Meeting on Merging

Two weeks ago, was a big week for the Parish Leadership Team (PLT) and our parishes!  The PLT went on the road to the “tower of power” as the archdiocesan offices are affectionately known!  We scheduled a meeting with key archdiocesan leaders so that we could receive their help in gauging our parishes’ readiness for merging, as well as what specifically we need to do over the next year or two.
Before we attended the meeting and received feedback, it was the sense of the PLT that Crescent Parishes are way out ahead of the curve of Beacons of Light.  What we have already accomplished makes us think that.

What have we already accomplished?
Before talking about what we need to do over the next couple of years to become one parish, let’s consider what we have already accomplished.  

•    We have one united staff, where all staff members consider themselves Crescent Parishes Staff.  In fact, many staff members work in more than one office. Parish administrative assistants minister to all parishes and have each other’s backs.  For example, one admin inputs envelopes for all parishes.  One admin schedules available meeting spaces for all our parishes.  
•    Even as we still have our individual pastoral councils, they meet together in one gathering before individual meetings.  Pastoral councils are talking about the goal of creating one family pastoral council, perhaps even before the merger.
•    Worship Commissions have individual meetings and also meet together several times a year.  There is a combined executive committee made up of Worship Commission chairpersons and the Director of Worship.
•    Unity between Nativity School and Crescent Parishes has increased considerably and remains a primary goal of Crescent Parish Staff.  Principal Jason Fightmaster is a part of the Parish Leadership Team.
•    Logistics such as parishioner information, bulletin, phone systems, website, email addresses, collection counting and contractual work have been streamlined and united, realizing considerable cost savings to our parishes.
•    Transparency and openness have been values that are being fostered by communication on all levels, especially through the bulletin and website, as well as the comprehensive annual report for our parishes.  It is quite possible that parishioners know more than ever before about their own parish and much more about other parishes in our family.  

Our Archbishop Declares our Parishes Merged
The end goal of the merging process is a declaration by our Archbishop that we are one parish.  That declaration has an effective date a month or two after the declaration itself, giving the people of God a chance to let it settle in.  Questions can be asked.  Concerns or problems can be voiced.  

What Needs to be Accomplished
With all that has been accomplished so far, there are two basic tasks before leadership. The first is a letter from me to Archbishop stating the reasons why we should be one parish, and the second is to assemble a packet (though packet seems too small a word) of information which supports the good reasons why we ought to become one parish.

My letter to the Archbishop will at least contain the following reasons why we should become one parish:

1.    Administration of parish life will be less burdensome. Instead of having five of every key parish position such as a business manager, administrative assistant and director of religious education, merging our parishes allows for the complexity of parish life to be diminished by allowing one person to be responsible for the same job throughout the parishes.  The supporting documentation for this point will be rather common sense.  For example, we have proved that one director of administration is doing the work of three previous business managers and that two-and-a-half administrative assistants are accomplishing what four did before.  In addition, freed up money from paying five business managers can be used to hire additional staff members, such as a director of communications and stewardship/love in action.
2.    Utilization of Space will be wiser and more impactful.  We do not need five parish churches to adequately house the people of our parishes and our liturgies will possess more vitality with more of the faithful gathered together. Supporting data for this reason is October count numbers and church capacities.
3.    There are fewer practicing Catholics within our parish boundaries.  Again, this seems rather obvious and can be supported by parish registrations on record, as well as the numbers of sacraments celebrated over the past decades.  That data proves a decline in practicing Catholics.
4.    United ministries and efforts make for better ministry.  Much of the support for this reason is already evident among us: we are working together on events, gatherings and shared ministry and it is working well.  Examples of cooperation include unified OCIA, youth ministry, Confirmation prep. and formation programs for children.  Combined events also support this reason for merging: Parish Family Feasts, Shared Parish Missions, a Liturgy of Lament, and a host of combined liturgies, for example on holidays and during Holy Week. Cooperating and “gathered together” pastoral council and worship commissions meetings are perhaps the most key.  In all the above, it is also clear that we are working to be sensitive and respectful to our Black Catholic and Hispanic parishioner cultures. 
Clearly, the process above will take time.  Even though we plan a target date, which looks like it will be July 1, 2026, the actual merge date may be months before or after.  Be assured we will continue to keep parishioners informed. Thanks to all who are praying for and working for greater unity among us.

Sincerely and with Love in Christ,
Fr. Pat