Friends – I want to write to you about an important moment in the life of our two parishes.

 In October of 2022, Father Blaney and I brought the issue of a possible merger between Saint Margaret Mary and Saint Denis Parishes to the Parish Council (which is made up of parishioners from both parishes).  This was done on the advice of the two Parish Finance Councils.  At that time, the Parish Council recommended that we table the idea for a time, as they judged that the parishes were not yet ready. 

 Last night, almost a year later, at the Parish Council meeting, we considered the idea again, and the Council recommended, unanimously, that this is the moment to begin a consultation of the two parishes on the issue of a possible merger.

 On Monday of this coming week, which is September 25, at 7:00PM, in Saint Denis Church, we will have an open meeting of the two parishes.  At that meeting we will  discuss in detail what a merger would look like and will answer any questions that you have.

 I want to begin by stressing an important point.  What we are considering is a merger of the legal and canonical entities of Saint Denis and Saint Margaret Mary Parishes.  We are not talking about closing either church, or either rectory, or selling property, or anything like that.  That is not what a merger is.

 I think I can make this most clear by describing the way the parishes were in, say, 2018, and then describing the way the parishes are now, and then describing the way the parishes would be if the two parishes merged.

 Let me start by making a distinction between a Parish and a Church.  A parish is an entity, under both civil law and church law.  A church is a building sanctified for divine worship.  Right now we have two parishes and two churches – Saint Margaret Mary Parish has Saint Margaret Mary Church and Saint Denis Parish has Saint Denis Church.
 
 Back in 2018, Saint Denis Parish had a pastor – Father Burke.  Saint Margaret Mary Parish also had a pastor – Father Cullen.  Each parish had a staff.  Each parish had a church.  Each parish had a bank account.  Each parish had a parish council, and a parish finance council.  Each parish ran a religious education program, and had Masses and other sacraments.  The two parishes seldom did anything together.

 In August of 2021, the two parishes became a Collaborative, which is what we are today.  One team of pastors, Father Blaney and myself, served both parishes.  We combined the parish staffs, and each parish paid a portion of the salaries of that staff.  When Father Bill was assigned with us, he was assigned to both parishes.  The priests lived in two rectories, and the parishes started doing many things together.  Eventually we combined the religious education programs.  We combined the parish councils, but each parish had its own parish finance council (although we usually met with both councils at the same time).  Each parish had its own bank account – Saint Denis at Rockland Trust, and Saint Margaret Mary at Needham Bank.  All of the accounting was kept separate.  If you put money in the collection at Saint Denis, it went into Saint Denis’ bank account (unless it was in a Saint Margaret Mary envelope).  If you put money in the Saint Margaret Mary collection, it went into the Saint Margaret Mary bank account (unless it was in a Saint Denis envelope).  Each parish had its own Federal Employer ID Number.  Each parish paid its own expenses for building insurance and maintenance and snow removal and landscaping. We maintained the identity of two separate parishes, but other than financially, many things began mixing.  Many people started going to the Mass that was most convenient to them rather than just the Mass at their parish – this was especially true of the 8:00AM Sunday Mass at Saint Denis and the 5:00PM Sunday Mass at Saint Margaret Mary.

 So how would a merged parish look different from this?  If the two parishes were to merge, we would become one entity, under both civil law and Church law.  Rather than being two Parishes with two churches, we would become one Parish with two churches. We would continue to have one pastor and one staff.  We would continue to have two churches and two rectories, and we would continue to use both churches and both rectories.  The merged parish would have  a new name – probably a Saint’s name – but each church building would keep its name.  You would continue to go to church at Saint Margaret Mary Church or Saint Denis Church, but you would be a part of, say, Saint Dominic Parish (if we chose the name Saint Dominic as our new parish name).  There would be one common bank account, one common set of books, one annual collection, one finance council.  Since our staffs are already combined, I do not foresee any staff reduction associated with a merger.

 Why would we do such a thing?  I would suggest three reasons, in order of increasing importance.

 First, and least important, it will be far easier to administer.  Many hours each week are spent tracking the finances of the two parishes separately.  We have a relatively small staff, and we can’t afford to do lots of extra work.

 Second, we would be stronger financially.  We could begin thinking of ourselves with our combined resources as one entity.  Our finances would be combined, and together we would be a strong parish, with an annual offertory well in excess of half a million dollars, and a very strong grand annual collection.

 Third, and most importantly in my opinion, in an age when disunity and division reign in an increasingly fractured society, we would be a prophetic sign of unity and concord. Our different histories need not divide us.  We are stronger as one people.

 All of this being said, no decision has been made.  This is the beginning of a consultation, and the process of consultation will take at least four months on its various levels.

 Let me stress again – if the parishes merge, we will still have two churches – one called Saint Denis and one called Saint Margaret Mary.  We will still have two rectories, and we will continue to use both.  We will still have two pieces of property, and we are not looking to downsize in any way. 

 Please come to the open meeting on this Monday, September 25, at 7:00PM, at Saint Denis Church, and ask your questions, and let me know what you think.

 Note:  This message is sent by email and put into the Parish bulletin, both in print and online, at the same time.

 Thank you, and God bless you.  

 Father Paul Soper