Archdiocese to Merge Parishes

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis says three churches will merge into existing parishes. The organization says factors including decreasing parishioner numbers and deteriorating conditions of some buildings led to the move.

Indianapolis, Ind. — When a Parish Merges into another Parish: these parishes are what the Congregation for the Clergy refers to as extinctive union between parishes. In this model, one parish is merged into another parish, with the parishioners from the “merging into” parish becoming part of another existing/receiving parish. This is the model being used for three Indianapolis parishes that are merging into three other Indianapolis parishes.

There is a second model for merging parishes or extinctive union between parishes. In this second type of merger or extinctive union, two or more parishes are extinguished and are merged into a newly formed parish. This model was not used in the Indianapolis Deaneries.

Parishes that are merging (becoming one parish) have as their focus for the first year the specifics of merging, and when possible to begin addressing partnering with other parishes in their cohort where applicable.

For specific information on the reasons for these mergers, please refer to the Decrees for each parish.

Parishes Merging into other Parishes:

Holy Trinity Parish into Saint Anthony Parish

Holy Cross Parish into Saint Philip Neri Parish

Saint Bernadette Parish into Our Lady of Lourdes Parish

Linking Parishes

Linked parishes are parishes that share a common pastor or parish life coor­dinator. Such parishes will normally share programs and pastoral administration in the same way as partner parishes.

Parishes that are linking have as their focus for the first year the specifics of linking, and when possible to begin addressing partnering with other parishes in their cohort where applicable.

Continuing Linking Parishes

Sacred Heart Parish and Saint Patrick Parish

Saint Ann Parish and Saint Joseph Parish

New Linking Parishes

Good Shepherd Parish and Holy Name of Jesus Parish

Saint Rita Parish and Holy Angels Parish

Partnership Parishes

Partner parishes are parishes which have not been juridically altered, merged, or linked by a common pastor or parish life coordinator but which are committed to work together where possible to offer common pastoral care and administration. Thus, for example, partner parishes may eliminate duplication of programs by offering a program at one of the partner parishes for members of all of the parish partnership.

Parishes enter into partnerships with other parishes when:

They create joint programs.

When appropriate, they share staff to enhance the quality of ministry and practice good stewardship of resources.

They share in-service or retreats for parish pastoral councils, finance councils, or parish committees.

Each Partnership Parishes Cohort is asked to, among other common areas:

Plan, implement, build upon and enhance vocations awareness programs

Recognize the gifts of people from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds and reach out to meet their needs

Design and implement effective lifelong faith formation programs

Strengthen training for liturgical and lay ministries

Develop a coordinated Mass schedule with consolidations/reductions in poorly attended Masses

Promote and support Catholic Schools

Develop engaging evangelization programs

Partnership Parishes Cohorts with unique, important or exemplary models:

Saint Jude and Nativity Parishes:

Gathers staff at least twice a year to continue planning and implementation of programs

Develop new Religious Education program options for students whose families have difficulty in attending Sunday programs

Find ways to involve young people in parish ministries

Saint Barnabas, Saint Mark and Saint Roch Parishes:

Discuss and evaluate sharing part-time ministries

Saint Anthony and Saint Christopher Parishes:

Using available Archdiocesan resources, a focused and sustainable plan for outreach to the unchurched, alienated, and inactive of the area be developed jointly

Saint John the Evangelist and Holy Rosary Parishes:

Explore opportunities for rotating Eucharistic Adoration and Procession among downtown parishes

Immaculate Heart of Mary, Saint Joan of Arc and Saint Thomas Aquinas Parishes:

Partners in the area of Youth Ministry Programs (Junior High, High School, Young Adult)

Continue to explore options for Butler University Catholic Campus Ministry

Christ the King, Saint Lawrence, Saint Luke, Saint Matthew, Saint Pius X, and Saint Andrew Parishes:

Learn from and collaborate with St. Luke's model of “Volunteer Coordinator” which seems to help their efforts very successfully in promoting parishioner participation in ministry

Saint Simon the Apostle, Saint Michael and Saint Thomas the Apostle Parishes:

Continue to monitor potential growth in Hancock County through dialogue with county, town and public school district officials

Saint Philip Neri, Saint Mary and Saints Peter and Paul Parishes:

Enhance Catholic Social Teaching

Read more information on this cohort

Holy Spirit, Our Lady of Lourdes and Little Flower Parishes:

Collaboratively support and expand Hispanic Ministry to meet the needs of the growing community

Our Lady of the Greenwood and Saints Francis and Clare Parishes:

Develop a joint evangelization program for Greenwood

In collaboration with the Office of Multicultural Ministries, evaluate and develop Hispanic ministries

Saint Gabriel, Saint Michael and Saint Monica Parishes:

Share pastoral and administrative positions, e.g. IT professional and media communication specialist

Saint Malachy, Saint Susanna and Mary, Queen of Peace Parishes:

Confident of continuing growth in Plainfield, Avon and Brownsburg, to seek further information on growth projections for the Danville area

Saint Ann, Saint Joseph and Saint Thomas More Parishes:

Addressing projected continued growth in Southwest Marion County and Northeast Morgan County

Source: Archdiosese of Indianapolis