Partners in the Gospel

Partners in the Gospel is a strategic pastoral planning process to help us better achieve our mission of growing in our faith, and helping others know Jesus Christ.

Partners in the Gospel will restructure parishes into parish families, in most cases with 2 or more parishes. Each parish family will be served by one pastor and one or more parochial vicars (2+ priests). The pastor along with staff, consultative leaders, and with input from members of the parish communities, will develop a plan for how it comes together as one canonical parish – one community of faith. New parish families will benefit from the shared gifts, talents, finances, resources and more from each of the joining parishes.

Partners in the Gospel is an opportunity for us to re-envision parish life and how we carry out the mission of the Church. Our goal is to re-invigorate and renew our local Catholic Church. 

Because we have a vision for vibrant parishes with full Masses, active youth groups, welcoming hospitality, engaging outreach efforts – and much more. 

New parish families will benefit from the shared gifts, talents, finances, resources and more from each of the joining parishes.

We must address many challenging realities including declines in parish engagement (Mass attendance, sacraments, giving, etc.), fewer priests, aging buildings, and more – in order to bring our vision to life. 

Holy Rosary and St. Thomas More have been identified as a potential Parish Family. The Listening Sessions are where the parishioners at each parish will prayerfully consider with one another their concerns and hopes about this possibility, after which this input will be given to the Archdiocese. 

To read the full list of proposed Parish Families, click here.

January 2023: Public launch

      February – July 2023: Leadership consultation 

            August – September 2023: Parish and school staff provide input

                  Fall 2023: Parishioners provide input on parish families (< we're here)

            Early 2024: Final parish family structures announced

      July 2024: Parish families go into effect with one pastor

2024–2027: Parish families journey together.

      2027: Parish families become one canonical parish

• Parish: A parish is a particular community of the faithful whose pastoral care is entrusted to a priest under the authority of the (arch)bishop. The term parish refers to the community of people and not to the sacred building designated for divine worship — the church (with a lowercase “c”). (TL,DR: ‘parish’ = the people, whereas ‘church’ = the building.
• Parish family: A parish family is two or more parishes under the leadership of a pastor. Over time, the parish family will determine its own consultative leadership team(s) and how each parish may share resources such as staff, ministries and outreach.
• Pastor: The proper shepherd of the parish or parishes entrusted to him under the authority of his (arch)bishop. He is an ordained priest responsible for the ministry of teaching, sanctifying and governing, with the cooperation of other priests or deacons in the parish and the assistance of lay members of the faithful.
• Parochial vicar: A priest assigned by his (arch)bishop to a parish or parish family to assist a pastor in the care of the faithful. Parochial vicars are priests who render their services in pastoral ministry as co-workers with the pastor in common counsel and endeavor with him and also under his authority.” (Code of Canon Law, c. 545 §1)
• Parish leaders: Those members of the parish faithful who collaborate with the pastor to help inform and guide the parish to best fulfill the evangelizing mission of the Church. These leaders could include parochial vicars, deacons, and members of the laity (employees or volunteers), each according to their proper roles and charisms.
• We are not closing parishes. We are joining parishes together to form a parish family under the leadership of one pastor and one or more parochial vicars. (There are a few exceptions, where a few parishes will stand alone because they are staffed by a religious order or serve a specific cultural community).
• Most parish families will have a new pastor starting in July 2024. It will be up to parish leaders and the community to discern how to use all their resources (people, finances, Mass times, formation programs, ministries, campuses, and more). 
• Resources, tools, training, and staff from the Chancery will be supporting parishes along this journey.
• Parish Catholic Schools are a ministry of the parish and will therefore move along with their parish into parish families.
• There is a tremendous need for lay leadership in this process and many new roles and needs will emerge. Yes, this means some people may change their roles in this process, but we anticipate we will have many opportunities for people to share their gifts. 
• Based on discernment, each parish family will develop a “One Parish Plan with its recommendations for becoming one canonical parish. The plan will outline how church buildings will be used, how the community will re-envision parish life for mission, and any proposed changes for ministries, including schools. The creativity, determined locally, for how to re-envision parish life will be outlined in this plan.
• Once a parish family becomes one canonical parish (in three or so years) as outlined in its One Parish Plan, the following changes will occur:
  • • It will receive a new parish name. However, church buildings will keep their current names. For example, the church at St. Anne Parish will become St. Anne Church within {NEW NAME} Parish.
    • There will be one finance council and pastoral council to serve the parish community, even if it is spread across one or more campuses.