Community Corner

Priest Talks Proposal for Manayunk Catholic Churches

Rev. Charles Zlock explained appeal to combine three churches.

With an appeal filed by three local parishes, plans to permanently shut down Manayunk's ethnic Roman Catholic churches could shift. 

In 2011, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced ,  and would close. Parishioners would assimilate into Manayunk's other two churches— (St. Mary's and St. Josaphat's) and (St. Lucy's). However, that plan could change if an appeal is accepted.

Driven by passionate parishioners, a proposal to merge the three threatened churches is an alternative the archdiocese is now considering, Rev. Charles Zlock said.

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"We all recognize that you can't have five parishes in Manayunk anymore," said Zlock, who pastors both St. Lucy's and St. Mary's. "The reason for the three is that they are ethnic parishes—Italian, German and Polish. We might be able to preserve some of that history."

The Appeal

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Representatives from the churches petitioned Archbishop Charles Chaput in a Feb. 6 letter to merge the three churches. 

In the letter, parishioners spotlighted the difference between "merge" and "consolidate," and noted they want to establish their own identity.

"A merger is bringing together equals to create a new organization. A merger insures that the voice of each merger partner is heard and incorporated into the new organization," they said. 

The plan calls for a new parish "comparable in size to St. John the Baptist." It will need one priest, have an aim toward growth, possesses parking, and strives to settle financial troubles. "The process in which this merger is carried out will ensure the greatest number of parishioners will join the merged parish."

Details include:

  • Establishing a parish with 1,140 families and 2,300 registered 
  • Reducing priests from two to one
  • Shifting full-time staffing from 8.25 to 6.5
  • Selling two rectories, leaving one

Zlock pointed to decreased attendance and financial troubles for the move in the first place. The parishioners hope to use the "dynamism" of St. Mary's with the facilities of the other two churches to create an involved and fiscally stable parish.

"We will rent and sell property based on a lay board, with architects, builders, etc., and see what should makes sense given the buildings' conditions and the market," Zlock said.

Already,  said it will  St. Mary's School for the 2012-13 school year. Selling other buildings, according to the letter, will "reduce the overall debt load to $650,000. Operating income would be net positive while reducing outstanding debt at a rate of $50,000/year." Combined debt currently exceeds $1.6 million.

For the first year, all three churches would hold Sunday mass. That would be evaluated and more sales could occur.

People Coming Together

Without the parishioners and business manager Gus Concilio, Zlock said the consolidation would easily occur.

"This whole initiative, for the most part, is 95 percent lay driven. This is the people of Manayunk who came together in a positive way to say, 'This is our future, and let's see what we can do,'" he said.

Emails, phone calls and meetings went around, and the parish councils agreed on the plan. The letter drew upon the "New Evangelism" envisioned by Pope John Paul II and put into action by Pope Benedict XVI and Chaput.

"We need to reach out to these people who left the church and bring them back," Zlock said. Implementing plans put forth by lay people who are inspired to work together will make the new parish "viable and sustainable."

The proposal calls for more regular communication and participation among community members. To succeed, the parishioners are betting on themselves.

"In particular (we want to) leverage the high quality, intentional, faith-filled leadership provided by lay persons to support the new structure. With the ratio of priests/parishioners increasing, strong lay leadership is critical for the success of any future merged parish," the proposal said.

The archdiocese is currently evaluating the proposal. Zlock said a final decision is expected before June 30. Even if the churches close, Zlock said it was a positive experience.

"Speaking for myself, regardless of the decision, it has been fascinating and a joy to watch people of Manayunk come together in the process—passionate but not confrontational," he said.

To review the plans, click on the attached document. Visit St. Mary's website for more info.


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