Dear Friends,
Much has happened since our last update on Pierce Deanery Catholic Parishes. Perhaps the most significant step we have taken is the decision to break our 27 Deanery parishes into 4 smaller and more workable sized quadrants of 5-7 parishes. Our Northwest Quadrant consists of Saint Patrick Catholic Church, St. Rita of Cascia, St. Charles Borromeo Parish, St. Leo Church and Holy Cross Catholic Church .
Northwest Quadrant is Working Collaboratively
Pastors and Pastoral Coordinators from the Northwest Quadrant parishes have been meeting on a monthly basis since September 2016 to explore ways to collaborate and plan for a future that is likely to include fewer priests to serve our respective parish communities.
The most recent example of collaborative work is our upcoming weeklong Lenten Mission from March 19 – 24. A Parish Mission is a time for a parish/quadrant and its people to experience together great grace, an experience of the Word made flesh among us, an occasion of healing, conversion, and reconciliation. Priests and lay leaders from all five parishes have been invited to lead one evening of prayer. Each parish leader has also invited their parishioners to participate in this weeklong Mission at Saint Patrick Catholic Church. We believe opportunities to pray together are an excellent prelude to our parishes eventually working together and ultimately combining various parish programs and ministries.
Another example of collaboration is the willingness of Holy Cross to open its 3 Days of Reflection and Discussion on the Least Among Us based on the Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Poverty: Who is My Neighbor? to all all 5 quadrant parishes. Three gatherings are scheduled for March 12th,19th, and 26th at Holy Cross Church from 9:45-10:45 AM
Pastoral Leadership in the Deanery
The most recent news to share regarding Pastoral Leadership in the Deanery is that the Jesuit community at Bellarmine has informed Archbishop Sartain of their willingness to continue supporting Saint Patrick Catholic Church and School for another year. We are grateful for their continued generosity and await the Bishop’s decision. At St. Rita, Father Gene Delmore, S.J., will step down as pastor this summer, but continue serving as Parish Priest for 2017-2018. Its unknown, at this time, whether Archbishop Sartain will appoint a Pastoral Coordinator to lead St. Rita or consider some other model of Pastoral Leadership. Please keep our friends from St. Rita in prayer during this time of transition. Please also keep Deacon Jim Fish, Pastoral Coordinator at Holy Cross and his wife Cindy in your prayers as she continues to battle cancer. The degree to which Deacon Fish is able to serve the Holy Cross community as Pastoral Coordinator may be impacted by their situation.
The 3rd Convocation of the Pierce Deanery
Finally, a 3rd Convocation of all 27 Parish Leadership groups is being planned for March 30, 2017 at St. Charles Borromeo. We hope to finalize these plans at our Deanery meeting this month at Saint Patrick Catholic Church. Initial ideas for this convocation include the opportunity to pray and discern with each other about an extended 3-4 year forecast that includes reductions of 1-2 priests per quadrant, and how we can best serve the collective communities of St. Patrick, St. Rita, St. Charles Borromeo, St. Leo and Holy Cross with fewer priests.
Please don’t hesitate to contact the parish office if you have any questions.
I pray that your Encounter with Christ this Lenten season be blessed.
Kevin Lovejoy
Pastoral Coordinator
