Reconfiguring for the Future to Address Resource Challenges

Dear Pastors and Administrators,

As you know we are coming  up on the conclusion of this year’s Deanery visits. Monsignor Joseph Grimaldi, your local Regional Episcopal Vicar and I have listened to your suggestions and concerns, and the conversations have personally been very encouraging to me.

As we look to the new pastoral year, I am committed to implement our Reconfiguration Process with its three different stages throughout our diocese, in order to effectively utilize our financial and clergy personnel resources. The purpose of the Reconfiguration Process is to strengthen and to enhance the varied ministries that each parish offers, while collaborating, partnering, or merging with another parish.

Collaboration, partnerships, or parish mergers are taking place in many dioceses and a number of parishes share their pastor with at least one other parish with that number growing. The issues we face here in our diocese, though unique in their own ways, are similar to what is happening throughout the country. We are one family in faith.

With this in mind, pastors in each deanery have been tasked to discuss and adjust their Mass schedules in collaboration with the other parishes in their deanery this coming Fall. You are also strongly encouraged to work with neighboring parishes outside your assigned deanery, if pastorally necessary. To that effect, I am asking that no Mass intentions be taken after June 30, 2025. It is essential that every parish share in this commitment.

You will hear more about this process in the coming months, and you are encouraged to engage actively in the consultation opportunities at the deanery level. Please provide your thoughts and ideas to your Dean. This is an important moment for new opportunities in our diocese. It is crucial that this process be rooted in prayer and open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I ask that you be faithful to patient discernment and committed to creating a plan with your Parish Leadership, Dean and Regional Vicar that will set the roadmap for the future vitality and vibrancy of all our parishes in Brooklyn and Queens.

Thank you for your cooperation as we embark in this new phase of reconfiguration in our diocese. Be assured of my continued prayers for each of you and parish communities.

Fraternally yours in Christ,