NORTH ADAMS - The Diocese of Western Massachusetts is reaching out to parishioners over the coming months to help it decide how to best use its resources.
The so-called listening sessions will take place on Saturdays in the diocese's 10 regions under the auspices of the Pastoral Planning Committee.
Diocese spokesman Mark E. Dupont said not all the dates have been set for the sessions but the diocese wanted to get the word out to parishioners.
"We had a compelling interest to get this out now in hopes people will hear about it and come forward [to participate]," he said on Thursday.
According to a press release, these will be important opportunities for parish communities, meeting together regionally, to have input into plans to help the diocese reconfigure its resources to meet the future needs of the Catholic population in the four western counties of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire.
Attendance will be limited to delegations chosen by parishes and the planning committee. Dupont said the idea is to create an atmosphere at the sessions that will allow frank and open discussions.
That means neither media nor diocesan officials will be allowed to attend, he said.
The sessions are being built around the 74-page Mullin Report that was released last March. The report was an analysis of the parishes in terms of declining and shifting populations, a decrease in the number of priests available and the costs of maintaining parish properties. It also provided recommendations, which have been under review by the diocesan planning committee.
For example, the report found the North Adams Region is "characterized by a high level of linkage among parishes and by the rural, sparsely populated section of Western Massachusetts its parishes serve. ... In general, financial indicators suggest that parishes in this region are not in financial difficulty." Among its recommendations were merging St. Francis' and St. Anthony's parishes to improve their financial status.
The planning committee has been reviewing the findings along with other data, meeting with priests throughout the diocese and preparing a strategy for these listening sessions. Depending on the number of parishes in each region, every parish will be allowed to send a specific number of participants. Parishes are being encouraged to send delegations comprised of people representing a cross section of the community who are also active within the parish.
"This is a critical part of the pastoral planning process," said Monsignor John J. Bonzagni, director of pastoral planning for the diocese, in a press release. "Until now, we have been focusing on data. This is the time for the committee to hear from our people about their thoughts and ideas concerning the reconfiguring of the resources of the diocese."
The Pastoral Planning committee has targeted Easter 2008 to have the listening sessions completed, but that will depend on the availability of parishioners over the winter months and weather related factors. The committee plans to provide recommendations to Springfield Bishop Timothy A. McDonnell on an ongoing basis as they work with each region and its parishes.
The overall goal of the pastoral planning process is to develop a plan that will ensure that parishes can function with 65 diocesan priests by 2010 and that all Catholics have equitable access to the Eucharist and sacraments.
"I think pastors will have a well-rounded choice of delegates," said Dupont. "But we want to parishioners who feel they want to be involved to know they can approach their local pastors."
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Friday Front Porch Feature: Luxury on Pontoosuc Lake
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Are you looking for a private estate right on the lake? Then this might be the home for you.
Our Friday Front Porch is a weekly feature spotlighting attractive homes for sale in Berkshire County. This week, we are showcasing 140 Hancock Road.
This house was built in 2015 and has eight bedrooms and seven bathrooms. It is 7,494 square feet on a little over an acre.
The house sits on Pontoosuc Lake and includes private lake access and a heated pool with an expansive deck.
The kitchen is equipped with Wolf and SubZero appliances and there is a full outdoor kitchen as well. The property has three additional separated living quarters, each with a kitchen and its own living room.
The house also includes a big garage for multiple cars or more. Included in the garage is your very own elevator that leads to the in-law apartment.
It is on the market for $3,900,000.
We spoke with listing agent Katie Soules and Jeff Astore from William Raveis
What do you think makes this property stand out in the current market?
What truly makes this property stand out is that you simply don't find this combination very often in the Berkshires. It's an extraordinary lakefront setting, incredible scale, and a lifestyle that's hard to replicate. You have the lake, the mountain views, the pool, the dock, amazing entertaining spaces, and the flexibility to accommodate family, friends, and guests. It feels less like simply owning a beautiful home and more like owning your own private Berkshire retreat.
What would you say to a buyer trying to imagine their life in this space?
I'd tell them to stop thinking of it as just a house and imagine what life here could actually feel like. Mornings on the lake, afternoons on the water or by the pool, evenings entertaining friends and family with the mountains as your backdrop. This is a place where everyday life can feel like a vacation and where you can create the kind of memories that stay with you for years.
How would you describe the feel or atmosphere of the home?
The home has a really special feel, elegant and impressive, but at the same time warm, relaxed, and incredibly inviting. There's a natural connection to the lake and the outdoors throughout the home, so it never feels like luxury for the sake of luxury. It feels like a place designed to be lived in, enjoyed, and shared with family, friends, and plenty of unforgettable moments.
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