Diocesan Planning finishes its ninth year with 109 parishes, 68 pastors (which includes three Missionaries of the Sacred Heart), two Pastoral Delegates, and six Parochial Vicars.  Seventy-nine of our parishes are now linked. Just recently six of our pastors petitioned the Bishop to merge their parishes in order to create one new parish with two worship sites.  Parishioners were in agreement and felt that this solution made the most sense for a viable future.  As one pastor noted, "...now there is no longer an Irish or French church, but there is a single one parish looking forward to a long and holy future!"

I look forward to continuing visits to parishes regarding the reconfiguration and linkages to answer questions and concerns the parishioners  might have.  It is most important to this  process that parishioners continue to be fully informed and active participants in the planning for the future.

One important aspect of planning for the future of our parishes is the availability of qualified personnel.  Our diocese has many, good Catholics who have been part of the Lay Ministry program and have become active members of their parishes.  The people, however, as well as anyone who is solidly grounded in their faith and practice, still require more formal training in order to qualify for paid positions such as Pastoral Associates. Until recently, any parishioner interested in further training had no easy access to colleges because of the distance and North Country weather, nor scholarship assistance to help defray the costs.  Now, thanks to the Reiss Foundation who has made scholarship funds available to help educate future parish leaders, our diocese is able to assist parishioners with advanced studies either at colleges during the summer months, or on-line courses for year - round study.  The Reiss Foundation agreed to our request to extend the grant period, which should have ended last fall.  As a result, last year, this year and next, we will receive $10,000 rather than a lump sum of $30,000.  Anyone interested in further information should first contact his or her pastor or myself at jvotraw@dioogdensburg.org.

The coming months will also be a time for the Planning Office to assess how well the linked parishes are doing, in what areas further assistance may be needed, and how the Planning Office might be of more help in the future.

In whatever stage the planning process may be, or what changes may be happening in our parishes, we must never forget that our Lord is always with us and is the stable center in an ever-changing world.