New Information from the
Archdiocese of St. Louis All Things New Office
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?”
Last Fall, the Archdiocese of St. Louis circulated the first draft models of parish structures for your consideration. These were unfinished because we needed your insight and feedback. You have spoken loudly and clearly during this time, and we thank you.
You were prayerful, thoughtful, passionate, and candid. You challenged us to think more creatively, and we took notes. We heard you.
As a result, we have changed all the planning area draft models because of what you shared with us about your parishes and your lived experience of the Catholic faith.
You shared your feedback on what our parishes, ministries, and institutions need to look like to effectively share the faith in a way that is suitable and sustainable for our children, grandchildren, and generations to come.
We gathered feedback about which communities it made sense to bring together under the care of one pastor. In addition to the feedback we received from 70,000 parishioners across the Archdiocese from the Disciple Maker Index (DMI) Survey, this fall we 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.
The All Things New planning committee, which includes priests, deacons, parish life coordinators, lay leaders and religious from across the Archdiocese, has now reviewed the parish feedback summaries, parish workbooks and financial data of every parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. All are currently posted on allthingsnew.archstl.org. Using that information, the planning committee has refined the first draft models to a second set of draft models, which offer one draft model per planning area. It is important to note that because of your feedback, of the 42 first draft models initially presented to priests, deacons, religious, parish life coordinators, key archdiocesan advisory bodies, and the lay faithful for consideration, none were adopted in the second draft models.
The second draft models reflect the input received across the Archdiocese from the priests, deacons, religious, key parish leaders, and the lay faithful. The models show the Archdiocese being reshaped from 178 individual parish pastorates into 88 pastorates in order to best serve the lay faithful. A pastorate is a community that is under the pastoral care of one pastor and pastoral team.
In some cases, an individual parish may remain as its own pastorate, but may have to adapt some of its ministries and Mass times due to priest availability. In other cases, it may be that two or more parishes remain financially independent of each other but will become a new pastorate sharing one pastor and pastoral team. Finally, in some cases it may be that parishes merge their resources together and become a new pastorate under one pastor and pastoral team. Only after we have discerned which communities ought to come together as a new pastorate can we begin the case-by-case examination of which structure is most prudent for each existing parish. No matter the chosen structure, some worship sites may no longer be used in the future.
The planning committee has analyzed each pastorate to ensure each one has the resources to sustain a new territory and model. The next step is to gather feedback on the second draft models. We have made all the models public on allthingsnew.archstl.org as well as an updated section with Frequently Asked Questions.
We are asking you to provide any feedback you may have on the second draft models to your pastor or Key Parish Leaders by Wednesday, February 15.
(SEE BELOW FOR ST. ROSE PHILIPPINE DUCHESNE PARISH FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITIES)
(SEE BELOW FOR ST. ROSE PHILIPPINE DUCHESNE PARISH FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITIES)
This will be the last set of draft models and the final portion of feedback gathered in order to enable Archbishop Rozanski to make a well-informed, discerned decision for the spiritual well-being of the Archdiocese, looking at the extensive feedback of the people and the needs of the Archdiocese. This decision will be announced on May 28, 2023 by Archbishop Rozanski.
Below is an image of the 2nd Draft Model for Planning Area 1, and a PDF of all 15 planning areas is linked below.
In this draft model, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, Sacred Heart and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta would be one pastorate (shown in blue shading) with approximately 2,749 households and mass attendance of about 1,246.
You can access all information about Planning Area 1 at https://allthingsnew.archstl.org/Planning-Process/Planning-Areas/Planning-Area-1
You can see a video from Fr. Chris Martin and the full update for all planning areas at:
Key Parish Leaders from St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Parish will be available at an information table in the parish hall after all Masses this weekend (at the Pasta Dinner on Saturday and at Donut Sunday). There you can ask any questions and share any feedback you would like to give. Next week the Key Parish Leaders will meet to review the feedback and answer questions posed by the All Things New Office (please consider these questions when giving your feedback):
- Indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: “We feel as if the feedback presented by our parishioners was heard as the 2nd Draft Models were developed?”
- What resonated with you about the 2nd Draft Model for your planning area?
- What will be most challenging about the implementation process with this model for your parish community?
- What should the new pastor of the pastorate that is assigned after Pentecost 2023 be aware of and understand as he begins his ministry in the pastorate in terms of building community among the parish(es)?
- What should the new pastor of the pastorate that is assigned after Pentecost 2023 be aware of and understand as he begins his ministry in the pastorate in terms of developing ministries and outreach among the parish(es)?
As noted in the memo from the All Things New Office, this will be the final opportunity for feedback to be shared as Archbishop Rozanski prepares to review all the input and discern the best decision for the future of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, which he will announce on Pentecost, May 28, 2023.
If you would like to provide feedback, please visit the information table this weekend in the parish hall, or contact any of our Key Parish Leaders (listed below) or the parish office. E-mails can be directed to secretary@strpdparish.org by Wednesday, February 15th.
Thank you for your input throughout this process and we look forward to continuing to support St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Parish through All Things New!
Your All Things New Key Parish Leaders:
- Father Nickolai
- Deacon Bill
- Deacon Denny
- Pam Bladdick
- Jen Cracchiola
- Joe Eaton
- Cara Koen
- Nancy Kohnen
- Amanda Wisa
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne Parish
1210 Paddock Drive - Florissant, MO 63033
Office Phone: (314) 837-3410
Office Phone: (314) 837-3410
Parish Website: www.strpdparish.org
Weekly Parish Bulletin:
Online Offertory Giving: https://osvhub.com/strpdparish/giving/funds/general-fund
Download Our Parish App: https://mypari.sh/3vw
Mass Schedule: https://www.strpdparish.org/mass-schedule
Our Mission: Inspired by St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, Our Parish serves God and community with its many ministries by witness of faith, through ongoing faith formation and evangelization of youth, while embracing cultural diversity and social justice.
