Syracuse Diocese East Side PCA* (W-PCA-12)

Syracuse Diocese East Side PCA* (W-PCA-12)

An Update for the St. James Parish

4 June 2017

Members of the East Side PCA (W-PCA-12), Left to right, Front Row: Keri Cartwright-Cox (St. Patrick’s), Jane McCarthy (St. Patrick’s), Bob Lake (St. Patrick’s), Marsha McCarthy (Immaculate Conception), Daryll Wheeler (Immaculate Conception). 2nd Row: Father Cliff Auth (St. Ann’s), Wendy Gratien (St. Patrick’s), Sheila Fallon (St. James), Fr. Kevin Corcoran (St. James), Fr. Tom Ryan (Immaculate Conception), Erin Connelly (St. Patrick’s), Linda Rohrig (St. Ann’s), Dawn Jones (Immaculate Conception), Jim McSweeney (St. James), Colleen McSweeney (St. James), Missy Race (St. James), Ray Johnson (St. James).

Dear Fellow Parishioners,

The East Side Pastoral Care Area (PCA)(pictured above) is a group of parishes asked by the Syracuse Dioceseto work together to plan for sacraments, ministry, administration, services and programs in our parishes as the Diocese faces smaller numbers of priests in active ministry. Our PCA—the East Side PCA--is made up of pastors and representatives from the 4 parishes seen above: St. Ann’s in Manlius; St. James in Cazenovia; St. Patrick’s in Chittenango; and Immaculate Conception in Fayetteville, NY.

PCA’s were established by the Syracuse Diocese in the year 2000 because of the declining numbers of priests in active ministry, and our PCA has been meeting regularly for the past 17 years, planning, envisioning and developing models of our future Church. We welcome your thoughts and input as we continue our activities in the coming months and years.

Planning and programs from the PCA group have led to shared Reconciliation services that rotate among the parishes in our PCA; ‘pulpit swaps’ among the 4 pastors; social events such as picnics and Syracuse Chiefs games among the 4 parishes; shared Youth Ministry events; and beginning in 2014, a ‘linkage’ between St. Patrick’s in Chittenango and St. James in Cazenovia, wherein eventually, one priest (Fr. Kevin) will be responsible for both St. James and St. Patrick’s, when Fr. Reimer from St. Patrick’s is no longer in active ministry. In order to plan for that time, PCA members from St. Patrick’s and St. James are working together, along with Fr. Kevin and Fr. Reimer, and the Pastoral Councils and Finance Committees from both parishes, to put in place the people, programs, and infrastructure needed to support vibrant, healthy, Spirit-filled parishes in Cazenovia and Chittenango.

Fr. Kevin will soon be sending everyone a letter inviting their participation and thoughts in this planning and envisioning process. Specifically, he will be asking everyone how they see themselves participating in our evolving church, especially as programs, Mass times and leadership responsibilities change. These are exciting and at the same time challenging times for all of us, and we look forward to working with everyone as we embark upon the journey of envisioning and developing our future Church together…with our friends at St. Patrick’s, St. Ann’s and Immaculate Conception.

Please feel free to contact any of the members of the St. James PCA, and share your thoughts, comments and suggestions with us. We look forward to your thoughts, and ask you to prayerfully consider how you can join in as we embark upon this journey together.

Sincerely,

Your St. James Pastoral Care Area team

Sheila Fallon, Martha Grabowski, Ray Johnson, Colleen & Jim McSweeney, Missy Race, and

Fr. Kevin Corcoran, Pastor, St. James, Cazenovia

*St. Ann’s, Manlius; St. James, Cazenovia; St. Patrick’s, Chittenango; Immaculate Conception, Fayetteville, NY