Question 1: What is a Parish Collaborative and why are Parish Collaboratives being formed around Boston? Will our parish go into a Collaborative?
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 made a determination as to how to allocate these resources in a manner that will enable the mission of Christ and the Catholic Church to grow stronger. Parish Collaboratives are affiliations of two to four parishes which will work together in significant ways. They will share a Pastor, a team of appointed Clergy (Parochial Vicars and Deacons), a Pastoral Team, and a Pastoral Council. They will work off of a Local Pastoral Plan which they will develop together. It is important to remember that each parish will maintain its own identity – its own name, its buildings, its canonical rights, its own Finance Council, its own bank accounts, its own books, its own financial assets, and its own financial obligations. Common costs of the Collaborative (such as staffing and shared programs) will be shared between the member parishes. At some point soon, St. John’s and St. Paul’s will together form one of these Collaboratives.
We welcome your comments and feedback. Please email your questions or comments about Parish Collaboratives to: stjohn.stpaul@gmail.com
