Bishop George J. Lucas has approved a vision statement from St. Katharine Drexel Parish in Springfield that calls for increased collaboration with the community and a vital Catholic presence on Springfield's east side.
St. Katharine Drexel Parish was created in January 2001 by the merger of St. Patrick Parish and Sacred Heart Parish. Sister Mary Jean Traeger, OP, was appointed parish life coordinator in July 2006.
Bishop Lucas said he was impressed by the care and collaboration that went into the development of the vision statement.
"The people of St. Katharine Drexel have provided a good example of how two parishes can come together and craft a vision for the future of their new parish and its role in the wider community," he said.
The vision statement, which calls the parish "a Catholic community of faith, diverse in age, ethnicity and place of residence," noted that parishioners were "centered in the Eucharist, which is our source of unity." It cited elements of parish life that included evangelization, liturgical worship and prayer, fostering faith in children and youth, pastoral care for senior members, care for the poor and vulnerable, and responsible care of resources.
The statement proposed that both Sacred Heart and St. Patrick, the parish's two church buildings, remain open and that the parish "create and support a plan that will assure a vital Catholic community on the east side of Springfield for many years to come."
The proposal to use both churches will include efforts to increase parish membership and "to collaborate with others to increase the use of the buildings in ways in harmony with our Catholic heritage and in response to the needs of the church and the society around us."
"This has been an 18-month process," said Sister Mary Jean. "We started with a recommendation about one of our churches and expanded that into a plan for the future of our parish, which included the use of both our church buildings.
"We believe this plan offers us a future full of hope for the east side of Springfield," she said.
Sister Mary Jean said that the inspiration for the vision statement was from the prophet Jeremiah: "For I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans for a future full of hope." (Jer 29:11)