Clarity can be summed up in one word – clear.
The word best describes a letter received by Rural Family ‘K’ (RF-K) families regarding the future of Catholic churches and parochial education.
Father John Norman, convener of RF-K, sent out a letter to parish families noting how change will be coming to each faith community.
The Family Pastoral Planning Team, he said, has finalized the proposal for RF-K which has received tentative approval from Archbishop Lucas with the need for more discussion with the pastoral planning office.
“The archdiocese is focused on achieving a strong co-responsibility for mission between priests and parishioners as well as a reduction in administrative complexity, “ Norman wrote. “Our plan has us pursuing canonical and structural changes to our corporations and parish structures.”
The process, he added, has allocated two priests (a Pastor and an Associate Pastor) to serve the family of parishes.
“There will be three large projects within our plan: two canonical mergers of parishes and the merging of Pope John and St. Boniface Schools into a single school.”
With Fr. Nields six-year term as pastor at Neligh and Tilden coming up in July 2024, Norman said it’s possible that Fr. Nields will take a different pastoral assignment, setting in motion a future plan of the family of parishes being served by two priests.
Canonical Merger of three parishes on Highway 14: (St. Boniface (Elgin), St. Bonaventure (Raeville) and St. John the Baptist (Petersburg)
Canonical Merger of five parishes on Highway 275: St. Peter de Alcantara (Ewing), St. John the Baptist (Deloit), St. Theresa (Clearwater), St. Francis (Neligh) and Our Lady of Mount Carmel (Tilden).
The church campuses within each merger were considered similar in size and complexity.
For more details and specifics, see this week’s Elgin Review.
