Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, Archbishop of Philadelphia, recently accepted the recommendations to close one parish in the Montgomery County Vicariate and two parishes in the Philadelphia-South Vicariate.

In Montgomery County, Seven Dolors Parish in Wyndmoor will close as of July 1, 2003 and serve as an alternate worship site for Saint Genevieve Parish in Flourtown as a result of a recommendation made by the Twinning Evaluation Committee of the two parishes and the Cluster 74 Implementation Committee. The Seven Dolors Church building will remain open for some Masses and funerals. The number of parishioners at Seven Dolors Parish declined from 1,448 in 1990 to 785 in 2000, a 46 percent decrease.

Seven Dolors Parish and Saint Genevieve Parish are currently "twinned," sharing the same pastor since 2000. Both parishes are part of Cluster 74, a geographic grouping of six parishes. The Cluster 74 Pastoral Plan, accepted by Cardinal Bevilacqua in August 1998, called for a review of the twinning of Seven Dolors and St. Genevieve in 2002.

In a recent letter to the Regional Vicar for Montgomery County, Monsignor John C. Marine, Cardinal Bevilacqua said, "It is evident that the Committee studied and discussed thoroughly all appropriate information in order to achieve consensus on this issue. I request that you convey to the pastor and members of the Committee my abiding gratitude for their work."

In Philadelphia, Saint Aloysius Parish will close as of July 1, 2003 and serve as a worship site for Saint Gabriel Parish as a result of a recommendation of the parish review committee and the Cluster 23 Implementation Team. The number of parishioners at Saint Aloysius Parish declined from 900 in 1990 to 346 in 2000, a 62 percent decrease.
King of Peace Parish in Philadelphia will close as of July 1, 2004, as a result of the recommendation from that parish's review committee and the Cluster 23 Implementation Team. King of Peace will serve as an alternate worship site of Saint Gabriel Parish. The number of parishioners at King of Peace Parish declined from 1,377 in 1990 to 851 in 2000, a 38 percent decrease.

Saint Aloysius Parish and King of Peace Parish are currently "twinned," sharing the same pastor since 2000. Both parishes are part of Cluster 23, a geographic grouping of six parishes. The Cluster 23 Pastoral Plan, accepted by Cardinal Bevilacqua in March 1999, indicated that the issues of the changing demographics and subsequent needs of these parishes would be reviewed and addressed by the Implementation Team.

In a recent letter to the Regional Vicar for Philadelphia - South, Monsignor John T. Conway, Cardinal Bevilacqua said, "I request that you convey to the pastors and members of the Cluster 23 Implementation Team my deep gratitude for their work in addressing the pastoral needs within the Cluster."
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Editor's Note: Attached please find two news releases regarding specifics on the closure of Seven Dolors, Saint Aloysius and King of Peace. Please also find attached a copy of the Archdiocesan regulations for the use of a worship site. For more background information, visit the Archdiocesan web site at www.archdiocese-phl.org (Click on "Go Directly To." Look under Cluster Pastoral Planning)

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