The St. John and St. Paul Collaborative will be formally launched in the summer of 2015. Following is a recently asked question and answer about the new Collaborative:
QUESTION 7: Can you share some of the difficulties that the Phase I and II Parishes have experienced as they have entered into the formal Collaborative process? And what lessons has the Archdiocese learned from the experiences of the Phase I and Phase II Parishes?
In the Parishes where there was little or no advance preparation, or negative advance preparation—the formation and development of the Collaborative has been greatly impeded. Forming new Pastoral Teams is a complex process. Choosing the right team for the mission is a necessity. Collaborative Pastors have enormous responsibilities and need to have a strong support team in place in order to accomplish their objectives. The Archdiocese has learned that forming Collaboratives is a slow process that takes time and planning to get right. As a result, the process has been elongated, to allow more time for advance preparation. It is important to choose a good leadership team, very early. The Pastor needs an excellent Executive Assistant, Finance and Operations Manager, and Director of Ministries. The Pastor must delegate as much as possible. It is critical to have as many people as possible participate fully and actively in the training program. As with most endeavors, it helps to be creative.
More information can be found on the St. John’s web site (St. John – St. Paul Collaborative News) and on the Archdiocese of Boston Pastoral Planning website (www.disciplesinmission.com)
The Inter Parish Collaborative Team welcomes your comments and feedback. Please email your questions or comments to: stjohn.stpaul@gmail.com
