Archdiocese to Merge Parishes
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe 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.
May 21, 2014
News Release
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