St. Leonard - St. Francis Transition Team

The protocols of Real Presence Real Future, requires parish leaders from both St. Leonard and St Francis to spend time together, studying the possibility of this recommendation of a merger, by looking at all facets of parish life, from liturgy to facilities, from music to ministries and everything in between for complete integration to one parish.

The Transition Team has been established with the sole purpose of exploring this recommendation. The role of this team is to deeply examine what a merger between the two parishes would look like. The team’s purpose is to be helpful and efficient, working together to honor both parishes, their parishioners, their ministries and their activities in order make a final recommendation to the Bishop on how best to move forward.

St Leonard Team- Cathy Perry, Dee Jones, Sonny Delmatto, Todd Baldosser, Don Riesbeck, and Nello Allori. St Francis Team- Maggie Wright, Shannon Walker, Joanne Breitmayer, Tina Burtch and Rocky Carr. Clergy- Fr. David Sizemore, Fr. Michael Gentry and Deacon Eric Wright. Diocesan Support- Robert Franz

There is no time frame officially set. This process will be done thoroughly, and it will take as long as needed. Some parish transitions have been able to be completed in 4- 6 months, where others have taken more than a full year.

The Diocese of Columbus embarked on an ongoing strategic initiative called Real Presence Real Future (RPRF) to determine how to better align the available resources with our current needs. The need to do this was brought on by dwindling Mass attendance and reception of sacraments along with a priest shortage. Bottom line is that there just aren’t enough resources to go around and we need to move things around so as to better serve the faithful for years and years to come.

In the first 3 rounds of RPRF, exploration of joining St. Leonard (STL) with one of the other Licking County parishes and being suppressed as a parish was explored. Bishop Fernandes ultimately rejected those recommendations and allowed STL to continue operating in its existing model as sister parish to OLMC as two churches with a shared pastor all the while knowing that future exploration may need to be pursued.

Unfortunately, that time came sooner than expected and so we are being asked once again to explore one of the previously recommendations. The most viable recommendation at this time to explore is whether that the two communities of STL and St. Francis can be joined into a single faith community. 

Please see the original RPRF results as published by the diocese here. 

To revitalize and refocus our mission as Catholic Christians across our diocese, by helping re-evangelize all our parishes and schools, engaging each baptized Catholic to become missionary disciples and disciple makers.

“Sister parishes” are created between two or more parishes under the administration of one pastor.  These parishes may share a variety of ministries but they remain canonically and financially separate.

OLMC met all the viability pillar standards (please see glossary of terms for details) and therefore is capable of being a stand-alone parish with its own pastor and staff.

The Administrator does whatever he can to shepherd the parish. For example, he completes administrative, sacramental, ministerial and pastoral care for a parish placed under is care. This is intended for a limited time period, or in this case, until the work of RPRF is completed.

Fr. Dave’s primary focus is pastorally caring for the people of St. Leonard. Due to the parish’s current financial situation, it cannot afford to employ the necessary faith formation staff and programming for children and adults, such as OCIA, PSR, baptismal prep., prep. for 1st reconciliation, 1st holy communion, confirmation, funeral prep., etc.  Fr. Dave will work to ensure that all religious education and faith formation is available to any and all St. Leonard parishioners.

Peggy Pound will be stepping in as the new office manager and all other vacancies will be filled by St. Leonard volunteers or, if budget allows, additional personnel may be hired. Please let us know if you know of any persons who might want to support the church with their time and talent.

In the experience of RPRP & dioceses across the US, this practice would keep the parishes from being united and would likely create a continued division. A rich bonding can only be experienced fully through shared worship.