Holy Saviour Parish Planning Update

What is the difference between a primary worship site and a secondary worship site?

While we are very accustomed to equating a parish with a particular church building, a parish could have a single worship space or could have multiple sites where the community gathers to worship. The primary worship site is the seat of the new parish. It is where the sacraments of initiation occur (such as the Easter Vigil and sacraments of initiation). It is also the center of parish administration and it is where parish records are located. Secondary sites will serve different purposes. Once parish configurations are implemented in the next one to two years, the leadership of the new parish, including new pastors and newly constituted parish pastoral and finance councils, will make decisions on how the secondary worship site will best serve the pastoral needs of the people of the new parish. Until that occurs, all church buildings will continue to be used as they are now. (Source: Catholic Star Herald. Posted: 17-June-2008)

Timeline

May 1- June 15, 2008
Consultations will occur to determine the pastoral needs of parish communities that will merge.

June 1, 2008
The Vicar for Clergy publishes the list of parish openings and invites priests to indicate their preference and to apply for available parish assignments.

July 15, 2008
Priests have until July 15 to apply for open parishes.

Early August,2008
The Priest Personnel and Policy Board deliberates and consults with priests involved and submits recommendations to Bishop Galante for his consideration.

Mid-August,2008
Bishops announce to parishioners the names of the priests who eventually will become pastors when the new parishes are established formally by decree.

There will be much to do before that can happen, pastorally, canonically and administratively. Existing pastors cease to be pastors when the decrees establishing the newly-merged parishes are promulgated. Until then, current pastors continue in their position.