Merger Decisions Announced for Port Chester

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Cardinal Dolan has written to parishioners at four Port Chester parishes, announcing the decisions for parish mergers in that community, the archdiocese announced June 12.

Last fall, the cardinal announced that a plan would be developed in consultation with the parish leadership of the four affected parishes, as well as with the Salesians of Don Bosco religious order, who will assume pastoral care for Port Chester Catholics. The discussions were part of the Making All Things New pastoral planning process.

After more than six months of additional discussion and review, and after consultation with the archdiocesan Priests’ Council, it was decided that the parish mergers would occur in two phases.

In the first phase, on Aug. 1, Corpus Christi parish and Our Lady of the Rosary parish will merge. Corpus Christi has been designated as the main parish church and Our Lady of the Rosary will continue to be used for Masses and sacraments. Also on Aug. 1, Sacred Heart of Jesus parish will merge with Our Lady of Mercy parish, with Our Lady of Mercy designated as the main parish church and Sacred Heart of Jesus used only for special occasions. Masses and sacraments will not be celebrated at Sacred Heart of Jesus on a regular basis.

The second phase will go into effect Aug. 1, 2017 when, with the cooperation of the Salesian community, the parishes of Corpus Christi-Our Lady of the Rosary, and Our Lady of Mercy-Sacred Heart of Jesus, will merge, with Our Lady of Mercy designated as the parish church.

“It was seen as worthwhile to do it in two stages so that time could be given to pastoral care for the people,” explained Father Timothy Zak, S.D.B., pastor of Our Lady of the Rosary, which will be amalgamating with Corpus Christi. “It’s a huge task, four churches, each having a rectory, three schools, three convents,” he explained. “All the time would have been taken with taking care of buildings, which is exactly the opposite of what Making All Things New is meant to do.”

Father Zak, a Salesian of Don Bosco, said that the Salesians charism is a good fit for ministry to the people of Port Chester.

“Any religious order brings a charism, which is a particular gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church—not just to the religious order but to the Church—a particular way of living out the Gospel often times with a focus on some aspect of the mission of the Church, which in our case is youth and the poor,” he said.

“So we bring the charism, the spirit of Don Bosco, with that centrality of concern. Here in Port Chester there are lots of young people and there are lots of poor. So the parish becomes a means to fulfill our mission and serve the diocese, kind of enrich the diocese with the charism that the Holy Spirit has given to the Church through Don Bosco.”

Father Zak acknowledged his parishioners have raised a lot of questions regarding the merger.

“For the most part, the people received the decision well, but then as they started to think about it, the questions started to rise. Not questions that are antagonistic, just, ‘What does it mean for us now?’” he said.

One of those with serious questions is longtime parishioner Vita Sileo, who serves on the parish council. She grew up at Our Lady of the Rosary, though for a time she worshipped at Corpus Christi. Ms. Sileo concedes she has strong reservations about the merger. She told CNY there had been a great deal of acrimony within the Catholic community in Port Chester since November when the archdiocese announced the largest restructuring of parishes in more than 200 years.

“I feel like we’ve been abandoned,” she said. “I think people will resign themselves to the fact that this is happening. My biggest concern is the programs we run. So much comes out of here that I don’t see happening in the other churches.” Ms. Sileo said she hoped the merging communities would eventually “meld” because there is no alternative.

Cardinal Dolan thanked Catholics in Port Chester for their patient cooperation throughout the process, and the Salesian community for undertaking the new pastoral work, saying, “I am grateful to the parishioners of Port Chester who provided me with their thoughtful input on how the Church could best serve the religious and spiritual needs of the people. Great appreciation must also be expressed to the Salesians,” he added of the order known for their work in evangelization, particularly among young people, “in taking responsibility for this new parish structure. I am confident that this will lead to an active and vibrant Catholic community in Port Chester!”

The official decree of the mergers is posted on the archdiocesan website. Access archny.org/decree-6-11-15.