1. Trinity Vicariate Northern Edge Proposed “COLLaboration Partners” Plan
Christ the King Town Hall
June 28, 2012
Trinity Vicariate Northern Edge Proposed “COLLaboration Partners” Plan
Presenter: FYI: this is for Gesu Town Hall Presentations, June 2012
Six Parishes. One Vision.
Christ the King
Corpus Christi
Gesu
Presentation Our Lady of Victory
St. Peter Claver Catholic Community
St. Scholastica

2. REVIEW: What is TIF-II?
The Archdiocese of Detroit (AOD) initiated TIF-II (Together in Faith II) planning to address:
Decline in priests
Reduced membership
High parish debt levels
Excess facilities
Parish operating deficits
Key objective for the Archbishop is:
“Strengthening the Church in the City”
Process occurred at the Vicariate level, divided further into “Planning Groups”
Christ the King is one of 6 parishes in Trinity Vicariate’s “Northern Edge” Group
Gesu is a strong parish. We have no debt. We have more facilities than we need, and the other parishes in our planning group are generally in the same boat.

3. Map of the Trinity Vicariate
The six parishes in the Northern Edge of Trinity Vicariate run along the Detroit side of W. Eight Mile Rd. and serve communities which roughly border Grand River Ave.

4. Mission Priorities
TIF-II plans must also address the following Mission Priorities identified by the Archbishop:
1. Evangelization & Catechesis 5. Stewardship & Admin
2. Christian Service & Outreach 6. Catholic School Education
3. Youth and Young Adults 7. Vocations
4. Lay Leadership Worship *
* Worship is an 8th priority area added by the parishes of the Northern Edge.
**Note: Mission Priorities 1-5 were identified by the APC and 6 a& 7 were added by the Archbishop.
Worship was added as an 8th priority area by the Northern Edge Group.

5. TIF–II: What are we facing?
In January 2012, after 2011 TIF-II planning…
St. Peter Claver and Presentation/Our Lady of Victory
were advised to “develop plans to merge with a nearby parish
Gesu, Christ the King, Corpus Christi, and St. Scholastica were “to identify cluster partners and develop cluster plans”
… with plans to take effect when a current pastor is no longer available, if a replacement is not available … or when either parish begins to experience a net operating deficit.”
Cluster planning should “commence with models for initial collaboration and include contingency plans for programming, outreach and administration, for clustering/merging the parishes, and/or closing buildings and planning for the sale of property. This may result in short term, temporary administrators assigned, or a more permanent solution.”

6. Difficulties with Cluster & Merger Plans
Technicalities: 3 of our 6 parishes are pastored by “order” priests (e.g., priests like the Jesuits who do not report to the AOD.) New assignments and commitments require approval by their Superiors.
Practicalities: 4 of our 6 parishes are the result of multiple mergers, and already cover and seek to serve vast geographic areas of the city.
Presence: To strengthen Catholic presence in Detroit, we need strategies to maintain and grow at existing parish sites - sacramentally, spiritually, and through increased outreach and service.

7. Collaboration Partners
What do we propose?
After prayerful consideration and discussion, all six Northern Edge parishes agree that:
“further reduction of Catholic presence in our neighborhoods is not in the best interest of ‘strengthening the Church in the city of Detroit’”
By “presence”, we mean both outreach and worship
Outreach without worship fails to identify us as Catholic
Worship without outreach fails to give witness to Christ
To make continued presence possible, we propose adoption of a third model offered by the AOD Office of Parish Life:
Collaboration Partners
The PROPOSED STRUCTURE will incorporate all 6 existing parishes in the Northern Edge.

8. Collaboration Partners.
This model allows us to:
Create means for shared programming, operations and ministry
Address concerns about finances and shortages of priests
Pursue our eight Mission Priorities
Build relationships and systems to help
all 6 parishes survive and grow - while also preparing ourselves for successful clusters and mergers, if necessary, in the future.

9. Collaboration Partners
3 main areas to address, along with Mission Priorities:
Organizational Structure:
Covers Pastoral Leadership, Lay Leadership and Formation
Sustainability:
Covers Finances, Facilities, Stewardship, Fundraising, Administration and Best Practices
Inter-Parish Programming:
Covers Evangelization & Catechesis, Christian Service & Outreach, Youth & Young Adults, Vocations, Catholic Schools & Education, and Worship

10. Organizational Structure
Pastors will coordinate pastoral and sacramental responsibilities
Parish staff and volunteers will collaborate in administration, service and outreach
All 6 parishes will communicate and coordinate efforts in planning, scheduling and activities
All will develop an expanded understanding of what it means to “be church” – reaching out and moving beyond our current parish walls
Formation work for all involved
Diocesan priests and religious order priests in the six parishes will develop a unique relationship to serve their parishes and orders.
We will form a Northern Edge Pastoral Council (NEPC)

11. Sustainability Immediate opportunities:
Sharing best practices, savings strategies, and purchasing power
* Meetings and discussion are already underway among “Northern Edge” parish Business Managers
Ideas for the Future:
Shared fundraising
Coordinating capital improvement plans
Collaboration in retrofitting and updating of facilities
Shared efforts in property sales
and downsizing, if/as necessary
Some of the creative ideas we have are to work with our local schools of Architecture and Engineering to develop plans for retrofitting and updating our buildings, and to use the DTE and WARM Training Center to help save energy.
We shared Gesu’s water conservation experience with our neighbors, as an example of a best practice in sustainability.

12. Inter-Parish Programming
Will enable us to:
Create a stronger bond among our parishes
Do more with what we have, expand and GROW
Better serve our community and neighbors through expanded outreach and Christian Service programs
Increase awareness, participation and membership
We will organize this effort by creating a Northern Edge Pastoral Council (NEPC) with members from each parish.
We will also require all programs be approved by participating parishes and the Northern Edge Pastoral Council.
Individual parishes will be allowed to opt-out of participation in programs that lack parish support.

13. Inter-Parish Programming
Some activities are already in progress…
Joint Confirmation program, RCIA retreat, Adopt-A-Day Soup Kitchen, Coordinated Blood Drives, Healing Service, Combined All Saints’ Day Mass - November 1, 2012
Others proposed for the coming year….
Priest Pulpit Exchanges, Praise and Worship, Shared Prayer, Vocation Promotions, Catholic Career Day
Existing programs can be shared and expanded:
ALPHA, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Youth Activities,
Job Club, Tutoring
Strength through collaboration also makes possible new initiatives (in high need areas):
Housing, Transportation, Education, Employment, Youth Outreach, Violence Prevention
We will be able to reach out and serve even more parishioners and community residents by pooling our resources among the six parishes.
Longer-term programming will require more planning but those can have an even greater impact within our communities.

14. Next Steps
Revised Collaboration Partner plan will be finalized for submission to AOD July 2012.
Northern Edge parishioners updated via Town Hall meetings and other means.
Pastors and Parish Councils will review and sign plan for submission.
Copies will be available online, and via hard copies upon request.
Response anticipated Fall 2012.

15. Need More Information?
Want to know more about the TIF-II process? Go to: and click on “Together in Faith”
The Collaboration Partners plan and updates will be posted to our parish website:
Our Vicariate has its own website and Twitter feed: and
(no “e” on the end of vicariate)

16. Questions, comments, suggestions?