Parish Core Teams Are Essential to Planning Process
 

Consultation and input at the parish level will be critical to the success of the Diocese of Scranton’s pastoral planning project.

The project, entitled Called to Holiness and Mission: Pastoral Planning in the Diocese of Scranton, will focus on the spiritual and pastoral renewal of the entire 11-county Diocese. Every parish will evaluate its situation in light of demographics, ministries, finances and the condition of buildings. Another major factor affecting all parishes is the number of priests available for active service.

The project will result in adjustments to the present configuration of parishes and how priests are assigned.

The process will feature broad consultation involving clergy, religious and lay faithful in every parish. Input at the parish level will be coordinated by Parish Core Teams. Each pastor has been asked to form a team consisting of himself, one member from the parish Pastoral Council, one member from the parish Finance Council, and two other parishioners.

“It will be the responsibility of Parish Core Teams to insure that the necessary work is done in each parish, and that communication and consultation involve all members of the parish,” said Monsignor Vincent J. Grimalia, V.G., project director.

The process also will involve a Diocesan Planning Commission composed of clergy, religious and lay representatives; Cluster Core Teams comprised of the Parish Core Teams in a given geographic area; the already established Pastoral and Finance Councils for each parish; parish staff and the parishioners. The Presbyteral Council and other diocesan advisory groups will also participate. 

The Parish Core Teams have six primary functions:

1.      To lead the parish through the planning process.

2.      To be responsible for the parish’s evaluation of itself according to criteria established by the Planning Commission.

3.      To be accountable for the parish summary and verification of data.

4.      To participate in cluster planning and in suggesting a model for the most effective way they can work together in the future.

5.      To respond to the Planning Commission’s recommendation for their cluster.

6.      To ensure implementation of the Bishop’s decision for their parish and cluster.

     “The work of the Parish Core Teams will be critical to the success of the project,” Monsignor Grimalia said. “These teams will guide the process in their parishes, and most importantly they must keep all parishioners informed and involve them in the consultation.”

The Diocese will also continue to provide information in The Catholic Light, on CTV: Catholic Television, on the diocesan website at www.dioceseofscranton.org, and through inserts that will be sent to all pastors for inclusion in their church bulletins.

Prayer, information and training for the process are very important. On Dec. 3 there was a required orientation meeting for all priests and deacons. Because important information was given, the gathering was videotaped and those unable to be present attended a meeting on Jan. 17 or 19.

On Jan. 28, there will be a training session for parish facilitators. On Jan. 29 and 30 there will be eight meetings throughout the Diocese for the required training of Parish Core Teams. The Diocesan Planning Commission will be trained on Jan. 30.

The Reid Group, a company that has extensive national experience in planning within a wide variety of organizations at the diocesan, parish and school levels, is facilitating the process and will present the training. Each session for the Parish Core Teams will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the following locations: