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	Final Church Restructuring Plan Won't Result in Sudden Changes By Jim Day The Guardian March 4, 2008 http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=113748&sc=98 A final plan to restructure Roman Catholic parishes in P.E.I., which could be unveiled by late April, should not result in immediate wholesale changes, says the head of the council looking into the restructuring. "I can't foresee any sudden changes," said Kerry Moore, who chairs the Diocesan Pastoral Initiatives Council (DPIC). "I think there will be a general direction with a gradual introduction . . . I suspect it will be very anti-climatic in that sense." The council concluded its most recent, and final, slate of restructuring meetings on Feb. 25. Moore said the council is writing up its summary, which will go to Bishop Vernon Fougere in the next two to three weeks. Fougere, in turn, will review the report with his priest council and the clergy. Moore expects revisions and recommendations after each stage with a draft to be introduced to parishes "hopefully by the end of April or early May." He called the considerable input from parishes, during meetings held across the province, both "valuable and important." Key feedback included the observation that laity needs to be more involved in the pastoral care of the people in the parishes. Moore also noted there is a wide variation in where the parishes stand on the issue of restructuring, some voicing enthusiasm at exploring new models with others rejecting change outright. "So there is quite a wide variation in how ready people are," said Moore. "Most people are saying we have to do something." The current restructuring initiative was made public in November when parishes were told that changes are coming and that the status quo is not an option. The reasons given for restructuring were the shortage of priests and declining attendance. A map was produced reducing the number of parishes and missions from 59 to 17. And with it, in black and white, was the statement that some new parishes would have one church building or place of worship, while others would work over a period of time towards having no more than two. The number suggested by the DPIC was 31 key churches still operating when the plan takes effect. "I think (some) churches will go out of commission," Moore told The Guardian Monday. "We have places that say 'we have to close because we don't have the finances to stay open' but there are not going to be any locks put on doors. It will be more a case of people working with the realities we are facing." Moore termed the restructuring initiative a productive exercise with people proving to be understanding of a challenging situation.
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