Instead, less than a month later, on Nov. 7, 2022, Bishop Monforton wrote a letter to the clergy and religious in the diocese that he had requested that the U.S. bishops conference table the vote after receiving feedback of disappointment and fear from priests and laity over the potential change. The clerics added that the Diocese of Steubenville has a higher share of Catholics attending Mass than other Ohio dioceses, had more participation in the global synod on synodality, and had both a stable population and continued prospects for priestly vocations. Eight Sacred Heart Major Seminary graduates will receive the sacrament of Holy Orders this spring and summer. While Monforton toldThe Pillarthat he wants Steubenvilles process to be a template for other prospective diocesan mergers, pastors in his own diocese have pushed back. Diocese of Steubenville | Active Priests | Steubenville, OH Where is the pastoral sensitivity in any of this? one priest asked. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. , E. Lansing, MI 48823, Sacred Heart Catholic Church - Conroe, TX. The U.S. bishops' conference will not vote next week on the prospect of merging the Steubenville, Ohio, diocese with its neighboring Diocese of Columbus, according to a letter sent Monday by Steubenville's Bishop Jeff Monforton. Its just a trend of fewer people going to Mass because we have fewer people. This website is the initiative of Tom Crowe of Beatrix Media, LTD, who is solely responsible for its content. Today's breaking news and more in your inbox. Right now, we are solvent, thank the Lord, Monforton explained at an Oct. 10 meeting. The signatories priests and deacons of the Steubenville diocese noted that after Monforton announced the merger process, the bishop offered an extremely restrictive survey in which people have less than two weeks to complete and return it, as the vote by the conference will take place approximately a week later.. Two retired priests and two permanent deacons also signed the Oct. 18 letter. When Monforton announced the prospective merger to Steubenvilles priests, the bishop lamented a shrinking Catholic population, now around 29,000 Catholics, an aging presbyterate, and the economic prospects for an Appalachian region mired in unemployment and poverty. The Diocese of Steubenville was established by Pope Pius XII in 1944 when Steubenville had a population of around 37,000 people. Diocese of Steubenville Curriculum Survey 2018 * 1. Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton - Diocese of Steubenville Monforton says a merger will not affect local parishes and schools and there are no plans at this time for any church closures. Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, was copied on the text. SURVEY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DIOCESE OF STEUBENVILLE Please complete your survey by absolutely no later than Sunday, October 30, 2022. We intend to share this data at a later date, and ensure that this information is presented to the bishops that hold sway in Ohio and at the USCCB. Please join us in offering prayers of support and thanksgiving for their new mission as priests. And its a very painful thing for people, so you have to walk people through the process, and be a pastor to them. What curriculum materials are you looking to update in 2017/2018? The Diocese of Steubenville has had five bishops since its establishment: Bishop John King Mussio, Bishop Albert H. Ottenweller, Bishop Gilbert I. Sheldon, Bishop R. Daniel Conlon and currently, Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton. 4 were here. On that occasion, over 21,000 of you responded. We ask Your Excellencies and your brothers in the episcopate to delay the November vote on the proposed merger so that we and our laity may participate in this process that so directly greatly impacts our relationship with the Church and each other, the clerics wrote, in a letter sent to Archbishop Jose Gomez, USCCB president. Some time last week the Diocese of Steubenville put out a survey of its own, saying the purpose is to share your thoughts about the potential merger of the Diocese of Steubenville with the Diocese of Columbus. In an interview, Bishop Monforton said it was an opportunity for the people of the Diocese to vent., But it really isnt either of those. Diocesan News | June 28, 2023. Steubenville-Columbus diocesan merger halted one week before vote at U While Monforton has insisted that the Steubenville diocese is not financially sustainable, a group of Steubenville priests have pushed back on that idea since the merger was announced. The Diocese of Steubenville was established in 1944, carved out of the Diocese of Columbus. School Address: * 4. Since the October 10th announcement of a proposed merger between the Diocese of Steubenville and the Diocese of Columbus, many have voiced their counsel, including disappointment and even fear, Monforton wrote in hisNov. 7 letterto the diocese. PROSPECT HEIGHTS Months after Bishop Jeffrey Monforton announced his desire for the Diocese of Steubenville in Ohio to merge with the Diocese of Columbus, causing a stir that resulted in the canceling of a U.S. bishops vote on the idea, he says every option is still on the table but by no means is a merger inevitable. The bishops of Ohio voted last year in support of the plan, and the U.S. bishops conference is scheduled for a consultative vote on the issue this month. The survey is open until March 27, 2023. The only thing that will change at the parishes during the Eucharistic prayer, instead of saying Our Bishop Jeffrey, they will say Our Bishop Earl. Otherwise, its basically status quo. Which county in the Diocese of Steubenville do you live in? Diocesan News | June 23, 2023. Its thirteen counties are some of the most rural and modest in the State, and the Churches residing here range from the . The Pope and only the Pope can merge or notably alter a diocese (c.f. St. Joseph Parish | About Us | Tiltonsville, OH Its sole purpose is to share information about the proposed merger/suppression of the Diocese of Steubenville. Faithful members of the Diocese of Steubenville have released a survey. Bishop of Steubenville Says All Options 'On the Table' for Future of You might just see your submission online or in the new edition of the paper. My heart is broken. Locations, times, and livestream information will be updated throughout the coming weeks. That must continue. The Diocese of Steubenville was established in 1944, carved out of the Diocese of Columbus. We have an aging population, an aging Catholic base were getting a lot more funerals than baptisms., He said the bishop will survey all the parishioners, get their thoughts, talk to the Ohio bishops., If the Ohio bishops think its a good idea, hell present it to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Looking five or 10 years down the road, half are going to be eligible to retire. As a leading center of the New Evangelization, Sacred Heart serves the needs of the Archdiocese of Detroit and contributes to the mission of the universal Church. Diocese of Steubenville, Columbus discussing merger For their part, the signers of the Oct. 28 letter to Gomez called for a process of dialogue and discernment before any decisions are made about their diocese. School Name: * 3. Bishop Earl Fernandes succeeded Bishop Brennan in Columbus. We have significant challenges, but they are challenges the Diocese of Steubenville has faced from its very beginning and throughout its history. This survey is meant to more effectively gather information about the potential merger of the Diocese of Steubenville into the Diocese of Columbus. Dcn. More info. The parishes of the diocese first participated in the Disciple Maker Index in 2020. Further discussion regarding the Diocese of Steubenvilles future will be conducted at the diocesan level.. Moreover, because the decision will be made by the Supreme Pontiff, it is obviously an irrevocable decision not subject to recourse, thus requiring that the process leading to the decision be as just and thorough as possible, the clerics wrote. Catholic Dioceses of Steubenville and Columbus to merge This is mission territory that cries out for the spreading of the Catholic Faith. He wrote: If all priests in their 60s would stay in active ministry 10 years from now, half of our active priests will be 70 or older. According toThe Intelligencer, almost 100 people, including clergy and religious, prayed for the dioceses future in front of the chancery in late October. This survey should take about 15 minutes. St. Joseph Parish, Tiltonsville, Ohio, is a Catholic parish of the Diocese of Steubenville. Your Excellencies, we ask for your intervention so that in place of what has happened up to this point, a deeper layer of listening and authentic dialogue between shepherd and flock may occur in the Diocese of Steubenville, they added. There should be a discussion of this during the November Plenary Assembly. Some Steubenville priests say that plan would be better than a merger, while others say it would only delay the inevitable. But I would be negligent if I didnt resolve the situation.. Sign-Up e-news Thats not being considered, he said. The question is, could I have done it differently? Contact Im grateful for the constructive suggestions made in the letters to me after the announcement, and Im equally grateful for the feedback in the survey we conducted after the announcement, and a lot of that will predicate how we move forward, he said. Steubenville priests have urged the USCCB to consult before weighing in on the future of their diocese. The frequency of the different recommendations and how realistic they are will be assessed, he added, though he declined to share any of them beyond saying they are across the whole spectrum.. But we priests have never been able to talk with the bishop about any of the things this diocese needs, do any serious long-term planning, or be listened to about things like that, and then all of the sudden its just time to close the diocese?. Months later, the Ohio bishops met and unanimously voted that a Diocese of Steubenville and Diocese of Columbus merger was the best path forward. Bishop Monforton told The Tablet at the time that the possibility of a merger became apparent about a year and a half ago when the Holy See expressed concern over declining numbers in the diocese, and the two sides agreed something had to be done. He brought everybody together (Monday) afternoon priests, deacons retired and active, chancery staff and he brought all the figures out showing the loss of population, the loss of Catholics (in the diocese). The diocese is victim to the Ohio Valleys aging cycle and steady demographic depopulation, he said. An extended process that invites and welcomes widespread participation would allow for examination and discussion of complete, full, and accurate information, and would certainly enhance the legitimacy of any possible outcome.. After the whirlwind of the fall, Bishop Monforton dubbed the theme of the moment as, were taking a step back. And while discerning the future of the Ohio Valley diocese continues, the process has slowed down and will take into account a swath of different perspectives before any decisions are made. The more than 3,200 survey. (Please check all that apply). Bulletin - St. Joseph Parish Sitemap Create your free account or log in to continue reading. Oct 19, 2022 | General Faithful members of the Diocese of Steubenville have released a survey. Bishop Jeffrey M. Monforton. Canon 373 et al. Read: Saints Thomas More & John Fisher and the struggle for religious freedom today. Theres no harm in taking the Dioceses survey, but I dont see much point in it, either. Seminarian Formation The Oct. 18 letter also argued that financial condition of the diocese is more stable than Monforton has suggested, and that an outside read of the numbers would indicate that. Catholic Central [High School] still stays. Diocese of Steubenville exploring merger - The Herald Star Catholic News Agency / November 9, 2022 / 93 by Joe Bukuras Boston, Mass., Nov 9, 2022 / 10:30 am Diocese of Steubenville Bishop Jeffrey Monforton announced Monday that a proposed merger with the Diocese of Columbus will be put on hold. The Oct. 18 signatories argued that the Diocese of Steubenville has significantly more priests per capita than any other diocese in Ohio there are 372 Catholics per priest in the diocese, the letter claimed, while there are more than 1,000 Catholics per priest in each of Ohios other dioceses. Now we have less than 30,000, he said. "Three years later, it will be fascinating to find out how things have changed, for better and for worse, and, hence, to know what more we need to do better or need to do differently," explains Lisa. Presbyteral Ordination Schedule 2021 - Mosaic Public reaction to the merger plan has been mixed. Archbishop Gomez has not yet responded to a request for comment on the Oct. 28 letter from the Steubenville priests. Sitemap Diocese of Steubenville Curriculum Survey 2018 - SurveyMonkey The diocese hugs the Ohio River for almost 300 miles, and covers 5,913 square miles of Appalachian Ohio. St. Peter's Cathedral - Marquette, MI Outreach Mass, 2023 Diocese of Lansing: 228 N. Walnut St | Lansing, MI 48933 | 517-342-2440, Watch: On the Road to Emmaus w/ Bishop Boyea | Week 4, Watch: On the Road to Emmaus w/ Bishop Boyea | Week 3, Reminder: Starting Tomorrow | New Deans Novena, Read: The Feast of Saints Peter & Paul | Jacob's Journey, Read: Truth & Love | Introducing Courage and EnCourage, Read: Raising up saintly scholars | Diocese of Lansing considers major new education fundraising campaign, Watch: On the Road to Emmaus w/ Bishop Boyea | Week 2, Read: Saints Thomas More & John Fisher and the struggle for religious freedom today, Read: What causes heaven to celebrate? The Diocese of Steubenville is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The Ohio bishops were unanimous that the situation in Steubenville couldnt continue much longer and referred the matter to the Congregation forBishops, Fernandes said in a statement to NBC4. About Us The Steubenville Register has a circulation of approximately 11,700. Diocese of Steubeville Survey A New Survey for the Diocese of Steubenville Please note: this is not the official survey from the diocese. All of these years weve been refused to talk about these situations, and then all of a sudden, now, its like this has to be done.. The Chancery offices, located at 422 Washington St., Steubenville, can be contacted at (740) 282-3631, Monday through . The parishes of the diocese first participated in the Disciple Maker Index in 2020. . STEUBENVILLE (OH)The Pillar [Washington DC]. St. Peter Catholic Church - Steubenville, OH. He said the bishop will "survey all the parishioners, get their thoughts, talk to the Ohio bishops 1) Which county do you live in? Contact In 2020, the diocese said it had seven seminarians. Until after the November meeting of the USCCB, it is useless to speculate or worry; rather, let us pray that the Lord shows us the path forward. Founded in continued response to Pope John Paul IIs call for a New Evangelization, the Catholic News Agency (CNA) has been, since 2004, one of the fastest growing Catholic news providers to the English speaking world. One Ohio bishop reportedly urged the Steubenville priests to pray and trust in the Holy Spirit during the process of the merger, but did not indicate any waver in his support for the proposal. Although the proposed merger has been under consideration for well over a year, Bishop Jeffrey Monforton undertook no consultation with the clergy or lay faithful of the diocese; a decision was simply announced to us.. The Pillarconfirmedthat while diocesan officials said that priest Henry Foxhoven began counseling during a brief 2017 suspension, he actually had one counseling session in September 2018, the month before he was arrested on sexual assault charges. Bishop Monforton announced the proposed merger on Oct. 10, 2022. Active priests in the Diocese of Steubenville. But there is not yet a formal decision on the prospect of merging dioceses. In the column, Monforton citedseveral demographic trendsthat were driving factors behind the decision to merge the two dioceses. He said theres no timeline for the decision to be made. It called for complete, authentic transparency with regard to the dioceses financial status, serious, attentive pastoral planning that will allow the numbers of parishes and priests to be stable and serve the needs of the people, and continued costs cutting and improving effectiveness at the chancery level.. And theyre still on sale today. Fourteen active priests out of 36 in the diocese signed an Oct. 18 letter to the five other diocesan bishops of Ohio, asking them to reexamine the numbers, and reconsider their support for the plan. Monfortons announcement comes about a week before the U.S. bishops conference planned to vote on the merger at its annual meeting in Baltimore. Clergy in the Diocese of Steubenville, Ohio, have asked USCCB officials to delay a consultative vote on the prospect of merging their diocese into the neighboring Diocese of Columbus. Following his column, more than 15 priests and two deacons penned a letter to the bishops of Ohio asking them to reconsider the merger. This proposed merger has been offered as a template for future diocesan mergers. Local News Oct 11, 2022 Linda Harris Special to The Times Monforton STEUBENVILLE The Diocese of Steubenville and the Diocese of Columbus are studying a merger, an official with the. Those priests say that new leadership would be enough to see vitality in the Steubenville diocese. Sign-Up e-news Monforton was named as the fifth bishop of Steubenville. Might Columbus Catholic diocese merge with Diocese of Steubenville? The new diocese included 13 counties along the Ohio River (Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Jefferson, Lawrence, Meigs, Morgan, Monroe, Noble, and Washington) that formerly belonged to the Diocese of Columbus. In 1990 we had 24,729 Catholics that went regularly to Sunday mass. School Phone Number: * 5. Monforton toldThe Pillarearlier this month that the merger is a reality, and the writings on the wall for the outcome of the process. When you close churches up, 20% of Catholics dont come back when they open back up. In 2019, 13,700 attended Mass. The process is underway but must go through several steps before it is finalized. In 2019 we had 13,702.
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