Regarding the Status of our Parish

Now that we have made it through the first month of our transition to All Things New, it’s evident to me that the Holy Spirit has been very active in our parishes. Our parish priests are getting settled in the rectory and a schedule for Mass coverage has been developed and implemented. Parishioners from both parishes are choosing to attend Mass in each other’s church. We are also seeing people from other parishes who are checking out both churches to see if either is a fit for their needs.

Both Parishes Remain Independent.

      As part of the All Things New Initiative for the Archdiocese, Archbishop Rozanski affirmed that both St. Peter and St. Charles Borromeo would remain independent parishes (not subsumed/merged). He also assigned the pastoral staff for both parishes that includes: Fr. James Theby as the Pastor, Fr. Christopher Schroeder as the Senior Associate, and Fr. George Staley as the part-time Associate and part-time Chaplain for the Newman Center at Lindenwood University. Both parishes share the same pastoral staff.

Increased Mass Attendance at Both Parishes.

      Over the past month, both parishes have experienced an increase at both daily and weekend Masses. The St. Peter 6:30 a.m. daily mass moved from an average of 20 participants to 40 to 45 participants. The St. Charles Borromeo daily 8:00 a.m. now averages 70 to 75 participants, not counting the school Masses on Tuesdays and Fridays. Weekend Mass counts are starting to stabilize as parishioners are choosing the best Mass time for their families. At St. Peter the Saturday 5:00 p.m. Mass averages about 250 persons, and it is about the same for the 7:00 a.m. Sunday Mass. The 10:00 a.m. averages about 375 people. St. Peter can comfortably seat 480 people. I do not know the numbers for St. Charles Borromeo, but have been told that they are experiencing about the same increases.

Each Parish Manages Its Own Finances.

      The Finance Committee for St. Charles Borromeo remains separate from the St. Peter Finance Committee. Funds received or generated by each parish remain in the parish.  Should parishioners from St. Peter Parish drop their donation envelopes in the collection basket at a Mass at St. Charles Borromeo, or vice-versa, the envelopes are sent to the proper parish.

Respect for Each Other’s House of Worship.

      Both parishes have traditions that are unique to each one. For example, both parishes have the tradition of praying the rosary, but they do it at different times. At St. Charles Borromeo, the communal rosary is prayed after Mass, while it is prayed before the Mass at St. Peter. Also, just because one parish receives Holy Communion a certain way it doesn’t mean that it has to be done the same at the other parish. For example, when a St. Peter parishioner attends Mass at St. Charles Borromeo, the St. Peter parishioner is to respect how things are done at St. Charles Borromeo and vice-versa.

Christ’s Peace be with you.

Deacon Larry