By Oralandar Brand-Williams
Detroit News
November 30, 2011
http://www.detnews.com/article/20111130/LIFESTYLE04/111300407/1361/Archdiocese-to-release-plan-for-changes-in-Detroit-area-parishes
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| The Rev. Victor Clore of Christ the King parish on Detroits west side, said he believes his parish will be spared because another nearby parish merged with it a couple of years ago. (Elizabeth Conley / The Detroit News) |
Detroit Closing nine parishes and merging more than 30 are among the recommendations for the area's 270 Catholic churches, the Archdiocese of Detroit announced Wednesday.
The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, a group made up of mostly of lay Catholics, handed over its 40-page document to Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron.
A separate volunteer group of 1,500 area Catholics has been meeting for the past year to discuss possible parish closures, mergers and other issues as the Archdiocese of Detroit deals with declining revenue, southeastern Michigan's shrinking population and a growing priest shortage.
The plan will affect both city and suburban parishes, said Archdiocese of Detroit spokesman Joe Kohn.
"This isn't just about the city, but also about the parishes the archdiocese oversees in six counties," Kohn said.
The council handed over recommendations culled from the parish volunteer group to Vigneron after a meeting Wednesday evening at Sacred Heart Major Seminary on Linwood near West Chicago Boulevard.
The recommendations were put on the archdiocese website, aodonline.org, shortly after they were given to Vigneron.
The archbishop is expected to make his decision based on the volunteer council's recommendations by February, Kohn said.
The recommendations regarding parishes are part of a five-year plan, called Together in Faith, to adjust to the area's population shift and the need for more priests.
Last year, Archdiocese of Detroit officials met with city leaders and population experts about Detroit Mayor Dave Bing's Detroit Works plan to shrink the city and how it would affect Catholic churches in the city.
Archdiocese officials, however, have stressed that the decision on whether a parish would close or merge with another one would rest with parish leaders.
Within five years, nine parishes are proposed to close.
In addition:
60 parishes are proposed to merge down to 21.
7 worship sites are proposed to close. Additionally, a number of the worship sites affected by the merging process would likely close.
4 parish cluster arrangements, involving eight parishes, are proposed.
28 proposals would offer new or expanded ministries or regular events for youths and young adults.
17 proposals would allow parishes to cooperate on establishing new or expanding current programs for Christian outreach services, including food and clothing pantries.
19 proposals would form multi-parish initiatives to strengthen vocation awareness.
23 proposals would establish new, multi-parish teams or initiatives focused on inviting non-Catholics and inactive Catholics into/back into the church.
17 proposals would offer new prayer devotions and/or special services (e.g., monthly prayer services, adoration chapels or area-wide Masses to pray for vocations).
Additional plans include cooperation among parish business managers; support for secular initiatives, such as blood drives; establishment of multi-parish jobs ministries; collaboration on communications initiatives such as websites or newsletters; multi-parish panels focused on serving those with disabilities; and multi-parish faith revivals.
The last major round of parish closings was more than 20 years ago and involved 29 churches in Metro Detroit.
Contact: bwilliams@detnews.com
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