Called to Holiness and Mission:
Pastoral Planning in the Diocese of Scranton 

TIMELINE REVIEW
 

December 2007
In a meeting for all priests and deacons and a subsequent pastoral letter, Bishop Martino announces comprehensive planning project for the spiritual and pastoral renewal of every parish in the 11 counties of the Diocese. Bishop appoints Diocesan Planning Commission comprised of priests, deacons, religious and lay people. The Reid Group, national pastoral planning consultants, is commissioned to facilitate the process. 

January 2008
A Parish Core Team is formed in each parish. Consisting of the pastor and four other parish members, the Core Team is responsible for completing all required work at the parish level and keeping all parishioners informed. 

January 29-30, 2008
Eight regional meetings are held, at which The Reid Group prepares Parish Core Teams to conduct self-evaluations of their parishes based on data compiled for the Diocese by each pastor. Facilitators are also prepared to assist, upon request, with future pastoral planning meetings. 

February – April 2008
In light of the 20 criteria for parish renewal approved by Bishop Martino, Parish Core Teams perform evaluations of their parish’s liturgical and sacramental life, evangelization activities, demographics, ministries, finances and programs. The results are presented to Parish Finance and Pastoral Councils, and pastors invite all parishioners to meetings to provide information and seek input from parishioners. Pastors also keep parishioners informed through bulletin and/or pulpit announcements. 

April – June 2008
The 224 parishes in the Diocese are grouped into 50 Clusters; each Cluster has a Cluster Core Team consisting of the Parish Core Team members from the parishes in the Cluster.
Regional orientation meetings are held to prepare Cluster Core Teams for their task:
studying the parish self-evaluations that were completed by the Parish Core Teams, and suggesting one or more of four models for the parishes in their Cluster: consolidation to form a new parish entity, linking of two or more parishes under one pastor, establishing partnerships with other parishes to operate joint programs and share resources, and forming teams of two or more priests, deacons and lay people who would serve multiple parishes. Parishioners are kept informed through either meetings, bulletin and/or pulpit announcements. 

June 3 – September 2, 2008
Pastors arrange for professional evaluations of their churches and other facilities currently in use. Evaluations are submitted to Diocesan facilities manager by September 2. 

June 15, 2008
The suggestions from each Cluster Core Team are presented to the Diocesan Planning Commission. 

June 30 – July 2, 2008
Diocesan Planning Commission meets to review suggestions submitted by Cluster Core Teams, and responds by formulating preliminary recommendations for each Cluster.

July 19-20, 2008
All parishioners receive pastoral planning timeline in parish bulletins. 

July 26-27, 2008
Announcement Weekend: Each pastor announces to entire parish the preliminary recommendations of the Diocesan Planning Commission for their Cluster and publishes these recommendations in the parish bulletin. 

Week of July 28, 2008
Regional meetings are held for Cluster Core Teams to receive instructions for conversation and response to the preliminary recommendations. 

July – October 1, 2008
Cluster Core Teams coordinate conversations at the parish level regarding the preliminary recommendations. A formal response to these recommendations is submitted to the Diocesan Planning Commission by October 1. 

October 2008
Diocesan Planning Commission gathers for prayer, discernment and review of the responses from the Cluster Core Teams. The Planning Commission makes the final recommendations to Bishop Martino. 

November 2008 – January 2009
Bishop Martino studies final recommendations, consults with Diocesan advisory bodies, and announces the final plan for parish reconfiguration. 

January – February 2009
Each Cluster forms an Implementation Team; regional meetings are held to instruct these teams on how to prepare an Implementation Plan at the parish and cluster level. 

May 8, 2009
Clusters submit Implementation Plans to The Reid Group. 

May 15, 2009
Implementation Plans submitted to “Called to Holiness and Mission” Office and then to Diocesan Implementation Commission. 

June 2009
Diocesan Implementation Commission will meet to review Implementation Plans and then make recommendations to Bishop Martino. Approved Implementation Plan or a “Plan with Suggestions” will be given to each Cluster. 

July 2009
Clusters will begin to execute their Implementation Plan. 

April 2010
Evaluation and, if necessary, adjustment of the Implementation Plan for 2010-2011 year. 

May 2010
Each Cluster will submit its Annual Cluster Evaluation Report and the adjusted Implementation Plan for 2010-2011. Subsequent Annual Cluster Evaluation Reports and adjusted plans will be due each year in May.