Planning Model #8 - 2nd Draft Model

Dear St. Clare of Assisi Family,

From the very beginning of All Things New the Archdiocese has been asking the question, “Which communities does it make most sense to have come together in light of demographic shifts, evangelization and social outreach efforts, resources, and priest availability?” 

You shared your feedback on what parishes, ministries, and institutions need to look like to effectively share the faith in a way that is suitable and sustainable for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come. 

While parish changes are announced on Pentecost Sunday, St. Clare of Assisi School will remain open for the 2023-2024 school year.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ST. CLARE?
Using the parish feedback summaries, parish workbooks and financial data of every parish in the Archdiocese, the All Things New planning committee has refined the first draft models to a second set of draft models, which offer one draft model per planning area. The image below shows the outcome for St. Clare in the 2nd draft model.

In the first round of models, St. Clare and Ascension were to be merged in all three models. For the 2nd draft model, St. Clare is now in a pastorate with St. Alban Roe (see image below).

WHAT IS A PASTORATE?
A pastorate is a community that is under the pastoral care of one pastor and a pastoral team/staff. With this plan we would have a single pastor but both parishes would continue to operate with relative independence (separate buildings, finances, etc.) with the idea that some shared expenses, ministries, or other resources might exist.

St. Clare and St. Alban would technically be stand alone in that we are our own entities still. The parish finances will remain separate. However, we will be asked to look creatively at how we might share staff, i.e. "Would we have one RCIA instead of two?"

We need to remember that all these changes will not happen overnight. This implementation will take years, even when the new pastorates are formed.