Blessed John XXIII Presents Planning Recommendations to the Diocese for Implementation

All of the parishes of the diocese, including BLESSED JOHN XXIII have been working to determine the best ways to serve our communities with our available material and human resources as demographics change, populations shift, and the number of diocesan priests available for ministry continues to decline. 

Representatives from our parish planning team met several times early in the year under the guidance of Fr. Jim Maggart and our parish chairperson, Carol Pleczynski, to review our parish data and to review data from other parishes within our deanery.    The members of the parish planning team were:  Fr. Hugh Bradley, Mary Christian, Kel MacKavanagh, Lois Mauro, Carol Pleczynski, Patricia Mauro, Tim Stac.

Under the leadership of Fr. Carmen Carlone, the Dean for our area of the diocese, and with  a trained facilitator, Annette Bakley, our pastor and chairperson, along with representatives from our parish planning teams, met several times with representatives from the other parishes in our region for Regional Meetings to begin to formulate planning recommendations for our region. Our planning partners are:   Blessed John XXIII, Cedarbrook & Blue Anchor,; Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Berlin; Church of the Assumption, Atco; and St. Anthony, Waterford

At these Regional Meetings, the planning representatives considered various models for parish configuration that would strengthen parish life within our region.  Full descriptions of each of these models for configuration have been published in past issues of the Catholic Star Herald and can be found at  www.GatheringGodsGifts.org .

Meetings were held this spring at the Deanery level with representatives from the region.  At these meetings, planning recommendations were formulated for all the planning partners in the deanery.  These deanery recommendations, which were submitted to the diocese by May 15, will be reviewed and evaluated during the summer months by Bishop Galante with the Diocesan Planning Commission.  In the fall, Bishop Galante will visit each deanery representative group to give feedback and pose questions.

Following Bishop’s visit, the planning representatives in deaneries will have the opportunity to fine tune or adapt their planning recommendations.  During December and January, Bishop Galante with his advisors will review the final draft of recommendations submitted by each deanery.   It is expected that Bishop Galante will announce the diocesan plan in February 2008.

PARISH PLANNING RECOMMENDATION

The Pastoral Planning process of the Diocese of Camden, Gathering God’s Gifts, has as its major work the revitalization of parish life.  In order to move toward our diocesan pastoral goals for parish vibrancy, the following model of parish configuration is being recommended to Bishop Galante:

REMEMBER: THIS IS ONLY A RECOMMENDATION AND NOT FINAL!!!

One Priest, One Parish Model:
Blessed John XXIII builds new church complex parish and with one pastor and one part-time associate.

REMEMBER: THIS IS ONLY A RECOMMENDATION AND NOT FINAL!!! 

In addition to the recommended reconfiguration model noted above, the planning process has been addressing the number of priests available for ministry, the ministries needed for vibrant parish life, financial feasibility, and facilities.  These factors are contingent on the acceptance of the model of configuration being recommended.  For additional detail on our planning recommendations, see our parish website at  www.blessedjohn23.org .

As we complete Phase II of “Gathering God’s Gifts” and enter Phase III (see www.GatheringGodsGifts.org for a complete timeline), we thank all of the clergy, religious, and lay men and women who have collaborated so faithfully in this process and who have brought their gifts to the service of our Church.  We ask you to continue to pray daily for the success of this process that, with God’s grace, it will help us grow into the dynamic communities of faith, hope and love that we strive to be.