March 5, 2010
The diocesan strategic planning process: An update of progress in real time
The following report from Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger, dated March 5, 2010, is directed to all the members of the Diocese of Evansville.
On July 17, 2009 you had the opportunity to read my letter to you about initiating a strategic planning process whose mission is to RE-ENERGIZE PARISH LIFE.
In that communication, I laid out a schedule for carrying out the process. Indeed, process is the key word! Happily we are keeping to that time line. Here now is a report on the progress.
Two matters of note
The only limitations I placed on the process were two: those matters out of the control of the bishop and the invitation to extern priests. It would not be at all useful, for example, to propose solving the priest shortage by ordaining women; that is not within the control of this or any other diocesan bishop. In regard to extern priests — filling slots in our diocese with foreign-born priests, for example — I would make a possible exception in order to have a Spanish speaking priest from another country serve our diocese on a limited contract.
We gathered ideas and sentiments
Over 40 of our faithful, your brothers and sisters from across the diocese, voluntarily and most generously spent untold hours in both interviewing and writing the reports of their interviews and sharing their findings in lengthy meetings. They are indeed us, the faithful of the Catholic Diocese of Evansville.
In addition, upwards of a thousand faithful of our diocese have been actively engaged, hopefully representing your personal and collective sentiments and suggestions.
Thousands of ideas surfaced from the interviews, focus groups and Internet access participation. From them were harvested the most common and most urgent issues.
Concerns were heard and continue to shape the process
The most difficult issue confronting me, your bishop, is how I am to express to those of you who were interviewed that your input is not seemingly recognizable in the strategic issues established by the discernment and planning teams.
Allow me to identify one seemingly over-arching insistence: “Don’t close our parish!” “There should be a priest and a deacon in every parish.”
Measure those “requirements” against the reality that we have less than 50 active priests to serve as pastors in our 69 parishes. The math is simple. I, as the bishop, cannot fulfill that expectation.
Vocations grow in the family setting
Families alone can remedy that reality by promoting the priesthood around the dining room table. We must not look to parents of children of foreign countries to provide priests for us. We are not a missionary diocese.
The bishops and the director of vocations enter the scene only after a young person expresses an interest. I applaud the families and young men who are stepping forward in our time. I am so very proud of both the families and their sons.
Strategic issues identified, give direction
The reader must recognize that the following strategic issues must be seen as directional. They are not decisions on my part. They represent the very hard work of making recommendations to me for my ultimate decisions. My decisions will only follow the conclusion of this process.
- Provide quality, affordable, prioritized and available Catholic schooling
- Define and align roles and responsibilities for priests, deacons and laity
- Improve liturgical practices across the diocese
- Increase vocations to priesthood, diaconate and religious life
- Evangelize! Attract and retain members, including the Latino population
- Address disillusionment among youth and teens.
Fulfillment will take time
The fulfillment of these priorities will take time.
Those involved in the planning process anticipate that some aspects of our plan for the future will be acted on in the short term and should provide visible results in the short term.
At the same time, we face some difficult issues, like vocations. We may begin work on these issues in the short term, but the results of these efforts may not be immediately visible.
What must be understood is that CHANGE is inevitable. It has its costs. Some of these issues demand a change of personal attitude, informed with data; others demand an increase of financial support. The latter reality leads to the question: “How can we afford this?” The short answer is that: “I don’t know.”
What lies ahead: Work and prayer
We, the faithful of the Catholic Diocese — you, my brothers and sisters — have an enormous amount of work ahead of us if we are to re-energize our parishes. In the process we must also find a way to reassure our priests, already struggling with overwork, that all the change does not fall on their backs.
Be assured that I will not shrink from necessary decisions nor will I avoid them.
We must continue to pray for the continued guidance of the Holy Spirit and the intercession of Servant of God Bishop Simon Bruté, the first bishop of our diocese.
Next week: Continuation of the progress of the strategic planning process.