St. John the Evangelist Parish

Dear Parishioners,
From this bulletin, The Pilot and a number of other sources, you are aware that our Archdiocese is in the midst of implementing Disciples in Mission, a comprehensive plan developed over a two year period by the Archdiocesan Planning Office working with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Planning Commission (APPC). In an effort to advance its evangelical efforts, preserve and strengthen parishes and reasonably allocate clergy and lay personnel, it calls for the development of collaboratives. Simply put, collaboratives are parishes served by one pastoral staff (i.e. sharing clergy, religious and lay staff).

With only a handful of exceptions due to size or unique geography, it is expected that all of the parishes in our Archdiocese will be part of a collaborative by 2019. Each year a block of parishes will be announced and, with the assistance of the Planning Office, enter into collaboratives. The second grouping or phase is set to commence June 1 of this year. For the reasons stated in the letter (a copy of which ran in our parish bulletins in recent weeks) St. John the Evangelist and St. Paul parishes have volunteered to be a part of Phase III. We have been informed by the Planning Office that they concur with our suggestion. Hence we expect to be a part of Phase III, which will begin in summer 2015. In the near future the Archdiocese will make a formal announcement, including at least some of the other Phase III collaboratives.

The St. John/St. Paul Collaborative Committee has been meeting for some time now to prepare us for this eventuality. In the months to come all of us will have opportunities to learn more about the process and what we can do to ensure its successful implementation.

Respectfully yours,

Rev. Thomas F. Powers
Pastor

Rev. Thomas S. Rafferty
Administrator

Dear Parishioners,

Two years ago Cardinal Sean announced a new plan for the Archdiocese entitled Disciples in Mission. In this plan, a cluster of parishes would enter into a Collaborative. Each parish would retain its individual identity and yet would work together with the other parish(es) under the leadership of one Pastor. Therefore, under this new Archdiocesan plan, there would be one Pastor for St. John and St. Paul. Implementation of this Archdiocesan plan would take place in a series of phases during the coming few years.

Presently two phases have been implemented and a third phase is tentatively scheduled for 2015. After discussion with the advisory boards of both parishes, we feel it would be appropriate to inform the Archdiocese that St. John and St. Paul would be open to inclusion in phase three. It is Cardinal Sean who decides which Collaboratives would be included in each phase and also what
the timetable would be for that phase.

We feel this is an opportune time for our parishes to be included since Fr. Powers will be reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 2015, and setting our sights on phase three will help the parishes to focus on what must be done to prepare for this change. It is our conviction that when our parishes enter into this new relationship, the mission of each parish will be strengthened and the community will be better served.

May this Easter Season be a blessing to all the members of our parishes.

Fr. Thomas F. Powers, Pastor       Fr. Thomas Rafferty, Administrator