NORWICH – After spending eight months on a road less traveled, members of St. Bartholomew’s and St. Paul’s Churches will now move ahead with an official guide – having some idea of what their future holds.

A final version of the Pastoral Plan – which promotes the necessity of both churches in Norwich, and outlines their future financial, operational and spiritual structures – was accepted without dissent Wednesday night by the joint-parish council, and will be sent to the Diocese of Syracuse for approval early next week.

In the meantime, officials and parishioners believe that just sitting back and waiting for Bishop James J. Moynihan’s decision will not be the only answer to their recent problems.

“I hope we can have the close relationship everyone had before, and slowly come back together,” said Father Douglas Cunningham, the pastor for St. Bart’s and St. Paul’s. “It doesn’t help either church having the anger and animosity that’s been out there. We need to come back together under Jesus Christ.”

In March it was announced that one of the churches would close under a policy of “one priest, one roof.” Cunningham has been heading both churches for six years, and for most of that period they were referred to under one name as “The Church of the Holy Apostles.” However, in the letter sent by the Bishop explaining the move, it appeared the closure was prematurely and arbitrarily directed at St. Bart’s, causing some consternation among that church’s congregation. Since March, the Committee to Save St. Bart’s and officials from both churches have been working and lobbying to save the church – although not always together.

“I’m glad that both churches will stay open,” said St. Bart’s parishioner Theresa Biviano. “I think we can work together. We made a little progress.”

The plan calls for both churches to remain open to meet logistical demands, citing specific examples of economic prosperity, and a growing “Roman Catholic Community.” It points out that there are over 1,000 registered Catholic families between both parishes, that’s combined with an overall Catholic population growth of 26.5 percent in the area from 1990 to 2000.