ST. LOUIS — A group of Catholics have called on the Archdiocese of St. Louis to press pause on a plan that would combine and re-imagine parishes across the area.
Dr. Bob Onder, a former Missouri state senator and founding member of St. Gianna Catholic Church said the milestones many Catholics experience at their respective churches would all go out the window if the Archdiocese goes forward with its “All Things New” Plan next month.
“Some have been married in the church, some have buried their relatives in churches. They've given their time and their talent and their treasures to these parish churches," Onder said.
The plan would restructure the number of parishes across the St. Louis region from 178 individual parishes to 88 pastorates.
Pastorates are communities of parishes led by one pastor and one staff.
Three thousand one hundred parishioners spearheaded by Onder signed a "procurator mandate" to Archbishop Mitchell Rosanski to rally against it.
“The families feel betrayed,” Onder continued.
For the Archdiocese, All Things New is set to address dwindling attendance and priests.
“We've heard a lot about demographics but honestly Missouri Catholics are growing in population. A lot of talk about priest shortages and yet the Archdiocese misrepresents the number of priests in our diocese by at least 70 if not 100 or more priests,” Onder said.
The letter sent to the Archbishop calls out the choice to hire the Catholic Leadership Institute, a company out Pennsylvania, saying it's not reflective of the region's diversity.
The Archdiocese responded to the letter saying in part "Over the past year, the Archdiocese of St. Louis has received feedback from 70,000 parishioners across the Archdiocese through the Disciple Maker Index (DMI) Survey."
“We're looking at all these parishes as if they are blocks on an organizational chart and we the corporate raiders are just going to get rid of them. That's the wrong way to do it.”
Onder suggested an alternative.
“Canon law, church law, has a process, but which that is done but that's very much a parish-by-parish analysis,” he said.
Read the full statement from Fr. Chris Martin in response to the letter:
“From the very beginning of All Things New we have been asking the question “Which communities does it make most sense to have come together in light of demographic shifts, evangelization and social outreach efforts, resources, and priest availability?”
Over the past year, the Archdiocese of St. Louis has received feedback from 70,000 parishioners across the Archdiocese through the Disciple Maker Index (DMI) Survey; hosted nearly 350 Listening Sessions at 178 parishes, surveyed 18,000 parish school parents, administrators, teachers, staff, donors, community partners, and volunteers; compiled sacramental, financial and demographic statistics for every parish and school; met with community, civic and business organizations; held focus groups; and had conversations at the deanery and parish levels, both in groups and one on one.
As outlined in the All-Things New process, Archbishop Rozanski has begun his discernment phase and will review the data collected before making his decisions and sharing them publicly on Pentecost.
Onder said if Rozanski doesn't follow quote "Canon law," he and his group are willing to make an appeal to the Pope in Rome.
Archbishop Rozanski is expected to announce the final restructuring plan May 28, Pentecost Sunday.