Catholic Churches Calling for Changes

A new plan that calls for changes in area Catholic churches includes the sharing of pastors and the closing of five churches and some rectories. The plan, called "Of One Heart and Mind," was announced by Bishop Alexander Sample of the Catholic Diocese of Marquette to parishioners at weekend Masses May 19 and May 20.

St. Ignatius Loyola in St. Ignace, Ste. Anne's on Mackinac Island, and Immaculate Conception in Moran will share a pastor, who will be based in St. Ignace. An associate pastor will reside on the Island. Plans call for the rectory, but not the church, in Moran to be sold, since it is no longer needed.

By June 30, 2008, Our Lady of Lourdes in Engadine will close, although the pastor for churches in Naubinway, Curtis, and Germfask will reside at the Engadine rectory. Engadine has the only rectory in the area.

Churches in Hessel, Goetzville, DeTour, and Drummond Island will remain linked, with one pastor at Hessel. The planning committee is suggesting the rectory at Goetzville be sold.

St. Mary in Trout Lake will be open seasonally from May through October. It will be linked with churches in Rudyard and Brimley, with a pastor residing in Rudyard.

The closures will affect approximately 194 families out of 23,703 families across the Upper Peninsula diocese.

The plan is in response to a growth in some churches and a decline in parish membership and population in others. It will be implemented over the next three years and completed by 2010.

The planning process began in early 2006 to address having fewer pastors to lead parishes and to include the use of more associate pastors. The diocese expects to have six fewer pastors and three fewer priests available for parish ministry by 2010.

Other parishes that are closing beginning as early as October are St. Cecilia in Hubbell, St. Francis Xavier in Sidnaw, and Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha in Zeba. St. Catherine in Marenisco will close when a priest is no longer available to serve the mission.

In the Sault Ste. Marie area, the plan includes a training program for priests in Native American ministry.

The plan was developed by a Diocesan Planning Steering Committee, which was composed of clergy, and religious and lay people from across the diocese.

The plan includes parishes in the Upper Peninsula counties of Luce, Chippewa, Mackinac, Baraga, Houghton, Keweenaw, Menominee, Delta, Schoolcraft, Iron, Dickinson, Gogebic, Ontonagon, Marquette, and Alger.