Cluster 21 Task Force

Final Report

July 8, 2005

 

 

Vibrant Parishes

The diocesan long range planning process began under Bishop Gendron who, after World War II, created a multi-year diocesan plan. This long range planning effort continues under Bishop McCormack who, in his letter One in Christ, asks the question: how we can keep our parishes vibrant despite ever-changing resources. For the Bishop, involvement of the laity is a requisite for good diocesan planning.

 

However, the vibrancy of diocesan parishes is threatened by a noticeable decrease in parish priests. The LRPC projects that by the year 2012 there will be a decrease from 119 to 70-75 diocesan priests in our parishes. Fr. Robert Gorski, Director of LRPC, based these results on statistical studies and on published church, state and federal data. He considers the number 70-75 optimistic! Variables like demographics, especially in southern New Hampshire , age of buildings and even natural disasters will impact present parish structures and dynamics. If these numbers prove accurate, the Diocese will be suffering a major pastoral crisis in seven years. As the Diocese does all it can to find vocations and recruit clergy, Cluster Task Force 21 will do all it can to maintain a good level of vibrancy in our parishes.

 

To get a perspective on the future needs of the Diocese, the LRPC has divided the Diocese into 30+ clusters, each consisting of two or more parishes. Each pastor appointed two liaisons as members of the CTF. Before the end of 2005 each of the 30+ clusters is being asked to make recommendations to the Bishop about the impact that the loss of clergy and other changes may have the vibrancy, identity or even existence of their parishes.

 

Cluster Task Force 21 with four others was commissioned on May 14, 2005. We were given the task of answering the planning question: how would the seven Cluster 21 parishes organize themselves with only three priests in 2012? All clusters were asked the same question in order to give the Bishop an overview and possible long range strategies for coping with emerging parish needs and problems.

 

Cluster 21 is in the Seacoast Deanery and comprises seven communities: in Dover: St. Mary, St. Charles, and St. Joseph with its mission in Barrington, the Chapel of the Nativity; in Somersworth: St. Martin and Holy Trinity;  and, in Rollinsford: St. Mary.

 

The members of the Cluster 21 Task Force are: St. Joseph, Dover: Fr. Robert Cole, Stephen Roberts and Jerry Carberry; Chapel of the Nativity: Sr. Lorraine Choiniere, Kevin Plona , Deb Tatham; St. Mary, Rollinsford: Mike Daignault, Gail St. Hilaire; Holy Trinity, Somersworth: Jeanne Lavoie, Lee Reublinger; St. Martin, Somersworth:  Fr. Aaron Pfaff, Thomas Brown and Martin Dumont; St. Mary, Dover:  Fr. Fritz Cerullo, Richard and Priscilla Casimiro; St. Charles Borromeo, Dover: Fr. Paul Gregoire, Eugene Paquette, Richard Vailliere. The facilitators were: Fr. Robert Paskey, S.J. and Pat Ford. It should be noted that members of Task Force come from leadership groups in each parish and have been collaborating together for a long period of time. Members hold eleven positions on pastoral and finance councils.

 

Weekly meetings were held at a different cluster churches to allow members to become familiar with the member churches. This was helpful in understanding the history of parishes some of which began as in 1830 in Dover and 1857 in Rollinsford. Two are currently celebrating their 175th  and 150th anniversaries.

 

 

Our Two Cluster Tasks

 

The LRPC asked us to do two basic and coordinated tasks:

 

1) to answer the 'what if” or worse case scenario planning question: how would you structure the cluster churches in the year 2012 with only three priests?

 

2) sponsor listening or hearing sessions to invite parishioner input into this process and their thoughts about the future organization of the Diocese with dwindling priests and in some places rising Catholic population.

 

 

Our Way of Proceeding

 

Given the task force question with its restriction of only three assigned parish priests in 2012, we envisioned the cluster being divided into three natural groupings: 1) the churches in Somersworth and Rollinsford, 2) St. Mary and St. Charles in Dover , and 3) St. Joseph in Dover and the Chapel of the Nativity in Barrington . One pastor could be assigned to each grouping or sub-cluster. The details of how the sub-clusters might structure its parish life in 2012 without using the deacon at St. Joseph , retired priests living in the area, or lay presiders are given below.

 

 While our answer is a reasoned response to the planning question, we recognize that three priests cannot meet the needs of an area with a growing population. In reality, all possible resources in addition to parish priests would be used to keep the parishes vibrant. We further recognize that if the planning forecast actually happened, the Diocese would be facing a monumental pastoral crisis. The recent news of new clergy coming to the Diocese, the appointment of a full time Clergy Recruiter and the opening of a School for the Laity are some positive signs of a pastorally safer future. We join Bishop McCormack in praying that this worse case scenario never happens in the Diocese of Manchester .

 

We began each meeting with prayer, and by voicing our belief that we were a committee of Catholics called by the Bishop and the Holy Spirit to collect parish data, brainstorm ideas, and talk about the future in order to provide the Diocese with a vision of where these seven churches might be in 2012 in response to the specific question: how they might be structured with only three assigned parish priests in 2012. Even without the question and the LRPC planning process, the seven parishes would continue, as they have in the past, to meet and collaborate on ways to provide good pastoral services, leadership and guidance for the people of God.

 

 

Our Recommendations

 

After much discussion it was decided to keep all seven churches open and continue to seek new and creative ways to keep the growing Catholic communities vibrant, well governed and financed, and to make every effort to provide the best possible sacramental and pastoral services to church members despite the decreasing number of priests. Any change to our present status before 2012 will be thoroughly discussed in dialogue with the Dean, the LRPC, the Bishop and the parishioners, and good solutions will be found.

 

We feel that for our seven-parish cluster an incremental approach is wisest. The cluster is so large, so complex and located in a growing area of the Diocese that it seems only prudent to avoid making long range, irreversible recommendations for situations that might, or might not happen for seven years from now. We recommend therefore a series of one-or two-year cluster plans rather than the proposed single seven-year plan. Unlike clusters with only two or three churches, a seven parish cluster with its multiple and complex variables requires a slower, more gradual discernment and planning process. We remain at all times fully committed to collaborating with the Bishop in his Dialogue for the Future.

 

 

Sub-cluster reports

 

Each of the three sub-clusters was asked, in break-out sessions, to detail some of the assets, problems and concerns that they may face in the future under these circumstances.

 

 

St. Joseph and Chapel of the Nativity Catholic Community

The Chapel of the Nativity and St Joseph Church Parish are a natural sub-grouping in the Cluster 21 organization. Currently all pastoral support is provided by a team of three priests assigned to St Joseph Church and the mission church Chapel of the Nativity. Both parish communities provide their own governance and financial planning councils with Father Robert Cole presiding as Pastoral Director of both communities. It should be noted that the Chapel of the Nativity currently utilizes a full-time Pastoral Associate, Sister Lorraine Choiniere, to provide the day-to-day management of the Chapel Community.

We recommend that both St Joseph Church and Chapel of the Nativity remain open in the future. Based on the current and expected population growth in the Dover and Barrington area, we believe that the Diocese needs two active church communities. Our discussions have concluded that, if needed, a single priest could handle the work load of four masses and other Pastoral responsibilities at both the Chapel and St. Joseph locations. Current mass schedules will provide for a single Mass at the Chapel of the Nativity and three Masses at St Joseph Church . This expectation, however, may not be valid as we approach the year 2012, based on the expected growth of the Chapel community; Mass attendance at the present time is at or near capacity every Sunday.

In order to limit the impact on the single pastor we are prepared to create a Joint Parish Council to provide governance, planning, and financial decision making. This joint council will be constructed of an equal number of members from both parish communities. This body will work together on items specific to both communities, and/or having a direct impact on the other community. However, individual parish/finance sub-councils are to be responsible for their respective parish responsibilities. Parish Council break-out sessions will be held during our meetings to work details and financial issues facing each individual parish. All accounting and finances will be kept separate as we see the eventual splitting of this grouping if the Chapel becomes an independent parish. The Diocese is in the process of determining acceptance of twenty acres of property in the town of Barrington for the future of The Chapel of the Nativity community.

 

The Somersworth and Rollinsford Catholic Community Grouping

The three churches of Holy Trinity, St. Martin & St. Mary (Rollinsford) are a sub-group within Cluster 21. The alignment of St. Mary to the Somersworth churches is logical for many reasons, geographical and historical. The main factors include a comfort level with the present alignment and existing relationships, the recent consolidation of the management and care of the three respective cemeteries, and the fact that a high percentage of the children from the two communities are schooled together from 7th through 12th grades.

Worship spaces:

Retain all three worship spaces at least through 2012. At that point, if there should be only three priests, some further consolidation may be warranted. To close a church and sell property before then would be premature, based on the potential for population growth in the area.

Organization:

Administration services would be combined into one office (cemetery management is already combined). Though finances would remain separate, the possibility of providing oversight by one joint Finance Committee should be explored. Changes in the two Catholic churches in Berwick and South Berwick , Maine , a mile from Rollinsford, might increase attendance at this church. This would be another variable suggesting prudence and patience in making decisions about the future.

With these questions and promising developments we believe that moving slowly into the future without prematurely making decisions is best for us. We have a solid history of collaboration and will continue to work together to find the best solutions in maintaining the spiritual health and pastoral vibrancy of our parishes.

 

 

St. Mary and  St. Charles Catholic Community

In the year 2012 with one priest there will need to be greater collaboration between the two parishes. However, we recommend that any approach to joining these two parishes in the immediate future be incremental, adjusting gradually to changes taking place not only in these two parishes but in the city of Dover .  In 2012 with one priest, the combined Mass schedule of the two churches would be simplified so that the priest could preside at the Eucharist at both churches. The one priest could live in the St. Mary's rectory.  We would explore the use of the St Charles rectory as a home for retired priests and explore the use of the other physical facilities, such as the weekday use of the parking lot at St. Charles as a source of additional income for the parish. These and any other changes will be considered by the pastors, parish councils and other parish committees as needed.

The incremental approach is recommended since it is expected that new families would be moving into the area and looking for a place to worship. Both churches have pew space available to handle newly arriving Catholic families and any overflow from other churches having fewer Masses.

Like other parishes in the cluster, we are willing to make any sacrifice, make any changes that will promote the well being and vibrancy of our parishes when these changes are become necessary for the pastoral well being of the people. 

Before concluding this section on sub-cluster reports, it is noted that other proposals were submitted to the Task Force. Each showed serious work and personal care in trying to help the Bishop plan for the future. However, with the decision to keep all the churches open and to use an incremental approach, the consideration of these alternative plans was discontinued.

 

Listening or Hearing Sessions

 

The Cluster held two listening sessions and also invited parishioners to email responses to a one page summary distributed as a bulletin insert. Responses were both generic, addressing historical issues and diocesan-wide concerns, and specific, addressing the future of the seven parishes in the cluster. All issues and concerns were brought to the attention of the LRPC.  However, in this cluster planning report, the concerns relating to the future of cluster parishes were given greater attention.

Long Range Planning in the Diocese is, of necessity, carried out against a historical background. The tragic events of the clergy sexual abuse scandal and the fallout for this Diocese and the Catholic Church in the US is a reality which forms a backdrop against which the any planning process must function. The tragedy has left an understandable suspicion about church managerial processes and decisions. While acknowledging this chronic condition in the church and the diocese, the task force also recognizes that this situation is not solvable in this task force planning document. The Cluster in this report, is only attempting to provide a vision for a cluster of parishes and their complex parochial and inter-parochial concerns. The future is a hard road for everyone. We wish the Diocese and every member of the Diocese the Holy Spirit's gift of healing and hope.

In the listening sessions and email responses parishioners frequently commented on the need for greater recruitment of priests with the simple logic: if you need more priests, then recruit.  Little information is provided by the Diocese about its recruiting staff, and the success or failure of their outreach programs. Recommendations included the recruitment of overseas priests, religious priests and priests from other diocese thinking about retirement. Retiring priests from NH and elsewhere could be encouraged to find a retirement home and community in the Diocese, perhaps in this deanery, along the coast.

Recruitment of priests must be accompanied by a strong program to promote vocations. Again, the simple logic: if priests are declining, then increase vocation programs, especially among older men. The Diocese of Anchorage has a house, called the House of Discernment, where men discerning a vocation would live with a pastor, have a regular job, be under the care of a spiritual and vocational advisor, help out in the parish while deciding whether or not to enter seminary. It is a central place for promoting vocations for the Diocese. Also, with the same logic: if fewer priests, then ordain deacons to help provide pastoral and sacramental care. Clearly more needs to be done.

Several respondents approved of the Diocesan plan of a School for the Laity to train and credential lay people for a growing number of parish responsibilities. St. Thomas School in Dover will be one of the campuses for the School for the Laity. A parishioner familiar with lay presiders in the midwest parishes recommended their use as the number of priests in New Hampshire continue to drop.

Also of immediate concern was parish/school funding, a diversity of mass schedules, population growth. Several felt that Fr. Bob Gorski had already made a plan for closing, uniting and merging all the parishes in the Diocese and that the LRPC and the cluster task forces were merely window dressing and a charade. A dominant concern expressed in different ways was that the Diocese is asking parishioners to close, merge or twin parishes which have been their spiritual homes and places of worship for generations but they asked what is Chancery itself was doing little to help prevent this pastoral crisis from happening?

In summary, very few expressed a strong positive or hopeful anticipation of the church's future. The parishioners are concerned about the planning process, recruitment and the future. It became obvious that a new visionary message calling upon lay participation needs to be crafted at the diocesan level. The People of God need empowerment in order to maintain vibrant parishes.

The Diocese is sending out two conflicting messages. The Bishop is calling for vibrant, Spirit-filled  parishes and the Long Range Planning Committee, based on its statistical studies, is predicting a major sacramental and pastoral disaster in the near future. The LRPC is promoting the urgent need to close, unite and merge parishes in preparation for this crisis yet diocesan recruitment and vocation programs seem to be understaffed and mostly unsuccessful. The Bishop needs to publicly resolve this dual message and address the prediction of a devastating crisis in parish life in the near future.

 

Some Task Force Concerns

 

We have successfully completed the tasks asked of us by the LRPC and we look forward to continued collaboration with the Diocese. However, we still have some concerns. We share them here as possible opportunities for improving the LRPC process and for a hope-filled future of the Diocese of Manchester . We appreciate and thank the Bishop and the LRPC for giving their attention to these concerns.

If the LRPC calculations prove accurate, in the next seven years the Diocese will lose 119-70 = 49 diocesan parish priests. Each year seven priests will be leaving parish work either by death, retirement, sickness or departure from the diocese. This number intuitively seems high yet serves as the reason for allocating only three priests to Cluster 21 in the year 2012, and the reason for this planning process and report. If the LRPC numbers do prove accurate, the Diocese will experience a widespread, destructive, pastoral hurricane. Like any approaching weather disturbance, the Diocese needs to monitor the path and strength of this pastoral storm and periodically send out alerts to the parishes. We fully understand the need for emergency preparedness and pledge our full cooperation but, with any prediction of disaster, we await periodic updates to assist in planning and parish decision making.

Like all clusters, we are concerned with having only three priests in 2012. For us this projected allocation presents monumental problems, more so since the LRPC has certified that the population will be increasing throughout the deanery. Hopefully, as sometimes happens with real hurricanes, the storm dissipates and the predicted devastation is averted. The Cluster does not want to make irreversible decisions if the pending disaster is not as bad as predicted. Again, we compliment the LRPC for its leadership in this difficult matter and we join the Diocese in praying that this pastoral storm be averted, the sacraments remain plentiful and the parishes vibrant.