News Release dated: April 11, 2005
St. Cecilia's Church: Not Your Average "Sunday Morning"
Parish
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Mission Statement
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St. Cecilia Catholic Church is a
united, caring Christian community providing opportunities
for worship, faith formation and social involvement.
We reach out to those in need and encourage all to actively
participate in the life of the Church by sharing God’s gifts
of time, talent and treasure. |
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Five Year Plan for
St. Cecilia Parish
2002-2007
Issued: December 17, 2002
This document serves as the vision for St. Cecilia Parish
and provides a direction for the
future. As is true of any long-range plan, it will be refined as needed,
based on changing
circumstances and feedback from parishioners.
Click on
any of the links below for more information
or scroll down the page.
Overview and Background
Liturgy/Worship
Faith Formation
Social Life
Community Outreach
Social Justice
OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND
Based on the premise that to fail to plan is to plan to
fail, Father Kevin McKenna called
for an Executive Committee to oversee a planning process for the future of
St. Cecilia’s parish.
The first action of this group was to contract for the
services of a facilitator, Mary Ann
Fackelman from St. Charles Borromeo Prayer Center.
One of the goals of the Executive Committee was to have
input to the plan as broad as
possible. A process to involve the various committees and organizations in
the parish was developed. Each group
was asked to describe itself and what its hopes for the next
five years were; next they were asked to describe the parish and what they
hoped the parish would be in five
years. In addition, each group critiqued the Mission Statement.
This information along with reports from prior planning
processes were collated and given to
participants at an all day session on May 25, 2002. As a result of that session a new Mission Statement was written
and presented to and approved by the Parish
Pastoral Council at its June 18th meeting. The other point of business
at the May session was to describe
our parish today, to dream where we would envision our parish in five
years and to identify obstacles and concerns to achieve the
"dream".
Based on the Mission Statement six areas of ministry were
identified. Members were invited to
another planning session on August 10th.
At that meeting they divided into
the six areas based on experience and/or interest. They drafted vision
statements for each area and gave
some background of the present condition. Then they drafted Goals and
action statements for the next five years.
Each group agreed to meet individually to refine this
information and to present this at
another planning session scheduled for September 21st.
The impact for stewardship,
facilities and staffing was addressed by each of the planning groups.
Reports were presented and discussed at the September 21st
meeting and changes were
made based on participants’ questions and concerns. On October 15th,
our Parish Pastoral Council approved
the Preliminary Draft and it was distributed at the weekend Masses
on October 26th and
27th.
Additional copies were available at Church entrances for
the following two weeks.
On November 11th,
two open meetings were held to listen to parishioner feedback about
the plan. In all cases, parishioners were encouraged to return Feedback
Forms by November 30th. A good amount of our parishioner feedback
expressed concerns about possible sanctuary
renovations and the costs related to constructing an expanded
multi-purpose gathering facility.
Other concerns centered on how we should interact with the other Faith communities in our Irondequoit Pastoral
Planning Group as we implement our Five Year Plan.
Although there were a number of detailed suggestions about some of our
program goals and actions, there
appeared to be broad support for the general direction of the proposed
programs.
In response to parishioner feedback, this plan includes
revisions to address the following
principles:
Implementation of the
Plan will include continuing collaboration with the other Faith
communities in the Irondequoit Pastoral Planning Group
Any significant changes
in our facilities will proceed with caution and prudence and will
involve both careful internal needs assessment as well as parishioner
consultation and feedback before decisions are finalized.
No plan addressing five future years can be cast in
concrete. This document will continue to
evolve and be refined based on changes that may occur. However, for this
moment in our Parish history, this
document outlines the visions, goals and actions for the future.
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Liturgy/Worship
Vision Statement: Our
parish liturgies enhance worship through encouragement of increased
active involvement by parishioners of all phases of life.
Topic I: Sanctuary & Confessionals
Goal 1:
Improve layout and design of the Sanctuary and confessionals for more efficient use of space and closer rapport
among priest, lay ministers and parishioners
including adequate space for choir and people with disabilities.
Action 1: Consult
pastor regarding major tasks and liturgical implications.
Action 2: Consult
Diocesan personnel, liturgical planners and architects.
Action 3: Develop
proposals with recommended changes and cost projections.
Action 4:
Present proposals to Facilities and Finance committees, Parish Pastoral
Council and parish at large.
Action 5: Share
proposals with Faith communities in Irondequoit Pastoral Planning
Group.
Action 6: Select
final proposal for approval by Parish Pastoral Council and
implement improvements.
Topic II: Lay
Ministry
Goal 2: Raise
awareness and promote functions of lay ministry.
Action 1: Hold
commissioning ceremonies that recognize all types of lay ministers,
emphasizing recognition of new ministers.
Action 2: Conduct
workshops for all types of lay ministers, for reflection and
education on the functions and importance of their ministries.
Topic III: Liturgical Participation
Goal 3: Continue
to encourage and increase participation in Church liturgies by children
and families.
Action 1: Increase
collaboration of Liturgy, Faith Formation and Family Life
Committees.
Action 2:
Consult with other parishes having active family attendance at liturgies.
Topic IV: Music in Liturgies
Goal 4: Encourage
and enhance congregational use of music in worship, while appealing
to diversified music preferences in various liturgical settings.
Action 1: Solicit
participants for different choir styles through outreach by Parish
Life, Faith Formation, and Liturgy Committees.
Action 2: Evaluate
and improve, if necessary, conditions for enhancement of
liturgical music.
Return to Table of Contents
Faith Formation
Vision Statement: We
are committed to life-long Faith Formation which is the spiritual growth
and enrichment made available through involvement in educational
opportunities from the earliest
years of childhood throughout adulthood. Our educational focus is based on Scripture, Tradition, sacrament and
prayer.
Topic I: Intergenerational activities
Goal 1: Provide
a variety of opportunities throughout the year for family members
and extended family members of all ages to pray and learn and socialize together.
Action 1: Combine
the efforts of the Faith Formation Committee members
with those of the people involved in parish liturgy preparation to plan
special liturgies and prayer services that can be combined with educational
speaker presentations or hands-on activities appropriate for a wide
age range of participants. (Refer to Liturgy Goal 3)
Topic II: Youth Group educational/spiritual focus
Goal 2: Weave
into established Youth Group activities and gatherings an educational
component that will broaden youth participants’ faith experience.
Action 1: Create
a more firmly established Youth Group membership with orchestrated
activities and an Advisory Board.
Action 2: Establish
a Parish computer lab beginning with our youth and
extending it to adult parishioners.
Topic III: Young Adult programs
Goal 3: Provide
unique educational opportunities for young adults (20’s and 30’s) whose busy life styles prohibit continuous
participation in established programs.
Action 1: Increase
web site capability to include expanded educational links
and recorded parish events and program offerings.
Topic IV: Parish Library
Goal 4: Address
ways the parish library can become a more effective education tool
for all parishioners.
Action 1: Relocate
and update materials in the parish library to make it more
available and more enticing for all parishioners.
Return to Table of Contents
Social Life
Vision Statement: We
continue and expand events that bring our Faith Community together
socially.
Topic I: Coordinating Committee
Goal 1: Form a
coordinating committee.
Action 1: Form
a committee of representatives from organizations that participate
in parish social functions.
Action 2:
Recruit new volunteers within our organizations.
Action 3: Have a
greater collaboration of all organizations in conjunction with
Parish Life. This will allow everyone to be involved.
Action 4: Communicate
with all organizations on a monthly basis working
for growth each year.
Action 5: Involve
volunteers based on their abilities and strengths.
Action 6: Keep a
family atmosphere.
Topic II: Variety of social events and activities
Goal 2: Increase
social events and activities.
Action 1: Hold
2 or 3 annual events that get greater participation.
Action 2: Concentrate
on our church family
Topic III: Expand present facilities
Goal 3: Consider
expanding the parish school wing eastward to serve as a multipurpose gathering area in conjunction with parish
feedback.
Action 1: Develop
a statement of needs.
Action 2: Obtain
initial approval from Pastor.
Action 3: Consult
Diocesan personnel and architects.
Action 4: Develop
proposals with recommended changes, cost projections and
proposed avenues of funding.
Action 5:
Present proposals to Facilities and Finance committees, Parish Pastoral
Council and parish at large.
Action 6: Share
proposals with Faith communities in Irondequoit Pastoral Planning
Group.
Action 7:
Finalize architect drawings and obtain diocesan approval.
Action 8: Begin
financial campaign and complete improvements.
Return to Table of Contents
Community Outreach
Vision Statement: We
identify parishioners with particular needs and attempt to help them
meet those needs within the limits of our available time, talent and
treasure. We also support community
efforts outside our parish where our parishioners have significant involvement
or where there is an opportunity for collaboration in our community.
Topic I: Outreach to parishioners in need
Goal 1: Meet
particular needs of parishioners.
Action 1 Identify
particular needs by completing a survey process.
Action 2: Identify
resources within our parish or from outside organizations
that are available to help meet needs.
Action 3: Communicate
resource information to parishioners.
Action 4: Maintain
volunteer base to provide parish "services."
Action 5: Maintain
contact with parishioners having particular needs.
Action 6: Deliver
parish funds, material assistance and services.
Topic II: Outreach to broader community beyond St. Cecilia’s
Goal 2: Make
reasonable contributions to needy organizations outside
St. Cecilia’s.
Action 1: Develop
criteria for selection of charitable causes meriting St. Cecilia’s
support.
Action 2: Prioritize
and make donations within the limits of our available funds
based on these selection criteria.
Action 3: Obtain
organization feedback on how our money made a difference.
Action 4: Promote
parishioner volunteerism at organizations we support.
Action 5: Communicate
to parishioners how we provide financial and volunteer
support to community organizations.
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Social Justice
Vision Statement: We
are aware of, educated about and actively involved in major social
justice issues and initiatives.
Topic I: Communication and education
Goal 1:
Working in collaboration with the faith communities of the Irondequoit Pastoral Planning Group improve
communication and education regarding social justice
issues.
Action 1: Get
leadership (priests and laity) informed, involved and talking about
social justice issues.
Action 2:
Identify current important social justice issues.
Action 3: Find
informed speakers.
Topic II: Economic Justice (poverty, unequal distribution
of goods)
Goal 2:
Understand specific needs of the poor and determine how to provide assistance.
Action 1: Meet
with informed people (centers, contacts) to familiarize ourselves
with organizations and needs.
Action 2: Create
a Social Justice Committee of interested parishioners.
Action 3:
Involve youth as active participants.
Topic III: Life issues / Justice
Goal 3: Raise
the awareness and participation levels of parishioners regarding the moral and justice aspects of important
issues.
Action 1:
Identify specific issues to focus on.
Action 2:
Identify potential speakers.
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