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SOUTHERN BURLINGTON DEANERY: |
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• Christ the Redeemer, Mount Holly
• Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown
• Our Lady Queen of Peace, Hainesport
• Sacred Heart, Mount Holly
• St. John Neumann, Mount Laurel
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Southern Burlington Deanery Update
March 4, 2009
Population changes lead to new study
by Mary Stadnyk
On Jan. 22, the diocese will officially launch a study of five Southern Burlington County Deanery parishes with the ultimate goal of addressing the needs of all Catholics in the area through the development and enhancement of new models of ministry in those parishes.
The study, initiated by Bishop John M. Smith, will be conducted by the diocesan Office of Expansion and Restructuring and will involve the parishes of: Christ the Redeemer, Mount Holly; Our Lady of Good Counsel, Moorestown; Our Lady Queen of Peace, Hainesport; Sacred Heart, Mount Holly, and St. John Neumann, Mount Laurel.
It is similar to previous diocesan deanery studies that have occurred since 2005 in the Greater Trenton Area, Northern Burlington County and Monmouth Central Deaneries. Mike Fabian, associate director of the Office of Expansion and Restructuring, said the impetus for the Southern Burlington Deanery study arises from how parishes are affected by various factors including shifts in demographics, an influx of immigrants in different areas, a shortage of vocations to the priesthood and religious life and an increase of the senior citizen population.
Along with those factors, Fabian said the Southern Burlington Deanery Study presents "several unique challenges" that need to be considered and are "different from those challenges that we had faced in previous studies."
The biggest challenge, Fabian said, is that it's an area that has experienced a tremendous Catholic population increase, and there are parishes that need to expand their facilities in order to accommodate their parishioners.
Rather than have several parishes which are in close proximity to one another enter into independent building campaigns, "We want to look at the best ways for them to collaborate," said Fabian.
"For the first time, we're looking at the deanery study from a regional standpoint rather than have each parish make its own decision" as far as expanding, said Fabian. "In terms of expansion, we always studied parish by parish. Now we're going to look at how best to expand ministries and facilities regionally."
To give an indication of the rapid Catholic population increase in the Southern Burlington Deanery, Fabian said that in five years, the number rose from 106,000 in 1995 to 131,000 in 2000, which was a 24 percent increase.
Then, presenting a host of statistics prepared by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, Fabian said that in 2006, there were 156 active priests serving in the Trenton Diocese. However, the projected numbers indicated that the numbers will progressively dwindle to 110 in 2020 and 90 in 2030.
Overall the statistics showed the current ratio is 5,100 people per priest, but projections indicated that by 2030, it will be 8,100 people per priest.
Turning to how the parishes currently carry out their ministries given their large numbers of parishioners, Fabian noted that there are parishes that have to schedule as many as seven and eight weekend Masses. But with so few priests and their being expected to maintain such a demanding pace, "we're running them ragged."
Another reality the study will address is the increasing senior citizen population. and "how we are going to be able to continue to provide services" to them in the future, he said.
Given the number of seniors currently over age 65, Fabian said there will be an inevitable increase in those who will be hospitalized or placed in nursing homes, and the diocese has a responsibility to look at how services, such as hospital visits and other pastoral needs are going to be provided to them in the future .
Southern Burlington Deanery parishes have taken several steps thus far in preparation for the start of the study on Jan. 20. Fabian said during the summer, parishioners in the five parishes completed a thorough in-pew survey during Mass that focused on aspects of parish life. The survey results provided the groundwork for each parish to study itself, and was designed to measure each of the local communities specifically on the 11 Elements of a Vibrant Parish, first introduced by Bishop Smith in 1999.
Meetings were subsequently held for staffs of the involved parishes in November and an "open house" for anyone wanting to learn about the process in December.
With the start of the study Jan. 22, Fabian, in giving an anticipated timeline, said the study could take up to 10 months during which time, pastors and two designated representatives from each parish will attend monthly meetings and develop possible options for restructuring. The recommendations will ultimately be compiled and presented to Bishop Smith in November for his review. The bishop will then announce his final decisions in early 2010, and the decisions will then be ready for implementation by July 2010.
Mary Stadnyk is available at mstadn@dioceseoftrenton.org
Contact us:
Diocesan Expansion and Restructuring Commission
Diocesan Pastoral Center
PO Box 5147
701 Lawrenceville Road
Trenton, NJ 08638-0147
Chair: Rev. Jeffrey Lee
609 406-7400 ext. 5635
Fax: 609-406-7444
E-mail: jlee@dioceseoftrenton.org
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