BY DOMINICK ALBANO
FA MI LI ES OF PARISHES : GIV E US YOUR F EEDB A C K ! As the pastoral planning initiative Beacons of Light moves forward, Catholic Telegraph writers are meeting with its leaders to bring you the most up-to-date and accurate information on what is happening, describe how decisions will be made and providing clear descriptions of what to expect. This article series on Beacons of Light will appear in every issue of The Catholic Telegraph. Please visit beaconsaoc.org to sign up for the free Beacons Update newsletter. As the Beacons of Light pastoral planning process continues, now is the time to offer your comments on the Family of Parishes draft. From Oct. 1-20 you can visit beaconsaoc. org and view the proposed grouping of parishes and provide feedback. This is the first opportunity for the lay faithful of the archdiocese to view the Families of Parishes draft. While this is an important and needed next step in the Beacons of Light process, it is understandable that for many it will bring anxiety and trepidation as they wonder about the future of our beloved parishes. Knowing that, this may be a good time to review the reasons why the archdiocese is embarking on Beacons of Light. • Religious practice has been declining in both the U.S. and in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. From 2010 to 2019, sacramental practice (including baptisms, first communions, confirmations and weddings) in the archdiocese declined by about 20-percent. 1 0 | THE CATHOLIC TELE G RAPH
• Our current infrastructure and schedules were built for a different era. In many cases, our church buildings are grossly underutilized. In the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, the average Sunday Mass is about one-third full. • Our resources are largely consumed by efforts to maintain the status quo and are spread too thin to be truly effective. In particular, our priests are stretched to the limit and we will have fewer priests who can serve as pastors over the coming years. The number of archdiocesan priests available for assignment is projected to decline by approximately 20-percent over the next five years. Moving from maintenance to mission is at the very core of Beacons of Light. Our parishes exist to serve the great commission of Christ: to go out and make disciples of all nations. Our parishes should thrive, not just survive. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI said: “The parish is a beacon that radiates the light of faith and thus responds to the deepest and truest desires of the human heart, giving meaning and hope to the lives of individuals and families.” Forming these Families of Parishes is the first step to ensure our parishes are the Beacons of Light they are meant to be, and your feedback is a critical component to finalizing the plan. As you visit beaconsaoc.org and view the plan for the Families
