CHENANGO COUNTY – Reconfiguration and consolidation proposals from throughout the Diocese of Syracuse are still under review, diocese officials say – with no specific date set for final decisions regarding the future of the churches in Chenango County or elsewhere.
“The diocesan discernment process for the 32 areas continues,” said diocese pastoral planning Director Father James Lang, referring to the 32 pastoral care areas, of which Chenango County makes up one. “I am certain that folks expect that we will take some time examining all of the issues that surround the future of the parishes and the reports from the Pastoral Care Areas in the seven counties.”
In November, Father Douglas Cunningham, the pastor of St. Bartholomew’s and St. Paul’s churches in Norwich, said initial responses to the plans from Syracuse should arrive by March. A final outline for pastoral care areas is expected by July 1, 2007.
After Bishop James Moynihan announced last March by letter that St. Bart’s should close its doors due to economic and demographic issues, that church submitted a joint proposal with St. Paul’s defining the logistical and spiritual necessity of both parishes – apart from the official county-wide pastoral plan that already includes the two churches, along with six others.
It has been acknowledged by Cunningham and Norwich Attorney Thomas Vitanza that St. Bart’s has a 99 percent chance of remaining open, based on stipulations set forth by hefty estate trust funds left to both city parishes.
However, since the bishop’s letter, consternation has built among St. Bart’s parishioners and local church leaders. Some of the congregation feels that the parish was treated unfairly in light of the now-rescinded closure announcement, adding that combined financial accounts misrepresented the true fiscal standing of the church. In July St. Paul’s and St. Bart’s went back to having separate accounts, and an independent audit was approved by the diocese and is scheduled to take place in February, said Parish Council President Ron Storrin.
“That’s what the parishioners want, that’s what they got,” Storrin said. “Everything will be black and white.”
Lang said he does not know the complete details of the audit.
“Our offices were in collaboration with him (Cunningham) about the who, what, when, how,” Lang said. “But the details are the scope of himself as the Pastor, secretary and treasurer of the parish religious corporations, and the trustees.”
Cunningham did not return phone calls Monday.
As for the rest of the county, the plan created for the pastoral care area which includes St. Malachy’s in Sherburne, St. Paul’s in Norwich, St. Bartholomew’s in Norwich, St. Joseph’s in Oxford, Immaculate Conception in Greene, St. Theresa’s in New Berlin, St. John the Evangelist in Bainbridge, and St. Agnes’ Mission in Afton, calls for two different configurations that both allow for those churches to be led by two fewer priests, going from five down to three.
The St. Paul’s and St. Bart’s plan calls for the churches to retain their separate identities, but to remain combined on financial, personnel, committee and parish council matters. It points out that there are over 1,000 registered Catholic families between both parishes, combined with an overall Catholic population growth of 26.5 percent in the area from 1990 to 2000.