Eaton / Ingham Vicariate Parish Configurations
There were 28 priests serving 21 faith communities in 2007. This region has the most priests past retirement age and the greatest number of faith communities exceeding 2,000 or more households per parish. During the last eight years, the overall Mass attendance within the parishes of Clinton, Eaton, Ingham and Shiawassee counties has fallen by 2.3%, 7.4%, 8.3% and 32.3% respectively.

Worship sites:
St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing
St. Gerard Church, Lansing
Cristo Rey Church, Lansing
St. Andrew Dung Lac Church, Lansing
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Lansing
Holy Cross Church, Lansing
St. Casmir Church, Lansing
Church of the Resurrection, Lansing
St. Therese Church, Lansing
St. Thomas Aquinas Church, East Lansing
St. John Student Parish, East Lansing
St. Mary Church, Charlotte
St. Michael Church, Grand Ledge
St. Peter Church, Eaton Rapids
St. Martha Church, Okemos
St. Mary Church, Williamston
St. Jude Church, DeWitt
St. James Church, Mason
St. Cornelius and Cyprian Church, Leslie
St. Ann Church, Bellevue (a mission parish)

• Immaculate Heart of Mary, Lansing, will have one priest when the current parochial vicar is re-assigned. (completed 7/1/09)

• St. Peter, Eaton Rapids and St. Mary, Charlotte - each served by one priest - will provide Sunday evening Mass during the school year at Olivet College. The pastors of these two parishes will be responsible for assessing and addressing the campus ministry needs at Olivet College, with assistance from the diocesan liaison to campus ministry. This is effective with the promulgation of this plan. - Update: For health reasons, Saint Peter, Eaton Rapids, is no longer involved in this ministry. Saint Mary, Charlotte, has offered a Sunday evening liturgy at Olivet with no students or maybe 1 student attending. Re-evaluation is underway.

• St. Mary, Charlotte, will be served by one priest and have responsibility for the mission of St. Ann, Bellevue (formerly the quasi-parish of St. Ann) with the promulgation of this plan. - Update: somewhat completed.

• Saints Cornelius and Cyprian, Leslie, will cluster with St. James, Mason, if and when necessary. The pastor of St. James will be the canonical pastor. Update: the parish has realigned with the Lansing Vicariate.

• When the Franciscan priests are no longer able to staff Holy Cross, Lansing, the parish status will be reassessed to determine if it will be maintained as a chapel.  At that time, the parish may merge with St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing, which is served by two priests. (Completed 6/21/09)

• St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John Student Parish, both in East Lansing, will develop a plan outlining a co-operative relationship, moving toward a single Catholic community, yet keeping both sites. The plan will be completed by July 1, 2009 and submitted to the bishop for approval. (completed 7/1/09)
           
 All other parishes within the vicariate will remain individual parishes served by one priest (exceptions noted). These include: 
• St. Gerard, Lansing (two priests)
• St. Michael, Grand Ledge
• Cristo Rey, Lansing (personal parish)
• St. Andrew Dung Lac, Lansing (personal parish)
• St. Casimir, Lansing
• St. Jude, DeWitt
• Resurrection, Lansing (hospital chaplain in residence) - Update: at the decision of the Vicar of the Lansing Vicariate and the pastor of IHM, the pastor of IHM continues to serve Ingham Regional Medical Center
• St. Mary Cathedral, Lansing (two priests)
• St. Therese,  Lansing
• St. Martha,  Okemos
• St. Mary,  Williamston

Parish, Region and Ministry Improvements
The worship sites and ministries within these counties will make the following improvements as set forth by the bishop:

• Review weekend Mass schedules. Each parish weekend Mass will be at 50 percent or more of church capacity and each priest will celebrate a maximum of three weekend Masses.

• Plan for ministry to all adult foster care facilities in the region.

• Young adult ministry and campus ministry will become region-wide ministries.

• Religious education will be offered in each parish. If families choose to attend formation in another parish, they will not be asked to leave their parish to have their formation needs met.

• Youth ministry will be available in every parish, whether individually or in collaboration with other parishes.

• Each parish will expand on the regional efforts of Welcome Home Sunday and similar evangelization efforts and programs to welcome alienated Catholics.

• A coordinated direction to evangelize and serve the needs of the Lansing urban population will be developed and maintained.

• Parish pastoral councils, parish finance councils and commissions will hold regular meetings to share insights, approaches to ministry and learn from each other.

• Lansing and the surrounding area, under the leadership of the vicar, will come together to determine a structure to accomplish all of the above.

 The following are improvements that will be made at the diocesan level to accommodate the needs of this region:
• Restorative Justice Ministry will identify all jails, prisons and juvenile centers. This office will also assess services provided and identify future needs.

• Training in collaboration will be offered to priests, deacons, lay ministers and parishioners.

• A transition plan will be developed to support employees affected by the changes. This plan will demonstrate a caring church and the spirit of the Gospel.