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	Director Praises Pace of Diocese Reconfiguration By Linda M. Linonis Youngstown Vindicator June 17, 2011 http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/jun/17/director-praises-pace-of-diocese-reconfi/ There’s a history of working together through times of change in the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown. “This isn’t a new concept,” the Rev. Nicholas Shori said of the collaborating, merging and downsizing that is occurring in the diocese now. Father Shori is the director of the ongoing Parish Implementation Plan. He pointed out that the collaboration of Our Lady of Victory Church in Andover and St. Patrick Church in Kinsman dates from 1962, and the collaboration of St. Mary Church in Orwell and Sacred Heart Church in Rock Creek since 1998. Both situations work with a pastor, two parishes and two worship sites. “Walking Together” was a collaboration of churches suggested by Bishop James W. Malone, who led the diocese from 1968 to ’95. “That process would have paralleled what is happening in the diocese today,” Father Shori said. What makes the current process unique is the number of churches, parishioners and priests involved and that some churches will be closed. This process was preceded by the development of a pastoral plan and self-evaluation of each parish. After all the information was assembled and turned into a plan, deanery meetings took place and a tentative plan was announced in February 2010. Bishop George V. Murry announced the diocese reconfiguration plan May 28, 2010. The two-year plan consolidates parishes from 112 to 87. So where is the diocese today? “We’re way ahead in the process,” Father Shori said. When he looks at his charts of the deaneries, the words “done” and “in process” dominate the status of mergers and collaborations. A recent announcement involved the reassignments of 24 priests in the diocese, which will help move the process along as the leadership of even more parishes will be in place. The diocese covers Ashtabula, Columbiana, Mahoning, Portage and Stark counties; there are 201,401 registered Catholics. Father Shori said fitting a priest to the parish takes careful consideration of what the congregation needs and what the talents of the priest are. “We want the priest to be a good fit as far as personality and talent,” he said. Father Shori emphasized that pastoral councils and transition teams at churches play key roles in the mergers and collaborations. "We have had some tender spots,” Father Shori said of emotions of parishioners. For the most part, church members understand the reality of what must take place. As the downsizing process continues, a cultural and historical advisory committee has been formed. Father Shori said this group of six people from the Valley will offer input on the cultural and historical importance of church buildings and help evaluate the buildings and their contents. The diocese owns the church buildings, and Bishop Murry is the trustee for the property; the diocese is responsible for their fate. Father Shori said some church buildings may be deconstructed, a term that’s used when the building is dismantled and building materials such as slate, marble, certain tiles and hardwood are salvaged and then sold. Statues, Stations of the Cross, stained-glass windows and a host of other religious items from closed churches also will be cataloged. Some items may find new parish homes within the diocese and elsewhere, while others might be sold. As part of the Diocese of Youngstown Parish Reconfiguration Plan, the following priests have been appointed by Bishop George V. Murry as pastors and associate pastors in parishes that will or have already merged, will collaborate or will remain as single parishes. Appointments are effective Aug. 1 unless otherwise noted. MAHONING COUNTY St. John the Baptist, St. Joseph the Provider, St. Lucy and St. Rose of Lima Parishes in Campbell: The Rev. Joseph Ruggieri is appointed pastor and the Rev. Shawn Conoboy, associate pastor. Father Ruggieri was ordained May 20, 1995, and Father Conoboy was ordained July 29, 2006. Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish in Lowellville: The Rev. John Jerek is appointed pastor. Father Jerek, who was ordained June 18, 1998, currently serves as vicar for clergy, director of seminarians and administrator at St. John the Baptist Parish in Campbell. Holy Family Parish in Poland: The Rev. Martin Celuch was named associate pastor, effective July 1. Father Celuch was ordained in his native Slovakia on June 14, 2003. St. Charles Parish in Boardman: The Rev. Michael Marcelli was named associate pastor. He will be ordained June 25 in St. Columba Cathedral by Bishop Murry. St. Christine Parish in Youngstown: The Rev. Christopher Cicero, associate pastor, effective July 1. Father Cicero was ordained July 17, 2010. Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Youngstown: Monsignor Peter Polando, pastor of St. Matthias and Holy Name Parishes in Youngstown, takes on the additional appointment as pastor. He was ordained June 21,1980, and serves as adjutant judicial vicar in the diocesan Department of Canonical Services. St. Stephen of Hungary Parish in Youngstown: The Rev. Joseph Rudjak, pastor of Our Lady of Hungary and Sts. Peter and Paul Parishes in Youngstown, takes on the additional appointment as pastor. Father Rudjak was ordained May 27, 2000. Cardinal Mooney High School in Youngstown: The Rev. Gerald DeLucia has been appointed chaplain. He was ordained June 17, 1978. St. Joseph the Provider School in Campbell: The Rev. Michael Swierz has been appointed administrator. He will study the feasibility of moving the school from its present location in Campbell to the former St. Anthony School building in Youngstown. He was ordained June 22, 1985. Trumbull County St. Mary and Joseph Parish in Newton Falls: The Rev. Donald Feicht is appointed administrator and the Rev. Thomas Ungashick will become pastor, effective Jan. 1, 2012. Father Feicht was ordained May 8, 1970, and Father Ungashick, June 12, 1976. St. James and Sts. Cyril and Methodius Parish in Warren: The Rev. James Walker is appointed pastor and the Rev. Jeffrey Stealey, associate pastor. Father Walker was ordained June 18, 1977, and Father Stealey will be ordained June 25 at St. Columba by the bishop. St. Mary Parish in Mineral Ridge: The Rev. Thomas Kraszewski, pastor of St. Stephen Parish in Niles, is appointed to an additional pastorate. He was ordained May 24, 1997. Ashtabula County Mother of Sorrows and Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parishes in Ashtabula: The Rev. Raymond Thomas is appointed pastor and the Rev. Ernesto Rodriguez, associate pastor. Father Thomas was ordained May 27, 1972. Father Rodriguez will be ordained June 25 at St. Columba. St. Mary/St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Conneaut: The Rev. Philip Miller is appointed pastor. Father Miller was ordained June 18, 1977. St. Joseph Parish in Jefferson and St. Andrew Parish in Sheffield (Kingsville): The Rev. Charles Poore is appointed pastor of effective July 1. Father Poore was ordained June 10, 1989. Stark County St. Peter Parish in Canton: The Rev. Edward Beneleit is appointed pastor and the Rev. John Sheridan, associate pastor, effective July 1. Father Beneleit was ordained Nov. 10, 1974, and Father Sheridan, July 17, 2010. Regina Coeli Parish in Alliance and St. Joseph Parish in Maximo: The Rev. Howard Ziemba is appointed pastor. He was ordained June 23,1979. St. Joseph Parish in Alliance and St. Ann Parish in Sebring: The Rev. Maciej Mankowski is appointed pastor. He was ordained May 26, 2001. Sacred Heart Parish in Harrisburg (Louisville): The Rev. Nicholas Mancini is appointed pastor. He was ordained May 3, 1975. St. Therese Parish in Brewster and St. Clement Parish in Navarre: The Rev. Michael Seifert is appointed pastor of the churches that will merge on July 1 as Holy Family Parish. He was ordained June 23, 1984. St. Paul Parish in North Canton: The Rev. Steven Ziegler is appointed associate pastor. He will be ordained June 25 at St. Columba. Contact: linonis@vindy.com
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