Diocese of Scranton parishes see alternatives to collaborate

This web page was created programmatically, to learn the article in its unique location you’ll be able to go to the hyperlink bellow:
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2026/08/02/linked-consolidated-diocese-of-scranton-parishes-see-opportunity-for-collaboration/
and if you wish to take away this text from our website please contact us

When Donald Healey’s residence parish in Olyphant consolidated with a Throop parish, he gained new buddies and traditions.

St. Carlo Acutis Parish shaped a few 12 months in the past from Holy Cross and Blessed Sacrament. Consolidation of the 2 previously linked parishes has created extra alternatives for collaboration between members whereas conserving traditions alive. The united parish took the title of a newly canonized saint, which has additionally attracted curiosity.

It’s one in every of many the Diocese of Scranton has merged beneath Vision 2030, its Pastoral Planning Process that addresses altering realities throughout its 11 counties. The plan requires linkages and consolidations as parishes confront monetary, infrastructure and membership challenges and as retiring clergymen outpace new ones.

Two linkages between parishes in North Pocono and in Susquehanna County and three new consolidated parishes had been shaped in July. The diocese has linked 21 parishes since 2021 and consolidated 9 since 2022.

Leaders and members of linked or consolidated parishes say coming collectively resulted in shared ministries and councils that deliver new concepts and views.

Coming collectively another way

Healey, who lives in Olyphant, mentioned the consolidated St. Carlo Acutis Parish brings the most effective traditions of the previous parishes collectively whereas creating new ones. He has made buddies because the consolidation.

“It’s a larger parish community now, more points of view, more perspectives, more ideas, and I think it’s built more relationships,” he mentioned. “I think that’s been the biggest benefit so far.”

Joseph Butash of Dickson City mentioned consolidation has introduced extra participation, notably from youth. Parish occasions such because the yearly household pageant, a Throop occasion that began in 2007, and the rooster barbecue, which originated on the Olyphant parish, have extra potential prospects, he mentioned.

Last 12 months’s household pageant, the primary hosted by the consolidated parish, was essentially the most profitable financially and well-attended, mentioned pastor the Rev. Scott Sterowski.

Butash mentioned fellow parishioners didn’t really feel like strangers when the consolidation occurred. He likes that members nonetheless have church buildings to attend in Olyphant and Throop.

Curiosity in regards to the title St. Carlo Acutis has introduced new guests, lots of whom have joined the parish, Sterowski mentioned. The Midvalley parish was one of many first worldwide to be named for the Italian teen canonized in September by Pope Leo XIV, changing into the primary millennial saint.

Both Butash and Healey had been a part of earlier consolidations that created Blessed Sacrament and Holy Cross parishes. Healey mentioned having Sterowski lead each parishes helped with the transition.

Sterowski mentioned church members are excited in regards to the parish’s patron and the brand new alternatives the consolidation has created.

“It’s a chance for people to come together in a different way, in a deeper way to celebrate and to live out their faith on a daily basis,” he mentioned.

When he was ordained in 1991, he by no means foresaw parishes being consolidated, however it’s the actuality the church is dealing with, Sterowski mentioned.

“We must be responsive to the needs of the people and of the church at this present moment in time,” he mentioned.

1 of 6

Laurie Munley, of Olyphant, places her palms collectively throughout the morning Mass at St. Carlo Acutis Parish in Olyphant Friday, July 31, 2026. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)

Expand

Consolidation, then closure

Consolidation introduced parishioners and traditions of Our Lady of Grace and Most Precious Blood church buildings collectively, however points introduced up throughout the Vision 2030 course of resulted in one of many church buildings closing.

The church buildings, each in Hazleton, consolidated last year as Our Lady of Peace Parish. The Most Rev. Joseph Bambera, bishop of Scranton, issued a decree final month ordering Our Lady of Grace Church closed. Its closing Mass is Sunday.

Bambera cited pricey repairs of almost $4 million. He additionally famous that whereas the parish has a vibrant Hispanic inhabitants, it has outgrown the areas at each church buildings and moved to the bigger SS. Cyril and Methodius Parish close by.

Including Our Lady of Grace, the diocese closed three church buildings this 12 months.

The Rev. Anthony Generose, pastor of the parish, mentioned the closure has been tough for many individuals, most of whom he is aware of effectively. He mentioned supporting his parishioners is much like consoling somebody who has misplaced a beloved one. It can also be private for Generose because the parish he grew up in, St. Mary’s Church in Lattimer Mines, consolidated into Our Lady of Grace Church in 2009.

Although merged parishes have been a part of his 27 years within the priesthood, final 12 months’s consolidation was the primary time he oversaw the method himself. He mentioned it was an attention-grabbing course of that wanted to be executed rigorously.

“It’s been a meticulous process, one that obviously needs a lot of attention when you’re bringing two different communities with two different identities together,” Generose mentioned. “You’re dealing with people’s lives and it’s a major change for them.”

The consolidation, he mentioned, has additionally been an opportunity for the parish to do new issues collectively, most just lately internet hosting an exhibit about St. Carlo Acutis at Most Precious Blood Church within the spring, which Generose mentioned drew individuals from the parish and across the Hazleton space. It can also be an opportunity to mix two festivals on the church buildings, Madonna del Monte and Saints of Cilento Festival, into one fall pageant.

With Our Lady of Grace Church shutting its doorways, Generose mentioned having Saints of Cilento within the pageant, set for Aug. 7-9, is “a ray of hope in the hardship and the grief.”

‘Try to accommodate both communities’

Although St. Ignatius of Loyola and Holy Family parishes are separate, sharing a pastor has supplied alternatives for shared actions and elevated assist.

The parishes in Kingston and Luzerne had been linked in 2022 and share Monsignor David Tressler as their pastor. He mentioned the linkage has been a optimistic expertise for each parishes.

“I think (the linkage) has made them stronger in the sense that they are working together, and I always feel the more we work together, we’re stronger in sharing the faith,” he mentioned.

The transition council, which consists of parishioners from each parishes, did notably effectively determining the Mass occasions, which Tressler mentioned is the toughest a part of a linkage.

“It was really nice to see them working together to try to accommodate both communities,” he mentioned, including it gave Holy Family Parish a extra constant Mass schedule.

It allowed for one spiritual schooling program and pastoral council for each parishes, in addition to a efficiency by members of each choirs at an America 250 celebration earlier this month. It additionally meant that Holy Week Masses alternate between the parishes, and the meals pantry at Holy Family Parish has had a rise within the quantity of donations.

While individuals might need been uneasy about linkages and mergers up to now, Tressler mentioned over time, they’ve come to just accept going to completely different church buildings from those they and their household had been raised in.

Tressler is not any stranger to linkages and consolidations, having overseen linked parishes in Carbondale and Simpson, and the consolidation of parishes in West Scranton in 2003.

He is used to touring between parishes however mentioned the largest problem with overseeing a linked parish is guaranteeing individuals are served effectively. Having an assistant pastor, the Rev. Michael Boris, helps with managing the parishes however Tressler mentioned there must be compromise from each parishes if there isn’t a assistant pastor sooner or later.

“When that day comes that there may be only one priest serving both communities, then there would have to be some readjustment and some reevaluation,” he mentioned.

Not ‘one-size-fits-all’

Vision 2030 was deliberately designed with out a “one-size-fits-all” strategy as a result of each parish and each neighborhood has distinctive strengths and challenges, mentioned diocese spokesman Eric Deabill. The course of evaluates every parish primarily based on the variety of individuals actively collaborating in parish life, monetary sustainability, clergy availability and the situation of amenities.

Linked parishes could determine to consolidate. Other occasions, parishes could stay linked for years. Deabill mentioned many parishes have been linked for greater than a decade and proceed to serve their communities successfully with out pursuing consolidation.

“From a practical standpoint, some linked parishes eventually recognize that consolidation can simplify administration. A pastor serving multiple independent parishes is responsible for separate finance councils, pastoral councils, budgets, reports, and in some cases similar ministries,” he mentioned. “In some situations, parish leaders in linked parishes determine that bringing their parishes together allows them to devote more energy to pastoral ministry while also eliminating administrative redundancies.”

The course of is exclusive to every parish, and consolidation isn’t an computerized end result of a linkage, he mentioned.