June 11, 2010
The Bishop's Forum
My summer schedule and strategic planning
by Bishop Gerald A. Gettelfinger
My summer schedule will take me out of the diocese for considerable periods of time over the next several months. However, I will be in touch regularly with my vicar general, Monsignor Kenneth R. Knapp. He is immediately in charge of emergencies in my absence.
In addition, though I will be away, the work of the Catholic Center will continue under the direction of Tim McGuire, our chief operating officer. He and I will be in regular contact via email and phone to assure that there is no delay in matters requiring my attention. He, as Monsignor Knapp, has direct access to me at any moment on any day.
What will I be doing, you may ask or even question my absence? Fair questions!
- June 14-19: Annual Spring Meeting of the Bishops of the United States
- June 21-22: Installation of Bishop Paprocki of Springfield, Ill.
- June 26-July 24: Chaplaincy at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico
- August 1: Closing Mass of the National Scout Jamboree in AP Hill Military base in Virginia
Continuation of our strategic planning process
The work continues to go on in the background much like you experience in your work with computers. It has not stopped, nor will it, until it is complete. Even though the work of our paid consultors has ended, they have provided for us what I had asked of them: a process, not a product. They have lateraled the work to us as intended. Now it is up to us to use this process to do the hard work of developing our own plans in regard to our parishes and institutions.
I have asked Paul Leingang, the Director of Communications and editor of the Message to reprint the May 14 article, “‘Emerging implementation plan’ testing recipes for the diocese,” for the all families edition in July. However, it is incumbent on each of you to keep in touch with the progress of our strategic plan via the online edition of the Message at www.themessageonline.org.
Upon re-reading that issue, I urge any and all of you to register your concerns and/or questions about the directions clearly suggested or implied in that document. If we are to re-energize our diocese, I need your help and suggestions.
Meanwhile, there are critical efforts affecting the ultimate planning throughout this summer. Those include small committees which willΩ formulate critical assessment documents relating to the viability of parishes and schools within our diocese.
Every parish and school will be required to complete those objective documents to provide data for me as I will ultimately make decisions about the future of parishes and schools.
My decisions will be made with the counsel of the Diocesan Consultors. They will have the benefit of advice from the Priests’ Council, the Diocesan Finance Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council. No parish or school will be exempt from completing this process.
These documents will be published so that all will know the criteria relating to their respective parish or school.
In addition, we will be preparing for the promised “Town Hall” meetings throughout the diocese. This time, however, the “crunch points” of pending decisions will be presented: Will there be parish closings? Will there be school closings?
In closing, I remind you that it is incumbent on each of you to keep in touch with the progress of our strategic plan via www.themessageonline.org.
I am also asking all of our priests to include in the prayers of the faithful our diocesan prayer for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in our efforts.
Please incorporate in your family prayers:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
V. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created.
R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray!
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.