Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Vibrant Parish Life

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What exactly is a cluster?
Why is St. Pat's planning to cluster?
Why is the diocese pushing this initiative?
Is our school closing?
Is our school or parish merging?
How long will this take?
Which parishes will we cluster with?

More links:
May 14, 2006 bulletin: What Stage II is all about
September 24, 2006 bulletin: Our proposed cluster

Got more questions? Contact the Rectory or e-mail your questions to a committee member.

What exactly is a cluster?: A cluster, like a "district," is a just an organized sub-group of parishes within the diocese -- a grouping which parishoners benefit from, without necessarily being so aware of. Technically, "A cluster is a group of parishes committed to a long term relationship of collaboration to plan and provide pastoral care for these communities." *
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Why is St. Pat's planning to cluster?: Every parish in the Cleveland Catholic Diocese is planning to cluster, * regardless of size, wealth, culture, or geography. Bishop Lennon has firmly required all parishes to prayerfully devise ways to make such connections with neighboring parishes, a natural next step in the process Bishop Pilla initiated early in 2001.
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Why is the diocese pushing this initiative: Citing John 10:10, Bishop Pilla's "hope is that we will do all that is possible to sustain and enhance the vibrant parish life to which Jesus calls us." * He explains, * citing 1 Cor 12:19-22, that "Growth and decline situations are not an urban, ethnic or administrative problem alone, but they involve the whole Diocese." As St. Paul wrote in Romans 14:19, "Let us then pursue what leads to peace and to building up one another."
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Is our school closing?: No! As Fr. Hagedorn emphasized in his column in the 6/11/2006 bulletin, this rumor is "absolutely not true... Our Capital Fund Campaign was run primarily to make sure our school would stay open and it was successful enough to do this." Indeed, teachers and other staff are already under contract for the coming school year. Thousands of dollars in grant money have been secured to renovate the cafeteria. Our parish is committed to the future of our school.
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Is our school or parish merging?: No. Some have confused "merging" with Vibrant Parish Life's concept of "clustering." There's a huge difference. Clustering is little more than what our parish already does: coordinate, exchange and balance our resources and gifts with neighboring parishes; that is, collaborate and foster community. * The goal of Vibrant Parish Life is to preserve parish identity, canonical status and fiscal responsibilities. Under normal circumstances, parishes will not close or merge unless parish representatives themselves recommend it.
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How long will this take?: According to a schedule from the Diocese, * clusters will be considered by parish subcommittees (mostly lay) in the Summer and Fall of 2006, approved by the bishop in Spring 2007, and phased into practice in the following year.
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Which parishes will we cluster with?: St. Pats' mostly-lay Vibrant Parish Life committee submitted a proposal to the Diocese of Cleveland in October 2006. We will hear back from the Diocese, based on other parishes respective proposals, in the coming months.
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