Dear Disciples of Christ at Holy Spirit, St. Helen’s, and St. Mary’s,
Since last weekend’s announcements, you likely have many questions. Hopefully, these answers, although at times technical, will clarify some things.
1. What is actually happening? The existing relationship (nearly 10 years old) known as the One Catholic Family will now be given Canonical Status.
2. What is Canonical Status? It is the recognition of an entity within the Church as having right and privileges as defined by Canon Law. It offers protection and means of governance as stipulated in Canon Law. (For example, Fr. Murphy was sent to Winfield to establish a parish in 1996. People gathered, prayed, and petitioned to be named a parish. In 1997 they were given the name: Holy Spirit. In 1998 they were given Canonical Recognition as a parish in Winfield as defined in Canonical Law.)
3. How does this happen? To initiate this process Fr. Tom will petition to first bring St. Mary’s then St. Helen’s into the care and protection of Holy Spirit. This canonical process positions each parish under the umbrella of Holy Spirit.
4. What changes? At first very little. Just the canonical responsibilities shift to the pastor of Holy Spirit. Life, worship, and activities at all three parishes take place like they always have before step one. So Mass and parish activities continue to happen.
5. What happens in steps two and three? By the end of Fr. Tom’s time as pastor Masses will cease at St. Mary’s. Only the regular scheduled Masses will end on First of July. St. Mary’s will remain open for special needs such as funerals, weddings, or other essential ministries like the Belles of St. Mary and the Soup Bowl.
6. What then? At a time determined by people’s financial support, condition of the buildings, and the actual sustainability of St. Mary’s community the canonical pastor at Holy Spirit will petition the Diocese to remove the sacred status of the place and the parish will finally close its doors. While not an indefinite, the time period before completing the closure of St. Mary is not imminent.
7. What then about St. Helen’s? What is its status? Step three is the petitioning that St. Helen come under the umbrella of Holy Spirit but remaining a worship site.
8. What is a worship site? A worship site is a church which is canonically connected to another parish (i.e. Holy Spirit) which has rites and privileges under Canon Law to function as a parish as before but whose pastor, staff, and governance remains the responsibility of the actual Canonical parish. In our case, as the One Catholic Family that specific responsibility is given to Holy Spirit.
9. What changes? The usual routines do not change. Mass is celebrated. Ministries function. Special missions like Red Cloud carry on as usual. Normal activities continue to happen.
10. Then what is the difference? The Canonical Status. The worship site is responsible to the host or mother parish. There is one pastor who shepherds/cares for both places.
11. In summary: The entity of our blended three parishes called One Catholic Family will become recognized as one Canonical Parish under the name Holy Spirit. Our sister parish, St. Mary, will become a temporary worship site in this new canonical configuration. At first all activities will continue as usual. In time regular scheduled Masses at St. Mary’s will conclude with Fr. Tom’s departure and the installation of a new pastor. Meanwhile, St. Helen will remain a worship site under the care of the new pastor assigned to Holy Spirit. He will have pastoral responsibilities for all the people in what was once called the One Catholic Family and offer sacramental and spiritual renewal primarily at Holy Spirit for both Holy Spirit and St. Helen. Functionally, the boundaries of Holy Spirit will be redrawn to include the territories of Kouts, Hebron, Winfield and across southern Porter County. The Canonical home will be Holy Spirit with its satellite site at St. Helen’s.
The financial questions surrounding this merger will be in the Stewardship Corner.
Fr. Tom