CBS 3
August 29, 2009
http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/56113482.html
Diocese of Springfield Press Release:
SPRINGFIELD – The final recommendations for parish reconfigurations in the Diocese of Springfield are being announced in parishes throughout this weekend. Nineteen churches in Hampden and Hampshire counties will be closed. Many of the parishes will be merged with neighboring parishes.
Springfield Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell met with the pastor of each parish that will be affected and wrote a letter for each parish to be read at Masses this weekend.
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He said he knows that the changes will cause some to be angry and in pain. "There's going to be hurt, and I wish there weren't, the bishop said. "But, at the same time, we are a pilgrim people. And church is meant to be a pilgrim people. Church is meant to be people on the move."
Monsignor John J. Bonzagni says the changes are needed because of a change in demographics, a decline in the number of clergy and financial pressures.
"What we have tried to do is now get the diocese on a stable footing," he said, "remove the anxiety of whether this building going to be used, should we repair the roof? Now let's continue to build and continue to grow. This will take all that anxiety away. So, what we hope we're doing is really empowering for the growth of the church."
Most of the changes are scheduled to take place before the end of the year. However, reconfigurations for some communities will take place two years from now. The changes were recommended by the 12-member pastoral planning committee. Members of the committee began their work more than three years ago. The most recent recommendations were detailed in a report presented to the bishop earlier this month.
Msgr. Bonzagni says the recommendations were far-reaching and comprehensive. He said that, while the process was lengthy, it was designed to allow the sacramental life of the diocese to thrive despite diminishing resources and personnel. He noted that recommendations were made following a great deal of input from more than 1,000 parishioners from across the diocese.
Listening sessions were held in every area of the diocese over a nearly two year period. The pastoral planning committee was charged with formulating a way to provide every Catholic in western Massachusetts fair and equitable access to the sacraments. In most cases where a merger is to take place, the committee recommended that a new name be selected for the merged parish.
The first closings as part of this current round took place last summer in Pittsfield. Six of the ten churches in the city were closed. A second round was announced in August 2008 completing Berkshire and Franklin counties along with one section of Hampden County. Those changes closed 11 churches and took effect on January 1 of this year.
An outline of the current changes along with a video featuring Bishop McDonnell can be found at www.diospringfield.org.
Pastoral Planning Initiative
Final recommendations 2009
Bondsville section of Palmer
St. Bartholomew Parish is to be merged with St. Thomas Parish in Palmer. St. Bartholomew Church will be closed. Net reduction of 1 church.
Chicopee
Nativity of the B.V.M, St. Mary, St. Patrick and St. George parishes will be closed. Assumption Parish and Holy Name Parish are to merge and use the facilities at Holy Name. Net reduction of 5 churches.
Easthampton
Immaculate Conception, Notre Dame and Sacred Heart parishes have been directed to, merge into one entity as soon as it is practicable. Net reduction of 2 churches.
Hatfield
Holy Trinity Parish and St. Joseph Parish are to be merged and utilize one set of buildings. The committee did not recommend which facility should be utilized, leaving that decision with area parishioners. Net reduction of 1 church.
Holyoke
The committee recommended that Holy Cross Parish be linked with Mater Dolorosa and be staffed by the Franciscans who are currently serving at Mater Dolorosa.
Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Jerome parishes are to be linked. Both groups of parishes are to be linked for two years, after which they should merge, the committee recommended. Net reduction of 2 churches in two years.
Ludlow
The recommendation is that St. Mary Parish and St. John the Baptist Parish be merged with St. John facilities being utilized. Net reduction of 1 church.
Northampton
Parishioners and clergy felt that the city should be served by one parish and one chapel. The pastoral planning committee's report states that St. Mary's church should be utilized along with Annunciation church as a chapel. Blessed Sacrament, St. John Cantius and Sacred Heart parishes will be closed. Net reduction of 3 churches.
South Hadley
St. Patrick's and St. Theresa's, will also be reconfigured in two years and will be served by one pastor. Undetermined whether this will result in any church reduction.
Springfield
The committee recommends that Holy Family parish be closed and that the rectory be retained and used as a community outreach center.
Our Lady of Hope Parish will merge with St. Mary Parish. The new parish will utilize St. Mary's facilities.
St. Jude parish in Indian Orchard will become a mission of our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish. A limited number of Masses and sacraments will continue at St. Jude Church. Also in Indian Orchard, Immaculate Conception Parish will merge with Christ the King parish in Ludlow, and close Immaculate Conception Church. Christ the King facilities will be used. Net reduction of 3 churches.
Three Rivers section of Palmer
St. Anne Parish is to be merged with the parish of Sts. Peter and Paul. St Anne church is to be closed. Net reduction of 1 church.
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