A Guide to Parish Clusters, Mergers and Closures
A GUIDE TO PARISH CLUSTERS, MERGERS AND CLOSURES Acknowledgements: Diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin: Office of Pastoral Services, Mark Mogilka, Director Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa: Leadership Development & Pastoral Planning, Brian Topping, Director; Sister Mary Montgomery, OP, retired Director Diocese of Buffalo, New York: Department of Research and Planning, Sister Regina Murphy, SSMN, Director Archdiocese of Boston, Massachusetts: Curia - Planning and Research, Reverend Robert McMillan, S.J., Director; and Kathleen Heck, Special Assistant to the Moderator of the Curia Revised June 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS Prologue (Letter from Bishop of Lansing) .................................................................................. 4 Theology of Change .................................................................................................................... 6 The Human Response to Change ................................................................................................ 8 Diocesan Coordinating Commission Foundational Documents ............................................... 10 Care of the New Faith Communities: Policies for Parish Clusters, Mergers and Closures ...... 12 Grieving and Moving to Wholeness in Life ............................................................................. 24 Stories of Others‟ Experiences.................................................................................................. 26 Appendix A Parish Cluster Models ......................................................................................
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