THE CHANGING FACE OF THE DIOCESAN CHURCH

 By

Sr. Jennifer Votraw,

Director, Office of Planning

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 1998 our diocese had 92 pastors residing in parishes, with 28 parishes sharing a pastor.  for a total of 120 parishes, 11 oratories and 26 missions (smaller, incorporated parishes sharing a pastor).  After implementing a planning process initiated in 1998 and with extensive consultation and parish/pastor involvement, Bishop Barbarito approved a restructuring plan submitted by the Diocesan Planning Committee in 2003.  Now, in 2007 after working from that plan for the past three years, Bishop Cunningham oversees 68 pastors residing in parishes, with 41 parishes sharing a pastor for a total of 109 parishes, 13 missions, 22 oratories and 8 worship sites.

 

The following is a list of definitions of terms

used in reconfigurations.

 

  • Mission- small, incorporated parish and sharing a pastor

 

  • Oratory - Parish dissolved and church site no longer has regular celebration of the Eucharist. Parishioners of that parish may be buried there and a special Mass may be celebrated on that church’s name day.

 

  • Worship Site:  Parish has been merged with a neighboring parish, but Church site, as part of the new corporation, remains open for regular celebration of the Eucharist

 

  • Linked:            Two or more parishes sharing a single pastor

 

  • Merged:         Two or more parish corporations becoming part of a new corporation with a name reflecting that new entity.

 

Following is a look at the parish changes to date. Please note that some linkages, such as Lyon Mountain and Standish have occurred before this current planning cycle. The Planning process is on-going, and changes will continue as priests retire, etc.

 

 

ADIRONDACK DEANERY

 

Bloomingdale and Lake Clear linked with Saranac Lake, with Gabriels a mission of Bloomingdale and Paul Smith an oratory of Lake Clear.

 

 Lake Placid linked with Keene

 

 St. Alphonsus, Tupper Lake linked with Holy Name, Tupper Lake

 

CLINTON DEANERY

 

Altona linked with Sciota, with an oratory at Jericho

AuSable Forks merged with Black Brook, now a worship site, with a mission at Wilmington.

 

Rouses Point linked with Coopersville

 

Dannemora linked with Redford

 

John the Baptist Keeseville merged with Immaculate Conception Keeseville, now a worship site.

 

Lyon Mountain with a mission at Standish

 

Mooers linked with Mooers Forks

 

Morrisonville linked with Treadwells Mill

 

Peru with an oratory at West Peru

 

Plattsburgh, St. Mary’s linked with OLV,

 

St. John’s linked with John the XXIII

 

St. Peter’s –stand alone, as per Plattsburgh plan

 

N.B. the remaining parishes at Cadyville, Champlain, Chazy, W.Chazy, Ellenburg, Churubusco still need to be addressed.

 

 

ESSEX DEANERY

 

Ticonderoga linked with Crown Point

 

Elizabethtown linked with Westport

 

Port Henry linked with Mineville

 

Schroon Lake linked with Olmsteadville with oratories at North Hudson and Irishtown.

 

Willsboro linked with Essex

 

FRANKLIN DEANERY

 

Fort Covington, Bombay and Hogansburg linked

 

Brushton linked with North Bangor; W. Bangor closed

 

Chateauguay linked with Burke, with an oratory at Brainardsville

 

Constable merged with Westville, now a worship site, with an oratory at Trout River

 

St. Regis Falls linked with Hopkinton with an oratory at Santa Clara

 

Three Malone parishes and Chasm Falls linked with one another, with Lake Titus and Owls Head to become oratories

 

 

HAMILTON/HERKIMER DEANERY

 

Indian Lake linked with a mission at Blue Mountain Lake

 

Old Forge linked with Inlet with a seasonal oratory at Raquette Lake

 

Lake Pleasant linked with Wells

 

Long Lake linked with Newcomb

 

 

JEFFERSON DEANERY

 

Alexandria Bay merged with Redwood, now a worship site

 

Black River linked with Deferiet

 

Brownville merged with Dexter, now a worship site

 

Cape Vincent merged with Chaumont and Rosiere, both now worship sites

 

Carthage linked with Copenhagen; New Boston now closed

 

Clayton linked with LaFargeville

 

Evans Mills linked with missions of Theresa and Philadelphia with an oratory at Antwerp

 

Sackets Harbor linked with the mission of Henderson

 

N.B. Parishes in Watertown: Holy Family, St. Patrick’s, Sacred Heart and St. Anthony’s as well as Adams still to be addressed

 

 

LEWIS DEANERY

 

Constableville linked with West Leyden with an oratory at Fish Creek

 

Copenhagen linked with Carthage

 

Lowville linked with Glenfield and Houseville with an oratory at Greig

 

Harrisville linked with Star Lake with oratories at Natural Bridge and Lake Bonaparte

 

Port Leyden linked with a mission at Lyons Falls

 

N.B. Croghan still needs to be addressed

 

 

ST. LAWRENCE

 

Brasher Falls linked with North Lawrence

 

Canton merged with Newman Parish, with oratories at Pyrites and DeKalb Junction

 

Colton linked with South Colton and Parishville

 

Gouverneur linked with Edwards with an oratory at Russell

 

Morristown linked with Hammond with a mission at Rossie and an oratory at Brier Hill

 

Heuvelton linked with Lisbon

 

Hopkinton linked with St. Regis Falls with an oratory at Santa Clara

 

Madrid linked with Waddington

 

Massena (SH) linked with Louisville

 

Massena (SM) merged with Massena (SJ) now a worship site

 

Potsdam merged with Newman parish, now a ministry of St. Mary’s

 

Star Lake linked with Harrisville with oratories at Fine and Newton Falls

 

N.B.  Parishes in Ogdensburg, Norwood, Norfolk, Raymondville still to be addressed.

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