• Feedback Form
• Update 9: The Decree
• Update 8: November 29, 2020
• Update 7: Our Name
• Update 6: The Merger Vote
• Update 5: Homily and Merger Update, July 5, 2020
• Update 4: Why Would a Merger of Parishes be Considered?, June 17, 2020
• Update 3: Frequently Asked Questions About Mergers, June 10, 2020
• Update 2: June 3, 2020
• Update 1: May 20, 2020

Merger Update 9: The Decree

• Deacon George Gabriel (Chairman)
• Ingrid McNeil 
• Holly Clark
• Cathy Dolan
• Henry Rondelli

The Committee’s terms of reference include recommendations for the kick-off Mass on Sunday January 3, 2021.

We continue to pray for a successful transition, and that the Holy Spirit will prepare the hearts of parishioners and make the transition less painful for all of us.

Fr. JT
Administrator 

MERGER UPDATE 8

Beloved Parishioners,

Welcome to the Holy season of Advent, the new year of the Church, as we begin our spiritual journey to Christmas.

In the second Reading, the word of God admonishes us: May you not be lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end. God is faithful.

In the gospel, Jesus instructs us: Watch! Be alert!,..May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping...stay awake!

Advent: waiting time, preparation time, hoping time.

We are waiting, preparing and hoping for many things:

• waiting, preparing and hoping to inaugurate a President after a crazy election 
• waiting, preparing and hoping for a COVID-19 vaccine around the corner 
• waiting, preparing and hoping for Christmas 
• waiting for the return of Jesus
• waiting, preparing and hoping for the take-off of our new St. Isidore Parish (Lakeville-Middleboro-Rochester) to be born out of the CCC duo of Sacred Heart Parish and Sts. Martha & Mary Parish.

I know you and your beautiful families had a safe, fun-filled and memorable thanksgiving, a thanksgiving during a pandemic.

This first Sunday in Advent, I would like to address you again, beloved parishioners, on where we are in the merger process, as we wait, prepare and hope.

Many parishioners have read the most recent update 7 sent out last Tuesday on CCC bulletin, website, flocknote & facebook.

Our Merger process has run from May - Nov. At the beginning I thought it was going to be a simple process: it has not been as simple as we thought: 12 meetings, 91 Submissions from parishioners (via the 2 dedicated CCC links), 8 updates to parishioners (website, Flocknote, bulletin, facebook, Mass).

We sent our merger request to the Archbishop in September after the merger vote passed. In addition to the merger request we sent to the Archbishop, the Episcopal Vicar of the South Region (Very Rev. Bob Connors) and the Vicar Forane (Rev. Bob Deehan) each wrote a letter to the Archbishop in support of the merger of the CCC Parishes after they had each interviewed me. 

After all these, I was again invited on October 10 to make another presentation before the Cardinal and his Presbyteral Council. After my presentation and questions asked, the Presbyteral Council members took up 2 different votes whether to support our merger proposition, and whether to proceed to recommend the merger to the Archbishop for his consideration. Both votes were overwhelmingly in the affirmative.

However, on Thursday, November 19, we were informed from the Archdiocese that St. Joseph the Worker, earlier proposed as the name for the consolidation of the CCC Parishes, has been rejected by the Archbishop, Seán Cardinal O’Malley. We were required to submit 2 possible replacements without delay.

Immediately, the CPC swung into action. At the Cranberry Catholic Collaborative Pastoral Council Meeting held on Thursday November 19, 2020, a discussion was held to find a suitable name replacement for the new Merger parish. After discussions and suggestions, a vote was taken on the suggested names. The following two emerged with the highest votes: Holy Trinity Parish and St. Isidore Parish.

On Monday, November 23, 2020 the Archbishop approved our second choice, Saint Isidore. Saint Isidore becomes the patron saint of our new parish that will be known as Saint Isidore Parish, Lakeville-Middleboro-Rochester. 

At this point, I want to observe that some of the many RCAB parishes who have already merged only had 2 or 3 meetings & didn’t go beyond a month or two and moved on. Ours has run for 7 months with 12 meetings, 91 submissions, 8 updates. I want to state here without fear of contradiction that the Staff & Councils have done a good and thorough job in leading this discourse and deserve to be commended by all. Am saying this within the backdrop of a few persons who may consider the process as not 100% perfect). 

The effective date for St. Isidore Parish which may happen 12.01am on January 1, 2021 will be only an action executed through a decree. But the actual transition into the new parish will be a process/a journey that may last through a good part of 2021.

If am appointed the Pastor of St. Isidore Parish, we will take up transition things step by step: a transition which will affect the Staff, Faith Formation, the Liturgy, our Facilities, the Councils, etc. If another priest is appointed the Pastor, I will most gladly hand over the transition process to him to continue from where we stopped.

Whoever is appointed the Pastor, the Take-off Mass for the new St. Isidore Parish, hopefully, will be Sunday January 3 (The Epiphany of the Lord). The Mass will be 9.30am at Saints Martha & Mary church (only 1 Mass that Sunday in St. Isdore Parish).

But the Sunday before, Dec. 27 (The Holy Family), there will be one Mass in each CCC Parish (9.30am: M&M; 11am: SH) - At these 2 Masses, we will briefly go through memory lane to recap the rich history & rich heritage of our two Parishes that will in the next week consolidate into one new parish - St. Isidore Parish. After the kick-off Mass of St. Isdore Parish on Sunday January 3, the regular weekend Mass schedule will resume.

We prayerfully commend all these to the mercy of God, and to the intercession of the BIVM, St. Joseph and St. Isidore.
Amen! Happy Advent!!

Fr. JT
Administrator 

Beloved Parishioners,

1. Holy Trinity (Feast Day: Sunday after Pentecost) - This name, if chosen, will have a uniting impact on our three communities/towns as they come together to form one new parish.
2. St. Isidore - patron saint of farmers, laborers & of rural communities, etc. (Feast Day: May 15). He was a good husband and father: he married María Toribia who also became Santa María de la cabeza, and they had a son. Farming being common to all our three communities and Middleboro which had many shoe factories staffed by the Catholic immigrant population who still live here with their families, the Saint’s name (if chosen for the new parish) will be meaningful and uniting to our three communities.                           (Note that he is different from and not to be confused with St. Isidore of Serville, Bishop & Doctor of the Church, whose Feast day is April 4)

St. Isidore

St. Joseph and St. Isidore, Pray for Us!

On Thursday September 10, 2020, an overwhelming affirmative vote taken by by the Staff, Pastoral Council and Finance Council sealed our resolution to merge by consolidating our two parishes into a new parish that will be known as ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER PARISH, Lakeville-Middleboro-Rochester. 

St. Joseph the Worker has been the Patron Saint of the Cranberry Catholic Collaborative. When we think of St. Joseph, three things stand out about him: Faith, Family and Hard Work.  In the new St. Joseph the Worker Parish, we shall continue to grow the faith, sustain the family, and work hard to support the new parish.

Consolidating Saints Martha & Mary Parish in Lakeville and  Sacred Heart Parish in Middleboro & Rochester into a new parish will help us to channel our limited financial resources toward sustaining the mission of Christ, ensuring the survival of our faith, and harmonizing productively the ministries that exist here in our three communities. 

It was also voted that two churches of the proposed St. Joseph the Worker Parish (Saints Martha & Mary church and Sacred Heart church) will remain open as worship sites, with the possibility of deciding for only one church whenever it becomes necessary in the future. 

We will re-evaluate our facilities. Best of our facilities that will serve the consolidation long into the future will be retained; others will be monetized to serve the consolidation financially.

Based on the above, I have decided to move with the process, and to request from the Archbishop for the approval of this consolidation.

Peace & Blessings!

Fr. JT.

Administrator 

Beloved in Christ,
Happy Independence Day, fellow Americans. This July 4th, our great nation is 244 years since independence. We pray for the continued sustenance of our democracy; for our elected leaders who are to continue to be humane and selfless; for our appointed justices and judges who are to continue to be committed to the growth of our democracy and defense of human right and freedom; for sane and sober citizens who seek the cause of freedom, justice and development through civilized methods and peaceful means; and for a church in our land that remains the prophetic voice of the voiceless, the marginalized and the deprived in our motherland.

This Sunday, I would like to speak a little on the merger of the two CCC parishes you’ve heard about already. The merger of our CCC parishes will happen sometime in the not distant future. This merger will be the natural culmination and consolidation of all our collaborative efforts in the last seven years.

Jesus says in the Gospel: “...my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” The merger of our two parishes will not eliminate the yoke and burden we bear as Christians for Christ; but it can lesson the yoke and burden of priests shortage, dwindling finances, and aging facilities as we move into the future.

Seven meetings have been held. 52 comments and 15 submissions have been received.  Last Thursday, a preliminary vote on the merger of the CCC parishes was taken by the councils. 24 members voted in favor of a merger; 1 abstained, and there was not a  single “No” vote. 

The parishes will be merging in order to sustain the mission of Christ, ensure the survival of our faith, and harmonize productively all the ministries that are superabundant in the CCC communities.

Best of our facilities that will serve the merger long into the future will be retained; all others may be monetized, most probably, through leasing in order to consolidate the merger financially.

After the summer break (in the fall), the councils will continue the merger discussions. Then, the following questions will be looked into:

• Should the merger take on a new name or retain one of the existing parish names?
• Should a new church be built for the merger or should the merger adopt one of the existing churches?

Have a safe and renewing summer as we “hit the pause button” through the summer break.
God’s Peace & Bles-sings to all!
Fr. JT.
Administrator

Beloved Parishioners,
From RCAB Q&A number 2: 

Q- Why would a merger of parishes be considered? 
A - "Typically, a merger is proposed after years of collaborative activity by parishes. When the parish communities have a history of sharing staff and programs, it is possible to view the merger as a natural culmination of all their previous efforts”.    
                
The Merger discussions and consultations have been ongoing: The Administrator has met with the Deacons and with the Staff. The Cranberry Pastoral Council and Finance Council have met two times. The Cranberry Pastoral Council and Finance Council have met with a group of 25 key parishioners from the CCC’s three churches. The Administrator has also met with the Finance Council to have a deeper evaluation of the current financial reports, and an assessment of the  current financial situation in relation to a merger. In line with the CCC annual practice, the financial reports will be made available to three churches shortly for parishioners to take a look.

As at date, I have received from parishioners 45 comments and 17 submissions. 

I want to thank all who have participated in the discussions so far through these meetings, and/or by sending in comments or submissions through the dedicated platforms.

Some concerns and issues have been raised. Some recommendations have been suggested. The overriding consensus, however, has been that the current structure is unsustainable, and that there is need for some form of readjustment in the Cranberry Catholic Collaborative Parishes. It is also to be noted that many parishioners have expressed fears over the possibility of loosing their churches and communities. Despite this fear, the requests have been to ensure a proper groundwork is done so that much is not lost in the process at the end of the road. Many of the concerns expressed would be interested in the “How” of a possible merger. 

As we continue to receive and evaluate responses and comments from parishioners, the CPC and Finance Council will now shift attention to the step two of the discussions: the “How” of a possible merger.    

Peace & Blessings!

Fr. JT.
Administrator 

1. What is a parish merger?  In a “merger”, two or three parishes are merged/brought together into one new parish.  A merger may be considered if a parish’s vitality, viability or sustainability comes into question or is becoming a growing issue of concern.  Efforts toward a merger must always be undertaken for the purpose of strengthening the mission of the Church and the good of the Collaborative.  When a merger of parishes takes place, there will be one pastoral council and only one finance council.  The finances of the parishes are no longer separate but are combined into one.
    
2. Why would a merger of parishes be considered? 
   Typically, a merger is proposed after years of collaborative activity by parishes. When the parish communities have a history of sharing staff and programs, it is possible to view the merger as a natural culmination of all their previous efforts.
    
3. How does the decision to merge get made and who should be involved in the decision making? 
   In general, the process of a merger involves the following steps:
   One. The Pastor consults with the Pastoral and Finance Councils giving them information about the parishes so that they understand the circumstances that have led up to the discussion about why a merger should be considered.
   Two: Once the councils have had time to review the information, they need to meet to discuss and come to a consensus about whether the parishes should move forward with the merger.
   Three: After a consensus to move forward is reached, a communication plan is developed to engage the broader parish community about the possible decision to merge.
   Four: Having heard from the broader parish community, the pastor makes the decision whether to move forward with the process.
   Five: The decision to merge is then presented to the Cardinal by the pastor at a Presbyteral Council meeting.
   Six: The Cardinal then consults with the Presbyteral council before making his decision.
   Seven: Having completed the process of consultation which included the pastor, the councils, the parishioners and the Presbyteral Council, the Cardinal makes the final decision about moving forward with the merger.
   Eight: A decree is then issued to establish a new parish with a new name.  (see #6)
    
4. Who can start the discussion about merging parishes?                                The pastor can raise the topic of a merger for discussion and consideration with the finance councils and pastoral council of the parishes.  As leaders in the parish, the pastor consults with them for their experience and support.   It is essential that sufficient information be provided to the councils so that they understand the circumstances that led up to the discussion about why a merger should be considered. 
    
5. Does the Archdiocese offer direction and guidance during the process of a merger? 
   Yes, during the period between the initial presentation to the councils and the follow-up meeting with parishioners, there can be several opportunities for consultation with offices within the Pastoral Center (Pastoral Planning, Parish Services and Canonical Affairs) to maintain open lines of communication with the pastor.   Pastoral Center staff will be available to respond to any questions or issues that get raised.
    
6. What will happen to the names of our parishes once we merge? 
   There will be a change to the name of the parish, however, the names of the churches do not change. (ex. Transfiguration Parish at St. Thomas Church).
    
7. Who decides on the new name of our parishes? 
   The pastor in consultation with the councils and parishioners submits three possible names for the merged parish, indicating their first choice.  Those three names are then sent to Cardinal Sean and he will decide from the suggested names.  Usually he chooses the name that was listed as “first” on the list of parish names.
    
8. How long does the process of a merger take? 
   From the beginning discussions to the actual merger to be completed it can take up to a year to complete.  The length of the process is dependent on the vitality, viability and sustainability factors within the parishes.

1. Who would be merging?
    For the CCC, the merge would be between the parishes of Sacred Heart (which includes St. Rose of Lima) and Sts. Martha and Mary.
    
2. Didn’t we merge when we became the Cranberry Catholic Collaborative?
    No. While the two parishes share a pastor/administrator, staff, and resources they remain as separate entities. Finances, sacramental recording, and parishioner databases have remained separate. 

June 3, 2020

Beloved Parishioners,

Since March 2020, discussions/consultations have been going on about the possible merger of the two Cranberry Parishes of Sacred Heart Parish in Middleboro and Saints Martha & Mary Parish in Lakeville. 

In my merger update 1, I have tried to explain what the merger is all about, why the merger, and the possible implications of the merger. The information is out there on our CCC Website and other social media platforms for parishioners to access.

I state again that parishioners are expected to contribute to the discussions. Nothing is hidden about it. Parishioners can use the dedicated Gmail account on our website to present a submission; and can use the “Comment Column” on our website to make a comment. We also have the bulletin and the “Merger Update Column” on our website where the Administrator gives updates from time to time on the progress in the discussions. This merger update column has in it what the merger is all about (which also appeared in the bulletin).

Until date, I have received comments from 23 parishioners and submissions from 10 parishioners; and I have replied to each and everyone of them. Their concerns, suggestions and ideas are being brought along into the discussions.

I urge parishioners to check out these sources of giving and receiving information on the merger discussion from time to time.

Peace & Bles+sings!

Fr. JT.

Administrator

May 20, 2020

Beloved Parishioners,

It has been in the air recently that a Merger may be coming to the Cranberry Catholic Collaborative Parishes. 

Meetings, discussions, consultations about this are ongoing with Staff, CPC/Finance Council, Parishioners, etc to discuss this phenomenon of a Merger and all the possibilities that may come with it. 

The ideas/suggestions/contributions of parishioners will be immensely valuable in this process of conversation as we chart the way forward “in order to survive.”

We have three steps to climb in the discussions/consultations:

Step 1: the “Why” of the Merger.

Step 2: the “How” of the Merger.

Step 3: the “WHEN” of the Merger

WHY?

Three major reasons are advanced: 

• Declining finances
• Priests shortage
• Big Staff and maintenance of Facilities in multiple locations.

We shall explain in subsequent statements, with fact and figures/numbers, how each of these is a real issue. The common underlying motive or philosophy is “Survival”, “in order to survive.”

A dedicated Feedback Gmail account has been created for all Parishioners. To give Parishioners opportunity to be part of the process and to throw their thoughts into the discussions/consultation, we have created a dedicated Gmail Account: CCCFuture@cranberrycatholicevangelization.org

We also have created on the CCC website (CranberryCatholic.org) a “COMMENT PAGE” where parishioners can send in comments. We also created a “MERGER UPDATE PAGE”  [this page] from where the Administrator will disseminate Merger updates. These are available to all so we can receive submissions/feedback from parishioners, especially those who may not have been captured in the group discussions. The aim is to receive them and make them part of the discussions.

After discussions/consultations, the Administrator will be expected to make a recommendation to the Cardinal. It will be left completely to the Cardinal to take a decision. 

CURRENT MERGERS:

Salem Parishes have already merged; Lynn parishes have  already voted to merge; Lynnfield parishes have voted to merge; Dorchester-Mattapan voted to merge; Neponset parishes also have voted to merge. Billerica, Newton, and others are discussing as we are doing. 

Be assured we are not in any hurry about this, and that a thorough discussion will be done before the next steps. 

I encourage all to put the issue out there, discuss it among yourselves, get us feedback, send your ideas through the dedicated Gmail account and the Comment column on the CCC website.

Peace & Bles+sings!

Fr. JT.

Administrator