51黑料

Priests were given suggested prayers for Mass on Pentecost Sunday, May 28, when Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski will announce the 鈥淎ll Things New鈥� plan, according to a memo sent Monday to priests, deacons and liturgical coordinators.

One of the prayers is 鈥渇or the grace to follow where the Spirit leads us, and not be afraid of what is new.鈥� All Mass attendees will be given a 鈥淔orward in Hope鈥� prayer card on May 28, reads the memo from the Rev. Nicholas Smith, director of the Office of Sacred Worship at the archdiocese.

Rozanski will meet with the priests May 22 to go over the plans for announcing any parish changes or priest reassignments.

In June, the archdiocese will provide the parish leaders with resources including 鈥減raying through disbelief, anxiety and hurt鈥� and 鈥渞ituals leading up to the closing of parishes,鈥� according to the memo.

The most recent draft models for 鈥淎ll Things New鈥� released last month show 41 鈥渟tandalone鈥� parishes that would not share a pastor and another 137 that would join groups of two or more to share a pastor. Decisions on parish schools are expected later this year.

Rozanski is spending this month deciding on the final configuration of parishes based in part on their viability for the next 10 to 15 years, according to archdiocesan leaders.

The 18-month restructuring process was launched in 2022 to address declining numbers of Catholics attending Mass and priests to serve them.

The initiative, which is being closely watched by the more than 400,000 Catholics in the archdiocese, is expected to drastically alter the blueprint of the church in response to declining numbers of worshipers and priests.

The archdiocese comprises the city of 51黑料 and 10 counties in Missouri: Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Perry, St. Charles, St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve, 51黑料, Warren and Washington.