St. Stephen's pastor appointed to Archdiocesan advisory group

WARWICK — Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York, has recently appointed Rev. Michael McLoughlin, pastor of St. Stephen the First Martyr Church, to serve on the Archdiocesan Advisory Group for "Making All Things New."

This is a pastoral planning initiative of the Archdiocese of New York which seeks to address how the archdiocese can best meet the religious, spiritual, and pastoral needs of the people now and into the future. The group is made up of 40 members, who are respected clergy, religious and lay leaders from diverse backgrounds and geographic areas within the Archdiocese.

People with experience in Catholic schools, catechetical programs, liturgy and human concerns are also represented in the group.

Members, for example, will make recommendations to the cardinal after reviewing criteria for assessing parish viability concerning mission, demographics and stewardship; studying available data about parishes; reviewing suggestions from Parish Core Teams, made up of the pastor and four parishioners, and cluster Core Teams along with the Pastoral Planning Working Group.

McLoughlin will continue to serve on the Catholic Identity Committee of the Regional Board for Catholic Schools in Orange, Sullivan and Ulster Counties, as well as on the Board for Catholic Charities Community Services of Orange County.

In a recent pastoral letter, Dolan wrote, ". . . the Church in New York has always adapted to changing situations, while at the same time proclaiming the fullness of the Gospel message and the dignity of each and every human person. There has been a constancy in mission and service that has inspired millions and renewed the Church for the better time after time."