In the Code of Canon Law, Bishops are given the authority to assemble parishes into smaller geographical groups. These groups of parishes within a diocese are called “deaneries” and put under the care of a “dean.”
The Brandywine Hundred Deanery consists of the following parishes:
St. Joseph’s on the Brandywine
Holy Rosary
St. Helena
Immaculate Heart of Mary
St. Mary Magdalen
Church of the Holy Child.
The Diocese of Wilmington has formally begun a pastoral planning process with the publication of Bishop Koenig’s Pastoral Letter to the Faithful of the Diocese of Wilmington: United in Christ.
This pastoral planning process will help the diocese to align people and resources to fulfill its mission and guide parishes to build the Kingdom of God in their communities.
Bishop Koenig has decided to engage this process from the bottom-up approach instead of the top-down approach. This process is currently taking place within the deaneries of the diocese. Each deanery has established a Deanery Leadership Team to create a pastoral plan for the deanery with 34 goals and action steps to implement these goals.
This process is currently in progress and to be completed by December of this year. The members of the team need to think outside the box, think regionally as opposed to parochially, and capable of communicating effectively with parishioners.
With these qualities in mind the Brandywine Hundred Deanery Leadership Team is:
Rev. James T. Kirk, Pastor of St. Mary Magdalen and Dean of the Brandywine Hundred Deanery,
Rev. Michael J. Carrier, KHS Pastor of The Church of the Holy Child,