St. Maximilian Kolbe in Scarborough and St. Bartholomew’s in Cape Elizabeth will have to rely on a plan to share a priest a little earlier than expected. Since the June 1, Rev. Michael Henchal has been serving as pastor for both Catholic churches.

In April 2005, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland announced a large reorganization plan that would consolidate parishes into a number of “clusters.” Though no churches were being closed, the clustering of parishes was in response to an overall declining number of priests.

The reorganization is expected to be complete by 2010. Each cluster has a planning committee made up of both lay people and clergy. This group is responsible for submitting a recommended plan to the diocese on what the group feels is the best plan for its cluster.

For the cluster encompassing Scarborough, Cape Elizabeth and South Portland, a report was due this month. According to committee member and St. Bartholomew parishioner Michael Tranfaglia, the plan was just submitted this week, but before it could be reviewed, Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough found themselves sharing a priest.

While this change was not unexpected, it wasn’t supposed to happen until after the diocese made a decision on the committee’s plan. When Rev. Michael Gendreau left Holy Cross in Lewiston, St. Maximilian pastor Rev. James Morrison took his place, leaving Henchal to cover both Cape and Scarborough.

“This is actually a fun time,” said Tranfaglia. “With all these changes we’re in no immediate financial danger, things are just different.”

Those differences are mainly adjustments to the Mass schedule and the roles parishioners will fill.

“The way this will work is if everyone takes an active role,” said Henchal. “Church is about more than just receiving, it’s about giving.”

Every Catholic, said Henchal, has a call and responsibility to the church. The cluster plan and his recent appointment to Scarborough means that lay people will have to “assume their rightful place in the church,” he said.

Last weekend, parishioners of St. Maximilian started to step in and help. They organized a clean-up day to tidy the grounds. Henchal knew about it but was not involved, something he sees as an encouraging sign. He’s glad that people are already learning to take care of some things without completely relying on him.

“I just haven’t figured out how to be in two places at once,” he said.

“Father Henchal has been preparing us for a long time,” said religion teacher and member of St. Bartholomew’s Alicia Danielson. “He’s just so busy with the whole area. We’ve just learned to do it on our own.”

Though Danielson did say it was strange going to Mass at St. Maximilian for the first time, she’s looking forward to meeting new people in her now expanded religious community.

Kevin Freeman is used to getting involved at St. Maximilian. As a lector, he sometimes reads from the Gospels during the week. Still, the sudden change in priests was a little shocking.

“The committee has been good about keeping people informed,” he said. “Still, when it became real, it hit with a suddenness.”

“We all knew there would be changes,” he added. “But now we’re finding out what, exactly, those changes will be.”

Getting used to splitting the Masses between the two churches has been the hardest thing to get used to, said Freeman. Change, though, doesn’t necessarily mean hardship.

“It’s a change, but you are who you are. We’re all in the same community and we’ll adjust.”

Joanne Cutliffe has been active at St. Maximilian’s for quite some time. For nine years, she has filled in for the regular secretary whenever she’s needed. “People say ‘take ownership of your church.’ Well, I took that to heart,” Cutliffe said.

While she’s getting used to administration changes such as making sure donations from Cape parishioners who come to Scarborough actually get back to St. Bartholomew’s, she said that for the most part things are calm.

“I think that the attitude is good. I haven’t heard any grumbling,” she said.

Freeman echoes the positive attitude Cutliffe sees at St. Maximilian.

“It’s hard to adjust,” he said. “But in the end it will all come together.”

Rev. HenchalSt. Maximilian Kolbe in Scarborough will now share a priest with St. Bartholemwe’s of Old Orchard Beach under the Roman Catholic dioceses’ new clustering plan.