Local Catholic churches to consolidate services
Local Catholic churches to consolidate services
By Lucas Knowles
Editor
Catholic churches in Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth and South Portland will be going through a change in the next few years that reflects both a statewide and national trend.
Last week, Bishop Richard Malone of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced that he approved the plan for reorganization of the parishes in “cluster 22” – St. Maximilian Kolbe in Scarborough, St. Bartholomew in Cape Elizabeth and St. John the Evangelist and Holy Cross in South Portland.
The reorganization plan for the parishes follows a model that includes one pastor, separate parishes, one staff, one Pastoral Council and one Finance Council. Currently, two pastors serve the churches and every parish has its own councils.
Every “cluster” of Catholic churches in Maine had to submit a reorganization plan to Bishop Malone by June of this year. The movement to consolidate represents a national trend that many call “new evangelism” – where Catholic churches have had to regionalize and consolidate their services.
Sue Bernard, the communications director for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, said the reorganization process of Catholic parishes in Maine began in the mid 1990s, when she said it was becoming clear that the number of men entering the priesthood was decreasing and demographics were changing.
“At that point, the Diocese thought it would make sense to have a long-term plan,” Bernard said. “The number of men being ordained was not keeping up with the number of men who were retiring from the priesthood and the demographics around the state had changed dramatically…we needed to find out whether what we had for facilities matched what our needs were.”
Bishop Joseph Gerry, who served as the head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland before Bishop Malone, had the organization compile a document called “Vision 2000” to begin to chart its future. Bernard said Bishop Malone then “took that document and took the next step with it” by organizing a committee to put together an action plan. In March 2005, that committee concluded that Catholic churches in Maine needed to be organized into 28 “clusters.” Each cluster then had to examine its needs and report back to the Diocese with a plan.
In his response to the proposal by the parishes in Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth and South Portland, Bishop Malone outlined issues that he said needed to be addressed, including decreasing the number of weekend Masses from ten to eight and suggesting that two separate and distinct parishes remain in South Portland.
In his response, Bishop Malone called for an investigation into whether the mission of the St. Jude parish in Pine Point is still necessary because of the number of people who attend that church in the summer.
Father Michael Gendreau, the pastor for St. John the Evangelist and Holy Cross, said the plan put forth by local parishes does reflect that the Catholic church is trying to respond to the changing times.
“This process has given us the chance to ask how do we continue to care for one another and how do we spread the Gospel in a way that is effective,” Gendreau said.
Gendreau said the first meeting of the combined Pastoral Council for all four parishes is being planned for next month. He said the changes will begin to take place locally within the next few years.
Gendreau shares duties in the local cluster with Monsignor Michael Henchal, who serves as the pastor for St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Bartholomew.
Bishop Malone has asked that all “clusters” implement their respective plans of action by 2010.
By Lucas Knowles
Editor
Catholic churches in Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth and South Portland will be going through a change in the next few years that reflects both a statewide and national trend.
Last week, Bishop Richard Malone of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced that he approved the plan for reorganization of the parishes in “cluster 22” – St. Maximilian Kolbe in Scarborough, St. Bartholomew in Cape Elizabeth and St. John the Evangelist and Holy Cross in South Portland.
The reorganization plan for the parishes follows a model that includes one pastor, separate parishes, one staff, one Pastoral Council and one Finance Council. Currently, two pastors serve the churches and every parish has its own councils.
Every “cluster” of Catholic churches in Maine had to submit a reorganization plan to Bishop Malone by June of this year. The movement to consolidate represents a national trend that many call “new evangelism” – where Catholic churches have had to regionalize and consolidate their services.
Sue Bernard, the communications director for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland, said the reorganization process of Catholic parishes in Maine began in the mid 1990s, when she said it was becoming clear that the number of men entering the priesthood was decreasing and demographics were changing.
“At that point, the Diocese thought it would make sense to have a long-term plan,” Bernard said. “The number of men being ordained was not keeping up with the number of men who were retiring from the priesthood and the demographics around the state had changed dramatically…we needed to find out whether what we had for facilities matched what our needs were.”
Bishop Joseph Gerry, who served as the head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland before Bishop Malone, had the organization compile a document called “Vision 2000” to begin to chart its future. Bernard said Bishop Malone then “took that document and took the next step with it” by organizing a committee to put together an action plan. In March 2005, that committee concluded that Catholic churches in Maine needed to be organized into 28 “clusters.” Each cluster then had to examine its needs and report back to the Diocese with a plan.
In his response to the proposal by the parishes in Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth and South Portland, Bishop Malone outlined issues that he said needed to be addressed, including decreasing the number of weekend Masses from ten to eight and suggesting that two separate and distinct parishes remain in South Portland.
In his response, Bishop Malone called for an investigation into whether the mission of the St. Jude parish in Pine Point is still necessary because of the number of people who attend that church in the summer.
Father Michael Gendreau, the pastor for St. John the Evangelist and Holy Cross, said the plan put forth by local parishes does reflect that the Catholic church is trying to respond to the changing times.
“This process has given us the chance to ask how do we continue to care for one another and how do we spread the Gospel in a way that is effective,” Gendreau said.
Gendreau said the first meeting of the combined Pastoral Council for all four parishes is being planned for next month. He said the changes will begin to take place locally within the next few years.
Gendreau shares duties in the local cluster with Monsignor Michael Henchal, who serves as the pastor for St. Maximilian Kolbe and St. Bartholomew.
Bishop Malone has asked that all “clusters” implement their respective plans of action by 2010.
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