Collaborative FAQ 8: Does a “Collaborative” Mean One of the Churches in Wellesley is Closing?

Question 8. I keep hearing that St. John’s and St Paul’s are forming a Parish Collaborative. Does this mean that one of the churches here in Wellesley will be closing?
No. Both St. John’s and St. Paul’s will remain open, which happily is a key benefit of the new Pastoral Collaborative program. The Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Commission, over the last several years, evaluated the resources (the number of priests, new vocations, church buildings, etc) available in the Boston area for the foreseeable future and has determined how to allocate these resources in a manner that will enable the mission of Christ and the Catholic Church to grow stronger. Think of our Collaborative as an “affiliation of parishes” – not a new parish. St. John’s and St. Paul’s will each maintain its own identity – each with its own name, buildings, canonical rights, bank accounts, books, financial assets, and financial obligations.
We welcome your comments and feedback. Please email your questions or comments about Parish Collaboratives to – stjohn.stpaul@gmail.com