ST. THERESA OF THE INFANT JESUS MISSION STATEMENT RE-0RGANIZATIONAL PLAN

Transcription

1 ST. THERESA OF THE INFANT JESUS MISSION STATEMENT Our Mission is spreading the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, while maintaining the ethnic values on which this parish was historically established. Based on strong Italian traditions, devotions to the Blessed Mother and guided by the Holy Spirit, we are called to raise Christian awareness through Liturgy, Education, Service, Ecumenism, and Hospitality. At St. Theresa s you are Known, Loved, and Appreciated. ************************************************************************************** RE-0RGANIZATIONAL PLAN With the remarkable growth and substantial change that have taken place in the Diocese of Metuchen, particularly in South Edison and Highland Park, the following is our proposal and reasoning for the re-organization of the six worshipping groups. We propose that St. Theresa merge with St. Mary of Mount Virgin. Quite simply, St. Theresa and St. Mary already operate, in large part, as an integrated spiritual group and merging the two would not cause any disruption to that established community. Furthermore, St. Theresa merging with any other parish in the South Edison/Highland Park jurisdiction would not accomplish the goal of eliminating one pastor. Lastly, an informal poll of a sampling of the St. Theresa s congregation indicates that if St. Theresa was merged with a parish other than St. Mary s, most of the congregation would register and attend mass at St. Mary s. We have also considered the populations and desires of the Hispanic and Korean apostolates. While we would welcome either group to join us in worship, we certainly cannot accommodate the parking needs of the Korean community nor transportation needs of the Hispanic apostolate. As indicated at our last meeting, the Hispanic delegation has already voiced a desire to join St. Paul s parish since it is close to New Brunswick and it has easy access to public transportation. We certainly would not object to this unification. Both Guardian Angels and St. Matthews offer spacious worship sites and parking facilities. Either parish is a logical choice for the Korean apostolate. We recommend, and it appears quite logical that either parish can accommodate the needs of the Korean apostolate.

2 Further, it is our suggestion that Guardian Angels and St. Matthews merge into one parish. We learned at our last meeting that these two parishes were historically united and that this would be a good opportunity for them to reunite. We would of course be open to any other suggested mergers that would not disrupt the merger of St. Theresa and St. Mary of Mount Virgin. In addition to ministering to the Italian community, St. Theresa welcomes, as it has always welcomed, all cultures. The quaint, simple structure gives parishioners and guests a warm feeling of belonging, camaraderie and fellowship. We have the opportunity to truly know each other and see to each other s needs, be they spiritual or otherwise. St. Theresa s is a vibrant spiritual community that will continue to thrive and serve the community for many years to come. We wish to do that as one parish and be united with our mother church, St. Mary of Mount Virgin. 2

3 CHOICE AND RATIONALE BEHIND IT FOR RENWING THE CHURCH IN SO. EDISON AND HIGHLAND PARK Hispanic Ministry Group We propose that: St. Matthew and Guardian Angel merge becoming one parish with two worship sites. + The Korean Apostolate would be embraced by this parish because: There is parking available at these parishes and a large number of the Koreans commute by car. Either of the churches is large enough to accommodate the number of worshipers. There are buildings that would be available for the specific space needs of this apostolate (For instance: Guardian Angel could be used for this apostolate). St. Paul s would continue as a parish. + The Hispanic Apostolate would be embraced by this parish because: The geographical site of the parish makes it accessible to many Hispanics who live within walking distance. It is on the bus route and persons would be able to have access by bus, even from across the river in New Brunswick. The size and capacity of the parish church correspond to the number or Hispanics who would be worshipping. St. Mary of Mount Virgin would become one parish with two worship sites, the second being St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus. + Those who worship at St. Theresa are very attached emotionally to their site and their preference is to remain linked with St. Mary of Mount Virgin. Having one pastoral council and one financial council for both of these entities seems logical. There already seems to be a sharing of resources and that would be formalized. St. Theresa is too small to accommodate any significant or growing number of faithful. Submitted by: Fr. Ronald E. Bonneau, C.Ss.R. Sra. Laura Bezares

4 Renewing the Church in South Edison / Highland Park Proposed Solution Presented by Guardian Angels Church Discernment Team Page 1 of 4

5 The foundation of this plan is based on reorganization that requires no additional spending and no drain on current resources. The plan preserves savings and capital for long term survival. Proposed Solution Merge Guardian Angels, St. Paul, and St. Theresa into one larger parish Hispanic Apostolate will be assigned to St. Theresa St. Matthew remains a single church parish Korean Apostolate will be assigned to St. Matthew Realign St. Paul back to Cathedral Deanery Rationale Guardian Angels, St. Paul, and St. Theresa churches will remain open as worship sites. o A convenient mass schedule can be established to best serve the residents of the respective areas. Daily masses can continue to be held at St. Paul s chapel. Guardian Angels, with the largest church structure, can accommodate larger mass sizes. In addition to daily mass, the churches will celebrate wedding and funeral services, an important aspect for families with strong ties to their current parish. o An increase of clergy staff, if only for weekends, may be considered. The staff can provide for a celebration of the Sacramental Life of the Church in a language other than English. The staff would ensure continuation of Sunday Masses celebrated at multiple sites as well as accommodate an anticipated increase in the number of Weddings and Funerals. The rectory at Guardian Angels can house the priests for merged parishes. The rectory inspection report completed by Monica Demkovitz cites: This rectory is the most elegant home we have inspected. It is well maintained and elegantly furnished This is definitely a move in condition rectory. Page 2 of 4

6 Faith formation whether for adult, teenager or child, will be merged into one program for the three churches. o The program will require one director and one approved set of instructional materials/books. o Faith formation sessions can take place at any/all sites as determined by the Pastor in conjunction with the Parish Catechetical Leader and Parish Leadership. St. Theresa has been identified as the location for the Hispanic Apostolate for the primary reasons of ease of access and overall size. o The church s location in the Lindeneau section is suitable for drivers and pedestrians. o While the Hispanic Apostolate has not specifically identified how many faithful attend mass regularly, it is estimated that St. Theresa s would easily accommodate Hispanic Catholics from the area. St. Matthew has been designated as a single church parish o With approximately 2,772 registered families, St. Matthew s size would dictate that sustainability is viable. o Keeping St. Matthew s Parish intact would support the premise that alumni are more inclined to donate to the school if the name remains unchanged. St. Matthew has been identified as the location for the Korean Apostolate for the primary reasons of ease of location and overall size. o The church s location is closest to the Route 27 retail corridor (i.e. Hmart), the stated center of Korean daily life. o St. Matthew has a 13+ acre campus, and a parking area that is more than adequate to support an influx of vehicles. o The association of the Korean Apostolate with St. Matthew would bring a new vibrancy to that parish Community with a concomitant financial benefit for the Parish. o The association of the Korean Community at St. Matthew may in time bring an added benefit to St. Matthew School, once the Korean Community becomes more familiar with what St. Matthew School Community has to offer. Our Lady of Korea s outstanding diocesan assessment should be reconciled before any arrangements progress. Page 3 of 4

7 OLK GA HISP Page 4 of 4

8 ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE CHURCH Highland Park, New Jersey PROPOSAL TO RENEWING THE CHURCH SOUTH EDISON/HIGHLAND PARK PROCESS Submitted by: Rev. Robert V. Meyers, Pastor John Heldrich Joan Guetti Mary Anne Day Judith Clingerman

9 St. Paul the Apostle Church Highland Park, NJ Table of Contents I. Title Page 1 II. Proposal 2-3 III. Rationale 4 6 IV. Configuration 7

10 THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY OF ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE Date: April 12, 2011 To: His Excellency, Most Rev. Paul G. Bootkoski Bishop of Metuchen Mr. Jeffry Korgen Executive Director, Department of Diocesan Planning Members of the Renewing the Church in South Edison and Highland Park Discernment Teams From: Re: The Discernment Team of St Paul the Apostle Church, Highland Park Proposal for Restructuring 1

11 PROPOSAL The discernment team from St. Paul the Apostle Church respectfully submits a proposal which we believe benefits all of the parishes that have been involved in Renewing the Church of South Edison/Highland Park process. The parishioners of St. Paul the Apostle are not strangers to the transformative effects of strategic planning and implementation. The parish formulated plans seven years ago for the creation of the Parish Pastoral Council under the direction of Rev. Robert V. Meyers, Pastor, and Mr. John Heldrich, Chairman, to review our challenges and resources in order to decide how to best position ourselves to renew our community of faith in Highland Park. We welcome the opportunity to present, with good will, this proposal to our fellow teams. The Borough of Highland Park is very small, yet the religious diversity within its borders is evident. On the Highland Park website there are listed four synagogues, a yeshiva and a rabbi s study group. There are three Protestant congregations (i.e., Reformed, Methodist and Baptist) all within a short walk of one another. St. Paul the Apostle Church has ministered to the spiritual needs of Roman Catholics in this community since In his opening remarks to this process, Bishop Bootkoski noted the ethnic diversity which exists within this locale. St. Paul the Apostle Church has not been blind to the issue of changing ethnic demographics. Our banner God is Love listed in five languages, which had been displayed on the front of the church and is now posted in the parking lot, antedated the multilingual Welcome signs posted around the borough of Highland Park. Emblematic of the parish outreach to other ethnic groups was last year s celebration of the Solemnity of Corpus Christi which included an outdoor Eucharistic procession. This feast is beloved in the Hispanic/Latino community and the parish made bilingual efforts to broadly advertise this event. From the years 2002 to the present, the graph of the average mass attendance presented by diocesan data indicates that St. Paul the Apostle Church has the least fluctuation of any parish in the Renewing the Church South Edison/Highland Park process. In addition, we have noticed more Asian Americans (particularly Filipinos) worshipping at our liturgies. The territorial boundaries of St. Paul the Apostle Church encompass the Rutgers- Busch campus and St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus Quasi-parish, Edison (a mission of St. Mary of Mount Virgin Church, New Brunswick). Envisioning the long-term prospects for this area, it is our conviction that as new people settle within our parish boundaries, the need for the celebration of mass in Italian at St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus and hosting bingo games at its campus will be replaced by a different kind of socialization. In the past, St. Paul the Apostle has provided a home for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. It is currently accommodating a parish book club and a Gregorian Chant group. As part of our outreach to the wider community, St. Paul the Apostle Church has hosted numerous cultural events such as Rutgers choral group, Vox Fidelis; it is hoped that our interaction with Rutgers students will increase due to the expansion of the Catholic Center on the nearby New Brunswick campus. 2

12 As part of a developing symbiosis with other Christian communities we recently cosponsored a Walk-a-Thon to aid Pakistani flood victims. We have made efforts to foster better relationships with other religious institutions in the borough, having established an annual baseball game and picnic with the Reformed Church (not to boast, but twice the St. Paul the Apostle team defeated the team fielded by the Reformed Church since this friendly outing was established two years ago). St. Paul the Apostle Church has taken steps to ensure the integrity of our physical facilities. The major upgrade to the campus was crafted by our current pastor, Fr. Meyers, under the able direction of parishioner and construction manager Mr. Albert Garlatti, Sr., with the assistance of our Finance Council. While it was a difficult decision, the parish realized the necessity of razing the school building which had fallen into hazardous disrepair. We looked at an aging and empty convent and it was determined that the space should be refitted as a state-of-the-art parish office center inclusive of a magnificent chapel where daily Mass is offered. As a consequence, we have no liabilities, either fiscal or tangible. St Paul the Apostle Church, through its Parish Pastoral and Finance Councils, has recommended to our pastor over the past several years strategies to sustain our vibrancy. We have taken a critical look at our resources, and made difficult decisions which predate those being considered in this renewal process. As our bishop reminded us in the initial meeting, our parishioners have well understood that we cannot simply abide by the adage, This is the way it has always been done. In light of the foregoing: We would propose that merging St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus Quasiparish with St. Paul the Apostle Church would renew and enhance the original faith community that was envisioned when St. Paul was founded in We would advocate that the St. Theresa facility be closed post merger. We would advise clarification of the status of St. Matthew the Apostle School. The disposition of this entity plays a key role in any merger and has not been a part of the discussion. To possibly improve enrollment at the school, we advocate for the Hispanic/Latino ministry to be placed at St. Matthew the Apostle Church. We recommend the merger of St. Matthew the Apostle Church and Guardian Angels Church, with the Hispanic/Latino ministry established at St. Matthew the Apostle Church and the Korean ministry centered at Guardian Angels Church. 3

13 THE RATIONALE FOR OUR RESTRUCTURING PROPOSAL I. We propose that merging St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus Quasi-parish with St. Paul the Apostle Church would renew the original faith community that was envisioned when St. Paul was founded. We would advocate that the St. Theresa facility be closed post merger. Territorial Issues and Mission: The majority of parishes in the Diocese of Metuchen are configured along the territorial boundaries in conformity with the Code of Canon Law. At various meetings of the renewal process, the rights and obligations of ministering to the faithful both within and outside territorial parishes have been discussed. The questions have been asked as to whether or not the diocese can enforce the observation of boundaries (i.e., that Catholics who live within a given parish territorial boundary are members of that parish). In fact, while the diocese does not insist that anyone retain membership in his/her territorial parish, nonetheless there are valid, practical reasons to promote and sustain them. The territorial parishes allow parishioners and priests to build a community of faith within a given locale. A territorial parish is rooted in a particular community, not simply created by people with an allegiance to a particular pastor. If a priest or pastor is moved elsewhere, the parish does not fall apart. It is not a self-selecting group but must be respectful of the diversity of all Catholics living within its borders. St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus was a mission church established in 1942 within the territorial boundaries of St. Paul the Apostle Church, which was erected as a parish in At the time of the founding of St. Theresa, there was an influx of Italian immigrants into the area and a need for religious services in Italian. (One cannot help being struck by the similarity to members of Our Lady of Korea who wish to conduct liturgies in their native language. The major difference is that society is much more mobile in 2011, and the members of Our Lady of Korea parish may be required to travel a distance to attend liturgies in Korean.) If the situation in 1942 were examined by the restructuring guidelines in place today, especially those dealing with the creation of ethnic parishes, there would be resistance to building a mission church; instead we feel the Diocese of Trenton would have sought to establish a mission of St. Paul the Apostle Church specifically to assist the Italian community. Seventy years after the creation of St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus we may expect that many of their original parishioners are aging. The diocesan information shows that immigration is not from Italy or even Western Europe. It would seem hard to sustain the need for a continued mission to serve the Italian-speaking population in this area. To the point of merging St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus and St. Paul the Apostle Church, and then closing the facility at St. Theresa, we feel that several benefits would be obtained. New Catholics moving into the area would identify St. Paul the Apostle Church as their home parish and thus we hope our membership would increase. The merger of St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus with St. Mary of Mount Virgin Church, New Brunswick, may formalize a relationship that already exists, but does nothing to help increase membership at St. Paul the Apostle Church nor does it help decrease the number of priests needed to serve the people of this local area. 4

14 The parishioners of St. Paul the Apostle Church well understand the emotional stress that can occur when buildings are closed. There was great fear when our school was razed because many parishioners attended grammar school at St. Paul the Apostle Church, and it is possible that some parishioners left for other churches. Efforts were made to preserve the statue of the Madonna and the Child Jesus that topped the school entrance on Raritan Avenue. It is now the centerpiece of our prayer garden. However in the final analysis, when confronted with the choice to repair a hazardous old building at enormous expense or to demolish it, strategic use of financial resources had to be a significant factor in decision-making. The campus at St. Theresa of the Infant Jesus is in need of much repair. Would it be a prudent use of resources to repair the facilities at St. Theresa of Infant Jesus, make it handicapped accessible, and repave the parking lot when there is a well-maintained facility five blocks away? We realize that it takes time to form new relationships and it can be hard to let go of past communal activities. St. Paul the Apostle Church is willing to accommodate the parishioners of St. Theresa with a Mass in the Italian language that could be scheduled in the lovely Our Lady of the Eucharist Chapel. II. We would advise clarification of the status of St. Matthew the Apostle School. The disposition of this entity plays a key role in a merger but has not been a major part of the discussion. To possibly improve enrollment at the school, we advocate for the Hispanic/Latino ministry to be placed at St. Matthew the Apostle Church. A suggestion promoted by St. Matthew s team at the last meeting was to merge all of the churches and close St. Theresa and Guardian Angels in a timeline of 3 to 5 years. In creating a super parish of this nature, we must wonder about how one pastor is to oversee these sites in the interim - as well as a grammar school. While St. Matthew s team points out that the school can accommodate 600 students, the current enrollment is 197 and seems to be in decline. We are concerned that if the school does not already draw students from this locale, no mergers will improve the yield. (A merger with St. Paul the Apostle Church will not increase the number of students from this area who would attend St. Matthew the Apostle School, nor would it benefit the financial health of either St. Paul or St. Matthew.) The Our Lady of Korea parish representatives indicate that the Korean community is not likely to send children to this school. Therefore, the hope to increase school enrollment is likely to come from closer ties to the Hispanic/Latino community. As noted in the St. Matthew s analysis, Financial pressures arising from the parish s commitment to provide a viable and competitive school have materially increased due to shrinking congregational donor base. A look at the map provided by the diocese shows that a great proportion of Hispanic/Latinos live within St. Matthew s boundary (see October notes). In addition, we wonder whether creating the Hispanic/Latino ministry at St. Paul would be as effective since we are the parish closest to New Brunswick, where such ministries already exist and might draw people away from those already flourishing parishes. 5

15 III. We recommend the merger of St. Matthew the Apostle and Guardian Angels Church, with the Hispanic/Latino ministry established at St. Matthew the Apostle and the Korean ministry centered at Guardian Angels Church. We understand the personnel requirement of the diocese that three pastors need to be reduced to two. However, we believe that to effect this stipulation of the diocese that the proposed three-way merger into one parish as envisioned by St. Matthew the Apostle Church is unwieldy and impractical, and would not enhance the pastoral service to the Catholics in the South Edison/Highland Park area. Will parishioners cross Route 1? The St. Matthew s team notes that: A significant number of Catholics living within Guardian Angels territorial boundaries already attend St. Matthew. Perhaps Guardian Angels Parish will also note that St. Matthew the Apostle parishioners attend Guardian Angels? St. Matthew s team recommends that the priests could move to the well-maintained rectory at Guardian Angels. This is a very positive recommendation and reflects the type of strategic thinking and implementation already accomplished at St. Paul the Apostle Church. It is also suggested that establishing the Korean ministry in that general location might help improve their congregational base. (N. B. - In order to integrate the Korean ministry in any area parish, Our Lady of Korea Church would have to be suppressed in accordance with the norms of Canon Law.) There are advantages to putting the Korean ministry along the Route 1 corridor since it appears that the community must travel by car to get together and they need a big parking lot according to their representatives. We feel that Guardian Angels would be ideal and we believe this reflects the wishes of the representatives of Our Lady of Korea Church. Placing the Korean ministry along the Rt. 27 corridor could be problematic since Raritan Avenue is essentially a one-lane highway in each direction through much of Highland Park. The parking lot at St. Paul is too small to accommodate the anticipated number of cars and street parking is restricted. In summary, we appreciate the difficulty of these decisions, and we pray along with our fellow teams for outcomes that will see our local parishes thrive in the future. We believe that our proposal provides for the continued financial health of our parishes and charts a course for outreach that will serve the diverse Catholic community in the South Edison/Highland Park area. 6

16 Korean St. Matthew the Apostle Guardian Angels Saint Paul the Apostle Church Parish Merger Proposal APRIL 12, 2011 Hispanic/ Latino + x + St. Mary Mount Virgin St. Theresa St. Paul the Apostle

17 Renewing the Church in South Edison/ Highland Park Congregation Merger Proposal Prepared by: St.Matthew the Apostle March 8, 2011

18 Renewing the Church in South Edison/Highland Park Introduction The Diocese has challenged the four-parish group constituting the Church of South Edison/Highland Park to develop a merger solution due in part to the forecasted shortage of parish priests and the anticipated lack of parish coverage. Another serious issue among all the Churches in the proposed merger group that was brought to light is the steady decline in Mass attendance, participation in parish events and of course declining donations. In addition, the group has been asked to incorporate in the merger plan accommodations for two apostolates: those of the Korean and Hispanic communities. The delegation of St. Matthew parish took on this task with serious resolve. The delegation knows that any plan that suggests the closing of a worship site will be emotionally painful for the affected parishioners, much like the death of a parent or child. Therefore the delegation is very troubled by the impact of its recommendations and regrets if the recommendations offend the sensibilities of other parish delegations. Throughout the delegation s frequent formal and informal meetings, some common concerns were shared. The St. Matthew delegation envisions a strong and vibrant community of faith. A parish that is unified in mission. A parish that can regain its stature and standing within the community. A parish that recognizes and adjusts to changing demographics. A forward looking parish that is committed to educating its children. A well funded and financially stable parish that is a good steward of its temporal goods. Therefore, the St. Matthew delegation compiled the proposal with a prayer that our colleagues will accept the concepts presented without ill will. The delegation does not believe that any forced merger will serve the Church. A bitter merger of weak, declining and underfinanced parishes will surely only result in a weak, declining and further underfinanced larger parish. However, if the merger is embraced, promoted and endorsed by the core groups of active parishioners of each parish, there is an infinitely better possibility that a stronger Church will emerge. The delegation of St. Matthew is therefore hopeful that the merger that is proposed herein will be viewed as a decisive step in the rejuvenation of the Church of South Edison/Highland Park. Proposed Solution Merge Guardian Angels, St. Theresa, Our Lady of Korea, St. Matthew the Apostle, St. Paul and the Hispanic Apostolate into one greater territorial Parish. Maintain St. Paul Church and St. Matthew Church as regular worship sites. Convert the St Matthew former convent into the new Parish Cultural Center. Re-dedicate the existing convent chapel to Our Lady of Korea. Realign St. Paul s Church from the Middlebrook Deanery to the Cathedral Deanery. Page 2 of 6 Rev. 4/12/2011

19 Renewing the Church in South Edison/Highland Park Expand the St. Matthew School Advisory Council to immediately include representatives from each of the entities of the new Parish of South Edison/Highland Park. Rationale: Overall: Either the general decline in the Catholic population of the South Edison/Highland Park area or the decline in the active participation of Catholics has resulted in an over-capacity of worship sites. This is an unmistakable trend and one that is unlikely to rebound in a few generations hence. Notwithstanding the emotional attachment that present parishioners have to their individual facilities, the real cost to maintain and operate these facilities quickly drains the financial resources and puts an unsustainable burden on the active parishioners who remain. All the parishes in the study describe pastoral activities that would enhance the spiritual and social aspects of community. Any such programs would inevitably put further financial burdens on the merged parish unless current costs are reduced. For example, the merged parish could benefit immediately from adding a youth minister to the pastoral staff yet it is doubtful that without reduction in facilities, such funds would become available. The Church of South Edison/Highland Park must reorganize into a tighter community, consolidating its physical assets and conserving its financial resources, in order to meet pastoral challenges. The reality of the diminishing number of priests, dictates that priests serve a greater congregation. Larger capacity and a consolidated worship site are practical adaptations to insure the efficient delivery of clergy services. Further, the diminishing number of priests has resulted in a growing number of singular clergy parishes. The isolation of priests in solitary rectory residents along with the lack of social interaction is life-draining. Guardian Angels: A significant number of Catholics living within Guardian Angels territorial boundaries already attend St. Matthew. Guardian Angels parking facility is presently undersized to accommodate the seating capacity of Church. The Church has sustained structural damage due to long term insect infestation. Estimates to repair the damage are considerable. The cost of permanent repairs and restoration must be seriously evaluated in the context of the long-term survivability of the parish as a stand alone entity. St. Theresa: St. Theresa is both a charming and intimate chapel. Pragmatically, it seems evident that the whole array of arguments that most likely were put forth to establish the mission church years ago are no longer viable today. There is no longer a concentration of active ethnic Italians in the immediate area and the mobility of parishioners has drastically changed. Page 3 of 6 Rev. 4/12/2011

20 Renewing the Church in South Edison/Highland Park It appears that Catholics in the greater Edison/Highland Park area sporadically attend weekend Mass at St. Theresa out of personal schedule convenience rather than a deeper sense of community. Our Lady of Korea: Our Lady of Korea congregation draws from a vast area even beyond the Diocesan county boundaries. In fact, a demographical trend is the relocation and establishment of Korean enterprises and families in the Edison/Highland Park Area. Recognizing that Korean Catholics are traveling distances to attend Church Services and functions, adequate parking is a practical consideration. The expanding Korean community would have the opportunity to participate in a Cultural Center within the confines of St. Matthew providing an array of possibilities of synergy with the already diverse congregation and school. St. Paul: St. Paul congregation is experiencing a constricting congregational trend. Given the exceptional condition of the parish facilities, the congregation would be invigorated with the inclusion of a strong Hispanic ministry. Considering it s proximity to the expanding Hispanic community in New Brunswick, St Paul s will continue to thrive. In order to more closely coordinate the administration of the parishes and promote the surviving catholic school within the greater Church of South Edison/Highland Park, all of the parishes within the grouping should be organized in the same deanery. St. Paul s parish should be changed from Middlebrook to the Cathedral deanery. St. Matthew: St. Matthew is advantaged by the physical size (13+ acres) of the campus. Parking is more than adequate for the Church capacity and the grounds and fields lend themselves to a variety of parish community building activities. Facilities include a full K-8 school with a capacity to serve 600 students, a regulation size gymnasium with stage, and a full kitchen with cafeteria and seating for 400. As a beehive of activities, the facilities are somewhat stressed by constant use. Additionally, financial pressures arising from the parish s commitment to provide a viable and competitive school have materially increased due to a shrinking congregational donor base. St. Matthew School needs to replenish its parish drawing base in order to provide funding to both maintain the facilities and attract additional families with school age children. Merging the congregations of the territorial parishes of South Edison/Highland Park, Our Lady of Korea and particularly the Hispanic Apostolate will substantively advance this strategy. Disposition of Facilities: St. Theresa: Maintain the Church as a special worship site for as long as deemed necessary by the Implementation Committee for the purpose of existing registered parishioner weddings or funerals. Page 4 of 6 Rev. 4/12/2011

21 Renewing the Church in South Edison/Highland Park Guardian Angels: Maintain the Church as a special worship site for as long as deemed necessary by the Implementation Committee for the purpose of existing registered parishioner weddings or funerals. Close the Church thereafter and liquidate the property. To preserve the historical legacy, significant religious art/artifacts should be removed and creatively incorporated into the facilities of the new parish. St. Matthew: Convert the St. Matthew former Convent into a Parish Cultural Center, establishing separate nationality themed meeting rooms, recognizing the multi-cultural character of the merged Parishes. Re-dedicate the convent chapel to Our Lady of Korea. Maintain the Church as one worship site for Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, weddings and funerals. Add to the present Church, a second side entrance gathering area extension to accommodate the expanded side parking lot. The new addition will be adorned with artifacts from consolidated Guardian Angels. Consolidate all business office functions and clergy offices at the new Cultural Center. Update the living quarters and make-over St. Matthew rectory as a residence only facility. Relocate all the priests and associates who serve the merged parishes to the updated rectory at St. Matthew. St. Paul: Maintain the Church as a second worship site for Sunday Mass, weddings and funerals. St. Paul will be the lead worship site for Hispanic liturgical celebrations and ministerial outreach. Identification: The merged parishes of Guardian Angels, St.Theresa, Our Lady of Korea, St. Matthew, St. Paul and the Hispanic Ministry should choose an entirely new over-arching name. However, as the school alumni provide a valuable donor base which would likely be lost if the school were renamed, the school should preserve its name identity. Therefore to distinguish the separate worship sites, each existing parish can be referred to by their present name followed by the word campus. Page 5 of 6 Rev. 4/12/2011

22 Page 6 of 6 Rev. 4/12/2011 Renewing the Church in South Edison/Highland Park

23 Renewing the Church in South Edison / Highland Park Korean Community April 2011 Recommendation and Rationale for proposal version # 101 1) Guardian Angels, St. Theresa and Korean Apostolate as one Parish The location is ideal for growing Korean Community in Central New Jersey area. Church seating capacity is large enough to accommodate both parish members, and suitable for growing Korean community in South Edison area. Ample parking space can accommodate Korean community whose members are travelling by car from various locations. Both communities will have a great opportunity to grow together increase Baptism / Funeral ratio and vibrant church community with large number of Rutgers young adult group. St. Theresa s Mission Parish remains as worship sites after merging with Guardian Angel. 2) A merger of St. Matthew and St. Paul, and Hispanic Apostolate St. Paul s location is very convenient to Hispanics who uses public transportation. High density of Hispanic population around St. Matthew and St. Paul. Establishing territorial Hispanic Apostolate will increase school attendance in St. Matthew and its revenue. St. Matthew has relatively steady Mass attendance and facility large enough for the three community needs.