February 19, 2010
The Bishop's Forum
Progress report on Strategic Planning: The Mega Theme of Identity
by Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger
Second of a series: Re-Energizing our diocese in the faith
Who are we? Oh, yes, we say we are Catholic but what does it mean?
The simple answer is that each of us is a brother or sister that Jesus adopted in baptism. This is a fact and is unchanging.
When coming together as Jesus’ family, we are the people of God — God’s adopted sons and daughters. This is a fact and is unchanging.
The family in the life of Jesus takes priority over all. It is the basic unit of all society. This is fact and is unchanging.
Yet, we know how difficult it is to maintain family identity with so many broken homes and single parents.
Geographically how does our membership in his family break out in our own time and space? This is less clear and more fluid.
In the Catholic Church, the smallest unit is that of the parish. In the old days, everyone seemed to identify themselves in the geography of their parish of origin: I am from St. Anthony. Everyone seemed to know that identity without question. Now it is less clear as many who name their parish do not live within the traditional geographical area that all seemed to know. That clarity of identity has been compromised.
The next level of identification is a group of parishes called a deanery. It, too, is an established geographical area. Yet, due to the ease of transportation, this clear identity begins to fade and loyalty minimized.
The feeling of belonging to a larger identity begins to diminish when there is mention made of “the diocese.” It is nothing more than a group of deaneries made of parish members made of families. It is clear that many folks have no feeling about belonging to a diocese or at least do not seem to understand what “the diocese” is. One’s personal identity within a diocese is certainly less clear.
The challenge in our planning process is to find ways that we can bring unity to such a seemingly disparate group of “understood identities.”
What will be the virtue that we will need to nurture and practice if we are to achieve a greater sense of unity? It seems that the driving force will need to be that great virtue of hope!
Without a greater sense of an identity of belonging to the family of Jesus, the more difficult is the challenge to celebrate who we really are. I firmly believe we are up to that challenge!
How do we achieve it?
Next week: The Mega Theme of Sacramental and Liturgical Life