What's a Cluster?

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• Strategic initiatives which will encourage cooperation, improve stewardship of resources, and increase transparency in the areas of: qualified pastoral leadership; Catholic schools; and finance and administration to improve ministry, evangelization, and outreach in the Archdiocese.
• 21 parishes will merge with 14 receiving parishes during the next several years, bringing the Archdiocese from 213 parishes in October 2010 to 192 following the implementation of the announced decisions. Masses will continue to be celebrated at the church building of the merging parish until a decision which contradicts such use is made by the parish pastoral and finance councils of the receiving parish community, in consultation with the Archbishop and the Presbyteral Council.
• 33 parishes will enter into new cluster arrangements with one pastor leading two or more parishes, following implementation of the announced decisions.
• 25 parishes are identified for structured collaboration with neighboring parishes; many of these sites may eventually move toward a cluster; all parishes and schools are called into greater collaboration.
• Certain schools are under urgent review to determine sustainability; it is likely that local leadership at these schools will decide that some of these schools should close at the end of the 2010-2011 school year.
  Catholic Spirit