The process of becoming together, more than we could ever be alone. 

The work of the Dover Area Task Force has been ongoing, with sometimes weekly meetings, to carefully bring the considerations of our four communities into the process of our parish merger.  They have been carefully looking at the many and varied elements of our current as well as future parish life.  Their discussions have included planned meetings with a consulter, spontaneous meetings with small informal groups of parishioners from each community, consultation and discussion with the pastoral and finance councils as well as casual one on one conversations with individual parishioners.  The wide and varied scope of their work and discussions have been an effort to represent and address the many small parts of our community in preparing our move toward a larger new whole.

All of this stems from the previous work of the parish cluster groups, the acceptance of that work by the Bishop and the call to merger as one.  The process, well underway with the work of the Dover Area Task Force, has become more focused with the timeline now provided by the Diocesan Long Range Planning Commission.

 The time line includes the Canonical process of Due Diligence which will begin the week following Easter.  A contracted firm will conduct a physical inventory of all parish buildings, properties, possessions and holdings.  That will be followed by a complete financial inventory of each parish’s assests.  These combined findings will be presented to the Diocesan Presbyteral Council, then to the Diocesan Finance Council.  Following their review and acceptance, all this will be presented to the Bishop for his final approval.  The anticipated completion of this process, assuming approval and acceptance at each step along the way, will result in the formal merger of the three parishes and the mission into one new parish effective July 5th, the first Sunday of July 2009.

 Meanwhile there is much to do, aspects of which invites the participation of every person.  Perhaps most significant will the choice of our new parish name.  We have been provided three choices that reflect the charisms and history of our current communities.

          1.) The Parish of the Assumption
          2.) The Parish of the Incarnation
          3.) The Parish of the Divine Word

Each of these names is an attempt to bring to the new parish a reflection of the work, history and identities of the individual merging communities.  In a few weeks, we will host an opportunity for everyone to participate in the selecting the name of our merged parish.

 As you may be aware, we have been conducting a count at every Mass in every church, to know the numbers of people who come and celebrate Eucharist.  This information has been used by the Task Force to begin developing a new weekend Mass schedule for the Dover Catholic Community.  The Task Force is considering and discussing many options.  I must tell you that I am pleased with the Task Force’s level of concern and their discernment of the affect on our community.   We know everyone will be affected, but believe that the out-come of the affect will create a stronger more vibrant worship than we already enjoy.  Once completed and having been reviewed with our parish councils, we will be sharing the new schedule with you and the date of it’s implementation.

 Watch the bulletin each week for further updates, news and requests for your participation.  Together we will establish a new community based on a foundation that is the creation of us all.  One that will continue the faith, prayer and gift of Eucharist that has been handed down to us from generations past, with ourselves being ready to hand it on to generations yet to come.

- Fr Marc 

“Do you wish to be great? Then begin by being. Do you desire to construct a vast and lofty fabric?
Think first about the foundations of humility.
The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be its foundation. “
- St. Augustine