NORWICH – Following what has been a tumultuous seven months for many Catholic parishioners in Norwich, there has been an official decision that their parishes need each other to weather changing religious and societal climates, both locally and beyond.
Last night the joint Parish Council of St. Bartholomew’s and St. Paul’s, with roughly 40 citizens in attendance, accepted a final proposal that brings the churches under the umbrella of “The Roman Catholic Community of Norwich.” The proposal, which will eventually be sent to the Diocese of Syracuse for approval next month, stresses that St. Paul’s and St. Bart’s (now called St. Paul Church and St. Bartholomew Church, respectively) will retain their individual structural, cultural and demographic identities.
However, the plan also states that both congregations are needed to collaboratively handle a pressing dilemma facing this community: an downturn in the local economy and Catholic population, that’s combined with a national and diocese-wide shortage of priests. It’s a challenge some argue neither parish can handle alone. “Our Catholic community is bigger than any one church,” the proposal states, which is officially referred to as the pastoral plan. “Our common mission must be accomplished effectively by collaborating with each other, while retaining the unique character and faith heritages of each church family.”
Council and planning committee members who created the plan say it was based on several months worth of written and oral recommendations from members of St. Bart’s and St. Paul’s. It calls for continued joint operations in most areas, including the Parish Council and church personnel. But the plan has also allowed for more specific sub-committee initiatives – that will be carried out by the parishioners from both churches, who’ll be led by elected council members – to more extensively assess buildings and grounds, programs to increase donations, develop religious education, and make recommendations to the Parish Council. A cooperative finance committee will also take steps to keep the council and parishioners more informed on a month-to-month basis on the status of the financial books, by allowing different finance committee members from each church to meet monthly with the bookkeeper.
“I think it’s the best we can do to keep the churches open,” said St. Bart’s Trustee and lifelong parishioner Jim Rotundo. “It’s been tough, but right now we are confident that both churches will remain open.”
A complete copy of the plan will be available in the parish bulletin for the weekend of Oct. 28 and 29, and after some discussion, it was decided that further written suggestions regarding the final draft will be accepted at a public comment meeting to be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2, in the Holy Family School Gymnasium.
“It’s a fair proposal,” said St. Bart’s parishioner Joe Biviano. “It’s well thought out and balanced – there may be some things to look over – but it shows they’re working together.”
It was announced in March in a letter from Bishop James Moynihan that due to economic constraints and a lack of priests, that one church in Norwich, based on suggestions from parishioners, would close in conjunction with diocese campaign of “one priest, one roof.” It was widely felt the closure was pre-determined and aimed at St. Bartholomew’s. Since that time the “Committee to Save St. Bartholomew’s” has been working to prove the importance of their church, both spiritually and logistically.