PASTORAL PLANNING FOR OUR LADY OF THE

ROSARY PARISH

Sacramental/Spiritual“Be holy, for I, the Lord your God am holy.” Lev. 17-26

Schedule of Masses Saturday, 4:30pm Average attendance over 5 counting periods

from Oct 23, 2011-Oct 21, 2012- 199 Sunday, 8:00am Average attendance over 5 counting periods from Oct 23, 2011-Oct 21, 2012- 165 Sunday, 10:30am Average attendance over 5 counting periods from Oct 23, 2011-Oct 21, 2012- 224

Weekday Mon-Fri, 8am (9am once a month for school Mass)

Confessions Saturdays-3:15-4:15pm

Devotions Daily recitation of the rosary

Church Seating Capacity ~800

Sacramental Statistics2000 2005

2011 Baptisms 41 24 25 First Com. 53 39 35 Confirmations 23 25 52 Marriages 7 10 5 Funerals 75 96 90 RCIA 2 0 5

Nursing Homes Baldwinville Nursing Home Legends Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Wachusett Manor Nursing Facility

Housing For The Elderly Binall House Gar West/Highrise

Assisted Living Facilities Heywood Commons Hubbardston Manor

Number of Ordained/Lay Bringing Communion ~ 12

Ministry to the Sick-has it increased? It has stayed relatively the same, over 600 a year.

Institutions of care have expanded in Gardner.

Beyond Sacramental Ministry does parish have a regular visitation ministry to the homebound?

We have not developed a specific ministry of pastoral care for the elderly and homebound. Currently, the priests, deacons, and few lay men and women of the parish have been responding to home visitations. Some men and women of the parish have been helping out bringing communion to our nursing facilities as well. There is a great need for a Parish Nurse type ministry.

Ongoing responsibilities to facilities outside of parish?

Yes, we have the celebration of Mass on a monthly basis at the Legends, Wachusett Manor, Binall House, Heywood, Gar West/Highrise. The pastor of St. Vincent de Paul in Baldwinville has a monthly Mass at Baldwinville Nursing Home. Heywood Hospital, besides pastoral visits of the priests and deacon, has a deacon bringing communion to the patients.

List of Active Ministries in the Parish Ladies of St. Anne Liturgical Annual Bazaar St. Vincent de Paul Religious Education and Formation Respect Life Pre K-8 School Communion Ministry to the Nursing

Homes/Elderly Homes Monthly Hospitality Dinner for those in need

Survey Questions1. Of the information that was just given, what: A. didn’t you know… B. surprised/shocked you… C. was missing…

2. Based on the size of the church would you say the Sunday2. liturgies you attend are: 75-100% full in attendance 50-74% full in attendance 25-49% full in attendance 1-24% full in attendance

3. Besides the ministries listed, what other ministries would you like to see in your parish and of these ministries has there been attempts by you or someone else to create them? If there were attempts what held them back from being realized?

4. What in your opinion would make your church more active?

5. What would you say is the “vision” of your parish as it relates to the people and neighborhoods it serves? Do the people relate to that vision?

Social /Outreach“He summoned the twelve and sent them out two by two and gave them authority over unclean spirits.” Mark 6:7 Do you have social groups or programs for youth?

Youth programs and groupings come mainly through parish Religious Education Program and the Parish School. From time to time there are social outreach events and community building events.

Group Number of MinistersNumber Served Young Adult Group N/A N/AMen’s Club N/A N/ALadies Guild ~120 ~120St. Vincent de Paul 11Day Care 7 116Drop in Medical Clinic N/A N/ANursing Services 1 262Interfaith Housing Programs 3 75Shelter N/A N/AFood Pantry 12Soup Kitchen N/A N/ABereavement Ministry N/A N/A

Other: 

What immigrant groups exist within your parish boundaries? Are new groups coming in?

Hispanic/LatinoAsian

Survey Questions1. Of the information that was just given what Didn’t you know before Surprised/shocked you Was missing

2. In the last 10 years have you noticed your parish changing demographically?1. If it has, have you noticed your parish’s ministries evolving to meet these changes? If so, how?

3. Do you need assistance?

4. Identify the strengths and challenges of how your parish is meeting its ministerial obligations to the area?

5. What activities draw people into the life of the parish?

6. Over the last 10 years, has your parish become more active or is activity shrinking? Please explain:

7. Do the same people participate in most activities or is there a broad range of participation?

8. Are the same volunteers running most activities or are there different core groups?

9. Are there ministries and/or programs you would like to implement to meet the Social Outreach needs? Do you have a plan to do so? If not, what are the obstacles?

Education Adult/Children“Go into the world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15 Number of children in Religious Education

Grades 1-8 67 Grades 9-10 36

Number of children/youth in School 262 Do you have a Catechumenate? Yes Are there adult education programs besides RCIA?

Yes What are they and how often are they offered? 

Catholicism Spring A Relook at Sacraments Fall The Bible and the Church Spring

How many participate? ~20

Who conducts these courses? Priests, Deacon and Catechists

Do you have sacramental preparation classes? Who conducts them? Baptism Yes Priests & Deacon/wife Eucharist Yes Priests, Religious & Catechists ConfirmationYes Priests, Religious & Catechists Marriage Yes Priests & Deacon/wife

Survey Questions1. Of the information that was just given what didn’t you know before surprised/shocked you was missing

2. Do you think there is sufficient staffing for religious education and faith formation?

3. Holy Rosary has Sr. Suzanne Picard serving as a paid Director of Religious Education (DRE) in the parish and the school. Sacred Heart has Jen Coxall serving as a volunteer Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE). Do you think this is enough, or should both our parishes explore a combined DRE, CRE, or Associate Religious Education (ARE) coordinator?

4. Do our facilities serve well the needs of religious education and faith formation in the parish? If yes, how? If no, what do we need?

5. If you were to hazard a guess, do you think there are children in our parish who are not participating in religious education and faith formation? If so, would say the percentage is:A. 75-100%B. 50-74%C. 25-49%D. 1-24%

Parish StaffingFor we do not preach ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for the sake of Jesus. Everything indeed is for you, so that grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God. 2Cor. 4:5-6, 15

Position # Full Time # Part Time #Volunteer Deacon 1 1Pastoral Assistant N/A N/A N/ADRE 1CRE N/A N/A N/AARE N/A N/A N/AYouth Minister N/A N/A N/APastoral Assistant Cor 1RE Secretary N/A N/A N/ABusiness Manager 1Director of Music 2Organist N/A N/A N/ABook Keeper 1Principal 1School Teachers 18

Domestic Staffing Position # Full Time # Part Time #VolunteerCook 1Housekeeper 1Janitorial 2 3Cemetery See Janitorial School See Janitorial

Survey Questions1..Of the information that was just given whata. Didn’t you know beforeb. Surprised/shocked youc. Was missing

2. In your opinion, does the parish need more staff to accomplish its mission? If so, what additional staff needs to be put into place ( and for what purpose), if it was feasible?

3. The present staff consists of pastor, priest, deacons,

religious sister, office manager, principal/school

administrator, Day Care, , secretaries, teachers/Aides, book

keepers, custodial/maintenance/cemetery care, who ought to be

responsible for training of the staff?

Fiscal/Physical “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest, for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.” Luke 21:3, 4

Total Number of Households 928 When was the last parish census taken? May 1997 Over the last 10 years has the number of families

increased? Yes Over the last 10 years has the number of families

decreased? Yes-Funerals By how much? ~75 a year Of your families, how many contribute on a regular

basis? 325 How many contribute occasionally through the

year? 100

Average Weekly Income: ~$5,000 Bingo Yes Diocesan Expansion Fund loans No Unpaid interest on Diocesan loans N/A Are any DEF accounts “restricted?”

Accounts are restricted according to function, that is, parish, school, cemetery

Is all church property in good repair? Fair

The overhead exceeds the resources to maintain. Keeping up on

repair and renovation is daunting with large old buildings.

Pending Capital ImprovementsChurch Pointing bricks $250,000Church Water Damage undeterminedChurch Liturgical Space

Renovation undeterminedConversion to GasHeat undetermined

Rectory Front Porch undetermined Convent Exterior Repair/

Painting undeterminedConversion to GasHeating undeterminedInsulation undetermined

School Roof Repair $70,000 Cemetery Road Repair undetermined

Security/Main. Undetermined

Total Annual Fuel Cost $67,123.78 (12,015.50 gal. oil

18,983 units gas)

Survey Questions1. Of the information that was just given what Didn’t you know before Surprised/shocked you Was missing

2. Holy Rosary does not have a Pastoral Council, Sacred Heart does. Do you feel a Pastoral Council is needed? If yes, should each parish have its own council or should there be the establishment of a joint council for the planning of both parishes?

3. A number of years ago, Bishop McManus divided the diocese into cluster parishes to begin pastoral planning in the diocese. The clusters were to discuss one question in particular, “what would your cluster do if one or more priests were transferred /retired/died and not replaced in your parish?” The cluster in Gardner was Holy Rosary, Sacred Heart, St. Joseph, & Holy Spirit.A. Were you aware of this?B. If so, were you part of the discussion?C. If you were part of the discussion, what do you remember from the discussion concerning the future of the

parishes in Gardner?

4. Given the projections of fewer priests and rising costs, how do you think your parish and the other parishes in the city of Gardner could be reconfigured to better meet the sacramental, educational, community and outreach needs of the population?