From April 11, 2021 Bulletin:

Possible Parish Names

     The Final Five suggested parish names were submitted to Bishop Zubik during Holy Week. In order of preference -- based on your suggestions and rationale, and discussion amongst Finance and Pastoral Council members of our parishes -- the names are as follows:

1.  All Saints
2. Good Shepherd
3. Christ the King
4. Mary, Queen of All Nations
5. Blessed Sacrament

     Bishop Zubik will prayerfully discern which of these five names he deems most applicable to our Catholic community in Butler, and inform us of his decision by the end of May.

     Please keep in mind that there are other parish groupings scheduled to merge in July that might have submitted one or two of the aforementioned names that we submitted.

     We thank everyone who participated in the naming process.  It was evident that the suggestions were made prayerfully and with great excitement and hope for our future!

     I pray for you daily.

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Kevin C. Fazio

From February 28, 2021 Bulletin:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

     As we continue to adapt to and evaluate new ways of doing almost everything, I ask God to keep your hope strong so that we can be open to new opportunities and possibilities for the future. Please take a moment to consider the following information as we move closer to our July 2021 merger:

Vision for the New Parish

     As I mentioned during the Virtual Parish Assembly presentation, all that we do and all that we are really boils down to what Jesus offered when he was asked which commandment was the greatest. 

     "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment.
    “The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
    “The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Gospel of Matthew)

     Focusing on these commandments that are rooted in love, we are a Catholic family united by Jesus in the Eucharist. Guided by the Holy Spirit, we love and serve God in how we live and in who we are as sisters and brothers in Christ.

Virtual Parish Assembly Viewing and Feedback

     Our Virtual Parish Assembly presentation held on February 10  includes up-to-date information regarding the merger process. You can view it by clicking here.  If you have questions about it, please contact Cindy Cusic Micco, Director of Communications, at 724-482-2690 x 225. 

Feedback Regarding the New Parish Name

     We are moving into the final phase of selecting a name for the new parish and we need your feedback! As revealed during the Virtual Parish Assembly and in subsequent bulletins, Bishop Zubik discerned the 20 names that we originally submitted to him as possibilities, and replied to us with a list of eight names that we now need to pare down to the Final Five.

     Please prayerfully consider which THREE of the following names would be your top choices for the name of our newly merged parish:

All Saints
Blessed Sacrament
Christ the King
Good Shepherd
Mary, Queen of All Nations
St. Francis Xavier
St. Thomas Aquinas
Transfiguration

     It is extremely important to list your reason(s) for your choices. Please consider the broader context of the name, and how it will be a strong, vibrant indicator of what the parish is now and what this faith community desires to become in the future. 

     The deadline to submit feedback is March 15. You can provide feedback in the following ways:

      1. Fill out the form (click here for form) and mail it to Ms. Cindy Micco, 125 Buttercup Road, Butler, PA 16001. If you don’t have enough room on the form, feel free to attach additional paper(s).

     2.Submit your feedback electronically at ButlerAreaCatholicParishes.org/Merger.

     3.Email your top three choices and reasons to ButlerAreaCatholicParishes@gmail.com.

     Once this information is gathered, the Pastoral and Finance Councils and clergy team will study the feedback to discern the Final Five names to submit to Bishop Zubik.

     The bishop will make the final decision about the new parish name as he weighs the submissions from all of the parish groupings scheduled to merge in July, and also takes into consideration the names of the groupings that have already merged.  

Contact Information Updates

     Please help us to stay in touch with you throughout the remainder of the merger process. If you have not yet provided us with your email address, please send it to ButlerAreaCatholicParishes@gmail.com.

     If you do not have internet access and would like to be kept informed of the merger process, please do so via our bulletin.

     We have so many opportunities in our lives to participate in the life of the Trinity.  Now we have the opportunity to reinvigorate and excitedly spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Butler area faithful in ways that will be new and improved, and effective like never before, pulling together and pooling our gifts and talents for the Greater Glory of God!  

     Thank you for your participation.   Stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Rev. Kevin C. Fazio

October 15, 2020
 
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
 
On October 15, 2018, our parish grouping – Butler Area Catholic Parishes – was established with the hope that our five parishes would build relationships with each other, share resources, join together certain ministries, and work toward the official merger and creation of a new parish. 

I am very grateful for the many ways you have dedicated yourselves to this important work.

When we initiated the journey together, none of us could have imagined the ways in which the
COVID-19 pandemic would affect every aspect of our lives. These times are certainly challenging for all of us. We have learned to adapt to different ways of doing just about everything – including communal worship of God and serving you in our various ministries.

As we enter this final phase toward completing the merger process in July 2021, our time will be marked by two significant activities:  

1. Submitting recommendations for our new parish name.
2. Participating in a Virtual Parish Assembly  (Information regarding the Virtual Parish Assembly will be  provided in a later communication).
 
During the past two years, we have come together in ways that were planned and worked out quite well – like our 2019 parish picnic; and other ways quite unplanned – like livestreaming Masses with no one in the pews during the pandemic!  

Now we have the opportunity to reinvigorate and excitedly spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the faithful of the Butler area as we continue to pull together and pool our gifts and talents for the Greater Glory of God! 
 

 Summary of the Process for Naming the New Parish

A parish is a geographic territory composed of people.
A church is a sacred building designated for the gathering of people to worship God.

All five of our church buildings will come under the umbrella of the yet-to-be-named parish,
but will retain their consecrated names – St. Andrew, St. Conrad, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Paul, and St. Peter.

To submit a name for the new parish, you will need to send us:
1. The name.
2. Your rationale for proposing the name. Please consider the broader context of the name, and how it will be a strong, vibrant indicator of who the parish is now and who this faith community desires to become in the future.
3. The name of the person submitting the suggestion (your name).
 
You may submit your suggestions electronically by clicking on this Survey Monkey link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Gr443SubmitPreliminaryName 

Submitting the suggestion electronically helps cut down on the amount of staff time needed to compile a list of all of the suggestions. You may also fill out a paper form (click here for a PDF of the form) and mail it to Ms. Cindy Micco, 125 Buttercup Road, Butler, PA 16001. 

The deadline for submitting name suggestions is November 6.

Once we compile a list of all of the names and rationale submitted, our advisory councils will assist in reviewing and discerning the submissions according to criteria provided by the diocese. This criteria is listed on our Survey Monkey link. After the councils and clergy team complete the review, 20 names will be submitted to Bishop Zubik for his initial consideration.

He will review, discern and respond to us with a list of fewer than 20 names as he takes into consideration other names throughout the diocese and the name’s applicability to Butler. You will have one more opportunity to offer your feedback on the list that the bishop returns to us at a Virtual Parish Assembly, which will be held in early 2021. The councils and clergy will review that feedback as they discern a final list of 5 names to send to the bishop.

The final decision on a name rests with Bishop Zubik.

A timeline for the merger process is available by clicking on our Timeline for Merger page.

Please help us to stay in touch with you throughout the remainder of the merger process by providing your most up-to-date information via our Stay Connected page.

If you do not have Internet access and would like to be kept informed of the merger process, please do so via our bulletin or by calling Communications Director Cindy Cusic Micco in our Meridian office (724-482-2690 ext. 225).

Thank you for your participation.
 
Sincerely, 
Rev. Kevin C. Fazio
Administrator
Butler Area Catholic Parishes