Periodically, people ask me about an update on the restructuring process in the archdiocese which began awhile back. While I was out sick, I received a letter giving us that update.

After evaluating our request, the committee has decided to keep the original collaborative of St. Michael’s, St. Matthias and Immaculate Conception. They felt that our proposal would defeat the purpose of keeping the number of collaboratives at a workable amount.

The archdiocese has begun this process with twelve collaboratives, involving twenty-eight parishes in Phase One. Twenty more collaboratives involving some fifty parishes will be implemented beginning Phase Two and will be announced in September. The implementation process is time consuming and can take up to a year. We have not yet been designated for a particular phase (3 or 4) and likely it will be a few years away.

I want to remind everyone that each parish will continue to exist as a separate entity. What really will change is the way that the archdiocese staffs each collaborative, as well as joint parish and financial councils.

Some of the wisdom behind this plan was something we experienced firsthand this summer. When I became ill, Fr. Divya was here to fill in and take over most of my sacramental responsibilities. If I had been alone, we would have had to draw from outside the parish. As you know, the number of priests to cover and fill in is less and less. We are an aging and retiring population. I don’t see our collaborative getting off the ground in the near future, but we need to begin preparations for this important endeavor. We will discuss all this at the next Pastor’s Advisory Group meeting and I will keep you updated.