Six Sault parishes under review for possible closure

The following announcement was issued this afternoon by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie.

Parishes under review for possible closure are the following:

English Pastoral Region of Sault Ste. Marie

- Blessed Sacrament Parish, Sault Ste. Marie

- Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Sault Ste. Marie

- St. Joseph the Worker Parish, Sault Ste. Marie

- Our Lady of the Highways Parish, Sault Ste. Marie

- St. Andrew Bobola Parish, Sault Ste. Marie.

Région pastorale de langue française de Sudbury-Algoma

- Paroisse Ste-Marie-du-Sault, Sault Ste-Marie

- Paroisse St-Mathieu, Sudbury

- Paroisse Universitaire St-Ignace de Loyola, Sudbury

- Paroisse Ste-Marie, Elliot Lake

Région pastorale de langue française du Nipissing

- Paroisse Ss. Anges, North Bay

- Paroisse St-Vincent-de-Paul, North Bay

- Paroisse La Résurrection, Sturgeon Falls

- Paroisse Sacré-Coeur, Sturgeon Falls

- Paroisse Notre-Dame-de-la-Paix, Crystal Falls

English Pastoral Region of North Bay

- Corpus Christi Parish, North Bay

- Holy Name of Jesus Parish, North Bay

- St. Rita Parish, North Bay

- St. Alphonsus Parish, Callander

- Our Lady of Sorrows Parish

English Pastoral Region of Sudbury

- St. Stanislaus Parish, Copper Cliff

- St. Anthony Parish, Sudbury

- St. Pius X Parish, Lively

- St. Christopher, Whitefish

- St. Casimir Parish, Sudbury

- Sveti Marko Parish, Sudbury

- Holy Trinity Parish, Sudbury

- St. Ignatius of Loyola University Parish, Sudbury

- St-François-Xavier, Cartier

- St. Bartholomew, Levack

- St-Etienne-Martyr, Dowling

- Our Lady of Peace Parish, Capreol

Anishinabe Sector

Further consultation will take place with the Jesuits in order to consider how best the parishes on Manitoulin Island and Birch Island should be configured.

************************** Roman Catholic Diocese looks toward the future

Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe [shown] of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie will be announcing to the priests, deacons, religious and laity a process to revitalize and renew parish life.

The Bishop sees this process as a way for the diocese to look toward its future.

The Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie serves the spiritual needs of Roman Catholics who live in the territory from Temagami in the east to Manitouwadge in the west, including Manitoulin Island.

The majority of people and the greatest number of parish churches are found in the major centres of North Bay, Sudbury, and Sault Ste. Marie.

During the period between 1950 and 1970 there was a significant increase in the number of priests and in the general population.

This prompted the opening of new parishes.

However, several factors have evolved over recent decades which contributed to the change of this trend.

A number of parish profiles have changed drastically due to a number of factors: the shifting of parishioners from original neighborhoods, a significant decline in the number of parishioners attending services, fewer parishioners to assist with the upkeep and support of aging churches, and, the decline in the number of priests available to serve existing parish communities.

As a result of these challenges, the diocese has, over the past two decades, taken steps to group two or more parishes served by a single priest.

The Diocese has also closed eighteen churches.

After due study and consultation, Bishop Plouffe states that the diocese has to continue the process of revitalization and renewal in order to ensure the best pastoral care for all parishioners.

The Bishop will be inviting parishes to reflect on ways to provide for more effective pastoral planning to meet the challenges of parishes registering a drop in general population and fewer practicing parishioners.

He will also ask 30 parishes of the diocese to examine their present and future viability.

In a particular way, the larger centers of the diocese will have to consider the number of churches and parishes within each area.

Ultimately, this reflection will lead to a number of possible decisions, including the changing of present parish territorial boundaries, the amalgamation of two or more parishes, examining the need to maintain some national or ethnic parishes and the closing of some churches.

Bishop Plouffe realizes that this process is calling us to see the bigger picture, and to primarily consider the good of all.

“The closure of a church,” says the Bishop, “is like the selling of a family home. It is not easy, but a times, it must be done.”

Parishes affected will be asked to respond to the review process by March 2010.

After further consultation, the Bishop will announce by May 2010 the necessary changes in all pastoral regions.

All changes will be implemented by December 31, 2010.

**************************