Five Southwest Louisville Parishes Ready to Begin New Union, by Shayla Reaves, WAVE, April 7, 2008

Five Southwest Louisville Parishes Ready to Begin New Union

By Shayla Reaves
WAVE
April 7, 2008

http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=8126250&nav=0RZF

[with video]

LOUISVILLE (WAVE) — A major milestone doesn't come without mixed emotion for members of the Louisville Archdiocese. Tuesday, the Roman Catholic Church will celebrate 200 years of service in the Louisville area. As WAVE 3's Shayla Reaves reports, it comes with the merger of five churches to help save money.

For some people, going to church is just part of life. But after years at a place they've come to know, this particular Sunday is bittersweet.

"I told my kids today this is our last Mass at St. Polycarp and I'd like for you all to be there," said Donna Fluhr, a member for 27 years.

Tuesday, St. Polycarp will merge with Our Lady Help of Christians, Our Lady of Consolation, St. Timothy and St. Clement. The merger is expected to cut costs for the Archdiocese and improve services for members.

"The opinion is if we put all of our resources together and have one staff, one operation we could do a better job," said Rev. Chuck Walker, pastor of St. Clement and St. Polycarp. "To combine that and have better ministries available to them, it's easier to do if you have one place rather than five little places."

Some of the churches currently share priests and all have separate staffs. Membership is down to 150 to 250 families at two locations and 550 to 650 at the other three.

St. Clement Catholic Church

"During the holidays it's big numbers, but during the week it's not many," said Shelly Albritton, a member of St. Clement. "I guess people have other things to do, some people go to different churches."

All the buildings will stay open, but the name of the churches and staff will change. The new merged church is called St. Peter the Apostle. Rev. Walker says St. Clement, located at 5431 Johnsontown Road, will serve as a main campus. Upgrades to the St. Clement church building are expected to help accommodate more members once the merger is complete.

"We'll need a sanctuary that seats 1,000 to 1,200 people and that's the vision that's the hope," Rev, Walker told WAVE 3 News.

All the buildings will become campuses of St. Peter the Apostle. During the merger process, members of St. Clement must find a new place to worship. Even though the ultimate goal is to bring more people together, for some members there's still something lost.

"Everybody will be going to different churches now until our regular church gets built, so some of the people we might not see for awhile and that's kind of sad because I ain't going to be around here that much longer," said James Gribbins, a 50 year member of St. Clement.