February 12, 2016

Connected in the Spirit Decrees: Bloomington, Connersville and Seymour deaneries

On Feb. 4, 2016, Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin announced changes in the Bloomington, Connersville and Seymour deaneries that are resulting in the closing of Our Lady of Providence Parish in Brownstown and St. Rose of Lima Parish in Knightstown.

The three Richmond parishes—Holy Family, St. Andrew and St. Mary—will be closed, and one new parish with a new name will be established out of the three former parishes’ boundaries.

The decisions were the result of the months-long involvement of the deaneries’ pastoral leaders and representatives of its lay members in the Connected in the Spirit planning process.

Archbishop Tobin said the goal of the process was to help parishes “discern where God is leading the Church in central and southern Indiana, and to discuss how the Archdiocese of Indianapolis should change its structures in order to carry out its mission today and in the future.”

While some parishes will close, other parishes will be linked together in such a way that they will share a priest, other staff members and create joint programs, ministries and committees. All of the linked parishes are being asked to establish joint pastoral councils to coordinate planning.

Finally, some parishes will create a partnership. While they will retain their own pastor or sacramental minister, they will collaborate in implementing shared programs and other staff members.

As a result of the Connected in the Spirit process for the Bloomington, Connersville and Seymour deaneries, the following link contains the summary of changes and the decrees for parishes closing that are required to be printed in The Criterion, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis:

See the summary of changes and official decrees

 

Related story: Archbishop Tobin announces changes for three deaneries; two parishes to be merged

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