Diocese Takes Action For Future Survival (USA)

SPRINGFIELD -- Faced with losing a third of its priests during the next three years, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield is examining how to close or combine parishes throughout western Massachusetts.

A study commissioned by the diocese recommends closing Holy Trinity in Agawam and Holy Family and St. Mary Morning Star in Pittsfield. It suggests merging 10 parishes to create five new parishes and assigning several priests to cover two churches.

The report, which the Diocese released last Friday and made available to the 230,000 Catholics in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties, was done by the Economic Development Center at the University of Massachusetts.

"The bishop made clear he wanted an outside set of eyes to look at the data coldly," said John Mullin, director of the Economic Development Center. "When you have insiders doing this sort of work, you have attachment and warmth, and it makes things more difficult to assess."

Mullin said his recommendations were meant only to give the diocese a starting point for talking about how to deal with an expected drop from 97 to 65 priests by 2010.

"This is not the definitive study," he said.

The American priesthood swelled just after World War II, and dioceses across the country are now reckoning with clergy deaths and retirements that leave fewer priests to minister to congregations.

Priests are allowed to retire at 70 with their bishop's permission. The average age of pastors in the Springfield Diocese is 58.

Bishop Timothy McDonnell said the current ratio of priests to parishioners is close to what it was a century ago, and predicted that lay people and deacons will start playing a greater role in church operations as the number of ordained clergy dwindles.

"Most Catholics today grew up with the surge in priests post World War II as the norm," he said. "But what we thought was the norm was really just a wonderful period."

The UMass report divides the diocese into 10 areas and suggests linking, merging or closing churches based on factors like congregation size and financial health. Only in Lee does the report say no changes are necessary.

In other areas, like Greenfield and Northampton, the report suggests cutting the number of priests by four and having several churches share priests.

Armed with the report, diocesan officials said they would start seeking input from individual parishes. Any changes would likely be implemented gradually as priests retire or die, McDonnell said.

"We're trying to figure out how to run this place on 65 priests without discombobulating everybody's life," Monsignor John Bonzagni said.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.

The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.

Sotto Voce