Archdiocese

Don Guanella Village, a longtime residence in Marple Township for developmentally disabled men, may close in 2015, and its clients may be moved to new community-based housing, an official with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia said. The proposed changes were prompted by the concerns of state and archdiocesan program staff going back over a year that the facility was not in line with "best practices" of caring for the intellectually disabled in a less-institutional setting, according to James Amato, deputy secretary for the archdiocesan office of Catholic Social Services.

Six Roman Catholic parishes in West Philadelphia will become three by the end of the month under a plan the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced Sunday. The mergers, which will involve new pastoral appointments, are part of a broader restructuring by the financially strapped archdiocese as it struggles with declining attendance at city churches, demographic shifts, and a diminishing supply of priests. At three of the churches involved - St. Callistus, Our Mother of Sorrows, and St. Ignatius of Loyola - Mass attendance dropped between 2007 and 2011, along with marriages and baptisms.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput has approved the mergers of six parishes in West Philadelphia, the Archdiocese announced Sunday. The mergers are the latest in a series of cost-cutting measures undertaken by the Archdiocese as it wrestles with declining membership in the city and a persistent shortage of clergy. The Archdiocese said the following parishes are affected: St. Callistus (Overbrook/Morris Park) and Our Lady of Lourdes (Overbrook/Morris Park) will merge at Our Lady Lourdes and keep its name.

Lining up for the last play of the season - and probably her career with her Catholic Youth Organization football team - 11-year-old Caroline Pla "gave it everything I had" and sacked the quarterback. It was just like the final scene of Rudy , the inspirational movie about Notre Dame - Pla's favorite team - except that Rudy Ruettiger was a practice-squad player; Pla is an all-star. "Without a doubt, she was the most inspirational player on the team," her former Romans coach Jim Reichwein said Wednesday.

Sister Dennis Michael Taltys, 90, a teacher in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for almost two decades, died at Assisi House in Aston on Friday, Dec. 7, of cardiopulmonary collapse. Sister Dennis Michael was named for a Parisian saint and an archangel. She chose not to revert to her baptismal name, Anna Bernadine, in the late 1960s when Catholic nuns were given that option. She was a member of the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia for 63 years. Born in Baltimore, Sister Dennis Michael professed her first vows there in 1949.

Richard McCarron, who began his 46-year education career with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia teaching English at a high school in Frankford and rose to the top lay position in the Office of Catholic Education, will retire Feb. 1, the archdiocese announced Monday. McCarron, who spent 25 years as superintendent or secretary for Catholic education, said in a statement, "It is time for me to step down so that new leadership can guide and direct the mission of Catholic education. " In an interview Monday, he said he had been mulling retirement for some time.

THE HEAD of Catholic education for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Richard McCarron, will retire Feb. 1, the Archdiocese has announced. McCarron, who was with the Archdiocese in educational capacities for 25 years, will remain as a consultant to the education office. "It is time for me to step down so that new leadership can guide and direct the mission of Catholic education," McCarron said. He added that he has "the utmost confidence" that the Office of Catholic Education and the Faith in the Future foundation, which manages 17 Catholic schools and four special-education schools in the Archdiocese, could set a vision "that will enable our schools to grow and flourish in the years ahead.

Richard McCarron, who has been one of the top academic leaders in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for 25 years, will retire Feb. 1, the archdiocese announced today. As secretary for Catholic education for the archdiocese, McCarron has been the top administrator for Catholic elementary schools, high schools and special education schools throughout the five-county region. "Dr. McCarron has had a profound influence on Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for more than a quarter of a century and his leadership has been defined by an abiding commitment to our students, families, administrators and teachers," said Bishop Michael J. Fitzgerald, who oversees Catholic education in the archdiocese.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia and the Faith in the Future Foundation are teaming up to spread the word about the benefits of Catholic high schools. The independent foundation and the archdiocese's Office of Catholic Education are rolling out a marketing campaign this week that uses online ads, radio spots, and an upgraded website with a video to encourage families to consider sending their children to one of the 17 Catholic high schools in the region. Called "Choose My Future," the five-week initiative is aimed at increasing awareness of the Catholic high schools and boosting enrollment.

Archbishop Charles J. Chaput is encouraging Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to join in the post-Sandy relief efforts with a special collection the weekend of Nov. 24-25. Funds from the Archdiocese's 257 parishes will go to the Catholic Social Services' Sandy-related relief efforts, according to a press release. "It is hoped that, as people take the opportunity to express gratitude for the blessings present in their lives," the release reads, "they will be as generous as possible to those who are still lacking basic necessities and common comforts.