It is difficult to imagine the Catholic Church being organized differently in our area. Yet for more than 100 years, the configuration of parishes and ministries in the diocese has continually been reshaped to meet the demands of proclaiming the Gospel in changing circumstances.
“A new evangelization is synonymous with mission, requiring the capacity to set out anew, go beyond boundaries and broaden horizons. The new evangelization is the opposite of self-sufficiency, a withdrawal into oneself, a status quo mentality and an idea that pastoral programs are simply to proceed as they did in the past. Today a ‘business as usual’ attitude can no longer be the case. Some local Churches, already engaged in renewal, reconfirm the fact that now is the time for the Church to call upon every Christian community to evaluate their pastoral practice on the basis of the missionary character of their program and activities.”
— Synod of Bishops, The New Evangelization for the Transmission of Christian Faith, Lineamenta, #10 (2012)
As your Cohort discusses the preliminary recommendations, you are asked to set aside ‘business as usual’ and ‘self-sufficiency’ in order to take a fresh look at what parish configurations and ministries will best serve the mission. Do your pastoral practices, programs and activities have a missionary character? Are they getting the results for which you hope?
The importance of clear and consistent communication, both within the cohort discussions and in the outreach to the wider parish communities is essential during Steps 4 and 5 of the Faith in Our Futureprocess. The July monthly update on Faith in Our Future, which has been distributed to parishes and is posted on the diocesan web site, is a good communication and information tool. As part of your communication with your fellow parishioners, you may want to refer them to the monthly update and encourage them to read it.
To assist in your ongoing conversation, you were sent the general parish statistics and financial information that parishes in your cohort reported for 2015. Please add this updated information to the data you already have and take it into consideration as your make your response to the preliminary recommendations.
Here are some reminders that can be of help as you move forward:
Please let us know what questions you have about your work and the whole Faith in Our Futureplanning process and we will answer them in future updates. Thank you once again for contributing your time and energy to this important project.
1. Why are we being encouraged to convene parish town hall meetings since the cohort teams are responsible for providing the official Cohort Response?
The 8th step in the Faith in Our Future process is implementation of Bishop O’Connell’s decisions. For implementation to be as successful as possible in strengthening and enlivening parish life throughout the Diocese of Trenton, parishioners need to be involved and be able to share their hopes and concerns.
2. If none of the pastors in our cohort are nearing retirement, why is it necessary for us to consider linkages and mergers, In Solidum teams and Parish Life Directors among the options?
Just because a resident pastor may be assigned to your parish now, it does not mean that will continue to be the case. Pastors serve a six year term which can be extended an additional six years at the discretion of the Bishop. The Bishop can ask a pastor to take a new assignment at any time if a serious pastoral need exists somewhere else in the diocese. Bishop O’Connell must assign priests to see to the needs of the nearly 800,000 Catholics across the diocese. It means that the recommendations should not depend on the service of specific individual priests, but on the mission and ministry of the parish and what will strengthen its ability to evangelize.
Please let us know what questions you have about your work and the whole Faith in Our Future planning process and we will answer them in future updates.
Msgr. Leonard Troiano, ltroiano@dioceseoftrenton.org 1-609-403-7159
Sherrie Sporek, sspore@dioceseoftrenton.org, 1-609-403-7193
FAX: 1-609-406-7413
MAILING ADDRESS:
Faith in Our Future, Diocese of Trenton
701 Lawrenceville Road
Trenton, NJ 08648
Burlington & Ocean Counties Consultant
Tom Reid, TReid@TheReidGroup.biz, 1-206-947-2990
Monmouth County Consultant
John Reid, JReid@TheReidGroup.biz, 1-206-947-1055
Mercer County & Bi-Lingual Consultant
Cleo Molina, CMolina@TheReidGroup.biz, 1-206-383-2536