CHRIST REIGNS!!!
+ST. JOSEPH CHURCH in SIOUX CITY during this time of loss of their worship space. May God continue to bless your community and your faith. May God's peace be with you.
+ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH in QUIMBY who closed their parish July 11. We open our hearts and arms in support and welcome!
+ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH in MAPLE RIVER who closed their parish October 4.
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at 419 Jones Street, Moville, IA 51039-0802 US - DIOCESE OF SIOUX CITY PASTORAL PLANNING
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DIOCESE OF SIOUX CITY PASTORAL PLANNING 18 October 2009 |
Bishop endorses 5-year plan [as appeared in The Globe, 1 October 2009]DIOCESE OF SIOUX CITY PASTORAL PLAN 2009 [JUNE]
Diocese of Sioux City Pastoral Plan 2009 [January]
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Nearly two years ago, upon a recommendation given me by the Diocesan Presbyteral Council, I established a special “task force” to examine our future as regards parishes and parish priests.
This task force, chaired by the diocesan Vicar General, Monsignor Mark Duchaine, and also including Monsignor Kenneth Seifried, Father William Schreiber and Father Armand Bertrand, set to work and, over the course of many months, began to develop both a context and a format by which the needs of both people and priests could be met.
After a great deal of consultation on virtually every level—diocesan, cluster, and parish—a concrete proposal took shape. And now, following a recommendation by the same Diocesan Presbyteral Council, I am prepared to submit to you the final results and to formally approve and endorse this “Five Year Plan” for parishes and priests of the Diocese of Sioux City.
In this edition of The Catholic Globe you will find the detailed plan for each parish within the six deaneries of the Diocese of Sioux City. Along with other information given in this same issue, you will be able to see how we expect to combine/reduce parishes, streamline operations, and utilize to the best of our ability our priestly manpower.
In point of fact, a good portion of the plan has already gone into effect with this past summer’s priestly assignments. In all other instances, it is anticipated that the entire plan will be effectuated by the summer of 2014. In the meantime, a similar “Ten Year Plan” is now being deliberated upon and will become more definite as aspects of the “Five Year Plan” come into sharper focus.
At the very beginning of this process I indicated that there were three primary goals to be always kept in mind: 1) To maintain each parish that demonstrated the essential characteristics of viability; 2) To safeguard our priests from a too-heavy burden of work-related stress; 3) To streamline parish administration in a manner that enables priests to better perform their pastoral, catechetical and liturgical ministry. I am pleased that these goals have been—or are being—met.
Although some of the changes that are coming our way will be painful, we are nevertheless blessed as a diocesan Church with dedicated laity, active priests and deacons, and conscientious religious. It is my profound hope and fervent prayer that all of us will continue to work together to make vital and effective in our local parishes the very Kingdom of God that we proclaim.
With kind and prayerful regards, I remain,
Your Brother in Christ,
Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless
Bishop of Sioux City
Task Force weighs in on the 5-year plan
By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor [as appeared in The Globe, 1 October 2009]
early two years after Bishop R. Walker Nickless formed a Strategic Planning Task Force in the Diocese of Sioux City, he has officially promulgated a five-year plan.
The four-member Strategic Planning Task Force said that much research, input and time went into formulating the plan.
Members of the task force are Msgr. R. Mark Duchaine, vicar general of the diocese and pastor at St. Mary Church in Mapleton and Oto; Father Armand Bertrand, pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Cherokee and Holy Name Church in Marcus; Father William Schreiber, pastor at Sacred Heart Church in Spencer and Msgr. Kenneth Seifried, former pastor at St. Joseph Church in Milford, who retired in July. Msgr. Duchaine serves as the chair of the task force.
Based on model from Wisconsin
According to Father Bertrand, the plan is based on a model from the Diocese of La Crosse, Wis., and centers on the formation of parish centers and liturgical sites with some parishes going to church building status.
Parish centers ultimately will have the rectory, administrative offices, catechetical classes, weekend and weekday liturgies. Liturgical sites will be a Sunday liturgical and sacramental site as well as optional catechetical site and optional weekday Mass site. A church building can be used as a sacramental site for things such as a funeral or wedding and as an optional weekday Mass site but has no regular weekend liturgies.
Within five years, the plan calls for the establishment of 51 parish centers and 60 liturgical sites. Another six parishes remain in question as to whether they will be liturgical sites or will go to church building status. One parish is slated for church building status and yet another has already closed.
While Bishop Nickless officially endorsed the plan at the September meeting of the Presbyteral Council, Father Bertrand noted that initial portions of the plan went into effect with the July priest assignments. The plan will continue to gradually unfold and take effect with priest personnel changes – some coming within a year or two, others not until five years from now.
Task force reaction to plan
Members of the task force are pleased with the plan.
“In truth, I am exceedingly pleased,” Msgr. Duchaine said. “Although we weren't able to do everything that we had wished, we accomplished to the best of our abilities the goals set forth by Bishop Nickless when this process began: we saved as many parishes as possible, we tried to keep the priests' workload to a manageable level, and we have begun the process of streamlining parish administration. I wish to publicly thank my colleagues, Msgr. Seifried, Father Bertrand and Father Schreiber for all of the time, energy and effort they put into this process; its success is largely due to them.”
Father Schreiber said he liked the fact that they were able to seek and obtain feedback about the process and plan from so many people – priests and laity.
“We received a wide range of thoughts and ideas before we came up with this final product that the bishop has promulgated,” he said. “The plan has to be literally from the bottom up. We can’t ‘dictate’ a plan like this from the top, down.”
Father Bertrand said he is not only pleased with the overall plan but also with the reaction and support of the priests who have long expressed a need for such a plan due to the decreasing number of priests.
“The ideal is one priest for one parish,” he said. “But we have to live with the lesser ideal because we have no option – so pray for vocations to the priesthood.”
Msgr. Seifried said he would like families to speak favorably about the vocation of priesthood, promoting it as an admirable way of life and praying for new vocations.
He agreed that there was a need to have a plan in place, that way the lay people as well as the priests have a good idea as to what the future holds rather than seeing what happens on a yearly basis when assignments are made.
Work continues on 10-year plan
The diocese continues to work on its 10-year plan, but Father Bertrand said it will no doubt bring even more linkages. In 10 years, it is estimated that there will be 40 priests of the diocese who are under 70 years old.
Presently, there are over 70 priests serving in full-time ministry and in five years time the number will drop to just over 50. The number of priests who will actually be serving in full-time ministry will depend on various factors such as if the clergy remains healthy and if some opt to serve beyond the age of 70.
“The plans are really being driven by the number of priests we have,” noted Msgr. Seifried, who is hopeful that the workload of the priests who remain in full-time ministry will not be too great. “Some priests have mentioned that two parishes weren’t so bad, but three is a real challenge.”
With this model, which centralizes administrative efforts, he said it should help matters. However the priests and people, Msgr. Seifried added, will have to learn a new way of doing things.
“I am really impressed with the goodness of the people in this diocese,” said Msgr. Seifried, who mentioned how well parishioners have even reacted when their parish has closed. “People have been very good; there have been very few complaints. Most people just want to hang onto their parish, even if they are aligned with two or three others.”
It was the concern over priest numbers that got the ball rolling on the formation of a strategic plan in the first place.
“In November of 2007, I raised the issue at a Presbyteral Council meeting,” said Father Bertrand, who noted that at that meeting, he gave the bishop some facts. “I asked him if we wanted to deal with the situation we will be facing in the next several years proactively or reactively.”
From there, the task force formed and team members began to research not only the parishes’ vital stats numbers but community and county demographics, as well as strategic planning models from other dioceses.
Father Bertrand found the model on which this diocese’s plan has been based.
“I took it and adapted it to our diocese and that was the first draft,” he said. “I then took it to the committee and we agreed it was a good model that would work well for our diocese with some modifications. Then as a committee, we sat down and tweaked it into the form that is now being promulgated.”
Msgr. Duchaine said it made sense to base the plan on the one from La Crosse.
“That diocese is much like our own: not too many larger communities and mega-parishes, many rural areas of small towns and small parishes,” he noted. “It fit our profile almost exactly and made our work that much easier.”
As the diocese moves forward, Msgr. Duchaine said he hopes the people will keep in mind that this is a work in progress.
“Although we anticipate no changes in the way that the plan will unfold, there are always contingencies that we haven't taken into consideration, and which could possibly change the outcome in a given place and situation,” he said.
Much input went into process
Father Schreiber said the task force has worked hard to keep parishioners informed about the long-range planning process through articles in The Catholic Globe and by information disseminated through parishes.
“I would hope that people will be open and know that we tried to do the best we possibly could with the resources that we have,” he said. “The bottom line is, we simply do not have the number of priests that we once did.”
Just as Msgr. Seifried mentioned, Father Schreiber said he believes that priests are happy to have a plan in place – something they can work with.
He said the priests have been very open to this process and have responded very positively to the plan.
“I hope our brother priests will remember that, in putting this plan together, we sought their input and advice throughout the process and did our best to incorporate into the final plan all that felt felt was necessary,” Msgr. Duchaine said.
Task force leads strategic planning process
By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor [as appearred in The Globe, 26 June 2008]
As the number of priests who serve in active ministry in the Diocese of Sioux City declines, a long-range planning process is underway to evaluate how to best utilize priest manpower while providing the most effective ministry at parishes.
Armed with the knowledge that the number of active priests could be reduced by more than 40 percent in 10 years, it was the priests who called for a long-range plan.
"The priests of the diocese as a whole were instrumental in bringing this about," noted Msgr. Duchaine, who said this concern was raised repeatedly at Presbyteral Council meetings.
In November of last year, he said the issue was again raised at the priests' meeting.
"Rather than letting it drop once more, a suggestion was made that a Strategic Planning Task Force be established with a purpose of looking into this matter of parish viability, organization and good use of priestly manpower," he said.
Msgr. Duchaine, vicar general and pastor at St. Mary Church in Mapleton and St. Mary Church in Oto, serves as chairperson of the task force. Three other priests on the Presbyteral Council quickly came forward to work with him: Msgr. Kenneth Seifried of St. Joseph Parish in Milford, Father Bill Schreiber of St. Mary Parish in Humboldt and St. John the Evangelist Church in Gilmore City and Father Armand Bertrand of Immaculate Conception Church in Cherokee and St. John the Baptist Church in Quimby.
All four priests volunteered to serve on the committee because they realized the importance of planning for the future of the diocese.
Numbers tell story
According to Msgr. Seifried, the number of priests in active ministry in the diocese will take a significant downturn in the next 10 years.
Currently, there are 78 priests available for active parish ministry in the diocese - 11 of whom are of retirement age but have chosen to continue ministry (not including the five to retire in July). In 2014, it is anticipated that 53 priests (those under the age of 70) will be available for ministry. By the year 2019, the number of active priests available for ministry who will be under age 70 is expected to be 39.
The numbers and facts speak to the urgency to create a workable plan.
"If you don't manage change, change is going to manage you," Msgr. Seifried noted. "The priests and the people know - from their everyday life in their community that their schools are combining and consolidating, and they are losing people. They know that their church might also have to do the same."
Members of the task force also mentioned the June 22 article in the Sioux City Journal that addressed the decline of retail shopping in rural cities - just another reality of the mobile society in a declining rural population.
The goal of this long-range plan, Msgr. Seifried said, is to provide the best ministry at parishes while making sure the priests are not worked to the point of burnout.
In addition to the large number of priests eligible for retirement, there's also the possibility of untimely death and restrictive illnesses.
"We simply have to have something ready for this eventuality," said Msgr. Duchaine. "It's not a possibility - it's going to happen."
He added that many of the retired priests continue to assist on weekends and take parish Masses where they live, but it is not prudent to count on that in any long-term sense.
"Streamlining, reorganizing parishes is an important goal of this for the purpose of maintaining the priests we do have and providing the priestly service that is needed in our parishes," said Msgr. Duchaine.
Planning creates options
"I had been looking at demographics for a long time before this, as my brother priests had," said Father Bertrand. "We were questioning: Are we going to deal with the realities reactively or proactively. Reactively would cause great pain and suffering along the way because we would have no options to work with. In a proactive sense, this strategic planning kind of concept is a better option."
While the process is in its initial stages, for many parishes the plans could mean further collaboration with another parish or more parishes - sharing a variety of resources. It could also mean that three or four smaller parishes will be amalgamated into one larger parish, streamlining efficiency by creating just one administrative unit while maintaining separate worship sites in the various churches that comprise the parish. In certain cases it could mean parish closures.
The committee members stressed the fact that Bishop R. Walker Nickless feels strongly that closing parishes is a last resort only.
The diocese went through a long-range planning process in the mid 1990s called Ministry 2000. Through that process, the committee members learned that some things worked and other things didn't. Msgr. Duchaine said this process is not a duplicate nor a part-two that earlier process.
Part of the job of the task force will be to raise the awareness level of parishioners regarding the current situation. Many may not know that as of this year, 2008, the diocese has 16 priests in active ministry who are either at the age of 70 or are going to turn 70. All could have opted to retire, but only five did so.
The perfect storm
Msgr. Duchaine stressed that if they had all retired, it would have been impossible to cover all the openings with the limited number of active priests available.
That situation would have made for what Father Schreiber described as "the perfect storm." It would have forced a reactive response as opposed to proactive one.
"We would have heard a howl of protest out there," said Msgr. Duchaine. "Fortunately, because we have such a devoted priesthood, 11 of the 16 retirement-age decided to continue on at least for another year, but they are eventually going to be stepping down and all the while others will be reaching retirement age, too."
As lay people gain awareness about the current status, Father Schreiber said it may motivate parishes to evaluate their own situations and possibly take action to reduce some of the workload of priests. For instance, they may opt to eliminate one of their Masses on weekends or may even realize the need to look at unifying their pastoral/administrative efforts with a neighboring parish or parishes.
And parishioners are not the only ones who want to know what the future may hold. Msgr. Seifried said that when a priest is asked to take an assignment they want to know what to expect during their tenure, whether they will be at some point asked and expected to take on an additional parish.
This task force meets on a monthly basis and reports its findings on a regular basis to the Presbyteral Council. Priests on that council offer input and the bishop offers guidance as to the next step.
"There is a lot of affirmation out there among the priests for this committee," Msgr. Seifried said. "It has really raised a positive, refreshing spirit out there."
Parishioner participation
The priests, he noted, have stressed the importance of the laity having a voice.
"There will be two ways to involve the parishioners on the local level. A form will be sent to every household in the diocese with parish vitality indicators," explained Father Schreiber. "They will be able to assess where they think their local parish is at."
Another form will be that of a parish viability survey, to be completed by parish leadership teams: parish staff, pastoral councils, finance committees and interested parishioners.
"They need to look at what reality really is and it will help them see if they are healthy spiritually and determine if they are growing as people," he said.
While financial viability is no doubt important and can even be considered essential, the priests said that is just one factor to determine viability. Mass attendance, percentage of parishioners involved in ministry, educational offerings and many other factors play a role.
Because the task force wanted to gain input from the priests and people who live here, Msgr. Duchaine said they intentionally did not seek involvement of outside consultants for this process.
Plans are to have something in place by the spring of 2009 so that the bishop can make that year's assignments based on these results.
(This is the first in a series of articles on the long-range planning process.)
STRATEGIC PLANNING: Diocesan population, active priests down
It happens to everyone, everywhere.
Changes in the demographics within the Diocese of Sioux City - a shift in the population of communities and a decrease in numbers of priests - is what triggered the diocese to begin a long-range planning process.
According to Father Armand Bertrand, pastor at Immaculate Conception Church in Cherokee and St. John the Baptist Church in Quimby, and a member of the Strategic Planning Task Force for the Diocese of Sioux City, the number of priests who will be available to work in parish ministry 10 years from now is expected to take a sharp decline. Currently there are 78 active priests available for parish assignments and 11 of them are of retirement age.
"If all of the priests that are working now decide to retire next year, we would be at critical mass," said Father Bertrand.
By the year 2014, there will only be 53 priests under retirement age who are available for parish assignments. When you step forward another five years, 2019, there will only be 39 priests and that's half of today's numbers. That number could be a little higher if the men work beyond retirement age or could be lower due to untimely death or restrictive illnesses.
There will be change, noted Father Bertrand.
"There are realities we have to face," he said. "If there is a decrease in the number of priests, we obviously cannot maintain the same number of resident priests in many parishes. That is not something we want to happen, it is something that by reality will happen because the numbers are not there."
Certain facts, however, can't change such as the number of priests.
"Priests don't come out of thin air, it takes about eight years to put a person in formation and ordain them," said Father Bertrand.
The task force is examining how to best use priest manpower while providing the most effective ministry at parishes.
Msgr. R. Mark Duchaine, vicar general of the Diocese of Sioux City and pastor at St. Mary Church in Mapleton and St. Mary Church in Oto, chairman of the Task Force, said that although the outcome might be painful for some parishes that will have to join others or, perhaps, even be closed, he thinks "it's better for everyone to know what's what than to be left in the dark until the moment of truth arrives."
Population decline
Father Bertrand said much of the present work of the task force consists of research.
The most recent population stats he could find from the State of Iowa compared population growth and/or decline from the year 2000 to 2006. He investigated all 24 counties that make up the diocese.
Northwest Deanery - Lyon, Osceola, Sioux, O'Brien and Plymouth Counties - only two counties experienced slight increases in population and three counties decreased as much as 4.6 and as low as 1.5 percent. The priest noted that the county with the largest growth, Sioux County, has had business expansion as well as a growth in its Hispanic population.
Northeast Deanery - Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Palo Alto and Kossuth Counties- only one county grew.
"The one county that increased 3 percent was Dickinson and that is the Lakes area," noted Father Bertrand.
Central Deanery - Buena Vista, Cherokee, Ida, Pocahontas and Sac Counties - all experienced a decrease in population. He pointed out that Pocahontas County experienced the greatest loss at 10 percent. The county with the least loss in population was Buena Vista, 1.6 percent, and Father Bertrand noted that it's possible a larger loss may have been offset by a rise in Hispanic population.
South Central Deanery - Carroll, Crawford and Greene Counties - saw a loss in population in two counties and no change for Crawford.
Southwest Deanery - Monona and Woodbury Counties - experienced losses.
"Woodbury only saw a decrease by only .9 percent. You have the big city (Sioux City) and there are influxes with people moving in and out and of course there is a large Hispanic population there," noted Father Bertrand, who added that Monona County loss 6.8 percent.
Southeast Deanery - Boone, Calhoun, Humboldt and Webster Counties - experienced a decrease in population with the exception of Boone County, which registered a 1 percent growth.
"I don't see the rural areas getting any bigger," said Father Bertrand, who added that oftentimes older people move into larger communities where services are located.
Family farms, he added, are being absorbed by larger ones which take less people to operate. Along with people moving where the jobs are, Father Bertrand said another contributing factor to the decrease in population is the acceptance of contraception - couples desiring two children.
Only four counties in the diocese show an increase in population and a few others held fairly steady. He said they happen to be in areas where industries such as meat packing plants draw immigrants.
"It is clear, and has been for years, that our small rural communities are diminishing; some are on the verge of dying out altogether," said Msgr. Duchaine. "In my own community, I have seen in the course of just a few years how shops and stores and restaurants and other businesses simply are unable to hold on. "
He added that many of the people are moving to larger communities simply because that's where the jobs are.
"And what with gasoline now approaching $4 a gallon, I can't help but wonder if there won't be an even greater exodus from our small towns to the city," said Msgr. Duchaine.
While many communities in the diocese experienced a drop in population, according to statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau, the State of Iowa experienced an increase in population by 2 percent and the nation grew 6.5 percent.
School numbers
Father Bertrand also investigated the public school districts using 2008 numbers from the state department of education. Of the 86 school districts in the diocese, he could find stats on 79 of them.
"From the year 2000 to 2008, there was a decrease of 9,976 students in public school systems," he said. "There were only eight that showed an increase in population."
He discovered that Sioux Center grew by 108 students, Storm Lake was up 123 students, Sergeant-Bluff-Lutton (near Sioux City) went up 200 students, Denison was up 175 students and a few other districts had modest increases ranging from 25 to 40 students. Sioux City Public Schools lost 656 students in eight years.
As the Strategic Planning Task Force examines these numbers, Father Bertrand said they are not only looking at numbers as they pertain to the parishes but at the overall population and population trends of the diocese.
"We are looking at the demographics for the entire state to explore why parishes are decreasing," he said. "Not only is there the fact that couples are using contraception, but there are less people."
Along with impacting the numbers in the pews, this decline in population has impacted the pool of people from which to draw vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
"It is not just a Catholic phenomenon, it is a cultural phenomenon," said Father Bertrand. "With the data that I have come up with, it shows that it is endemic to the whole reality."
Parish numbers
The diocese is made up of 116 canonically established parishes with the smallest having 29 households and the largest having 1,219.
The breakdown: three parishes have 29-39 households; eight parishes have 42-57 households; nine parishes have 58-65 households; 10 parishes have 70-80 households; 21 parishes have 93-125 households; 14 parishes have 126 to 165 households; 17 parishes have 171-237 households; 12 parishes have 243-350 households; 10 parishes have 388-394 households; seven parishes have 634-750 households and 11 parishes have 775-1,219 households. In all, there are 85,000-plus parishioners in more than 33,000 households.
Will parish size play a role in the plan?
"Parish size must always be considered as a significant factor, but it is most certainly not the only one," noted Msgr. Duchaine. "A parish might be small in number of households but still be quite viable insofar as the quality of parish life is concerned. This, I think will be of more consequence to those involved in making recommendations than will be the mere number of households."
Decreases and shifts in the population as well as the decline in the number of priests available for active ministry makes it all the more important for the need to study the options "for what we can do to accommodate the needs of the Catholics in this part of the state," Father Bertrand said. "With the decrease in priests and decrease in the number of people it will obviously change the complexion of many parishes."
The Strategic Planning Task Force plans to present information and recommendations to Bishop Nickless by the spring of 2009 in time for it to be used in relation to next year's assignments.
(This is the second in a series of articles on the long-range planning process.)
STRATEGIC PLANNING: Surveys to measure viability of parishes
Knowing that parish viability will play a factor in decisions made as part of the long-range planning process in the Diocese of Sioux City, one member of the Strategic Planning Task Force sought a dictionary to learn specifically what the term means.
According to Msgr. Kenneth Seifried, a member of the committee and pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Milford, viable is defined as having the ability to exist on its own.
"What makes a parish exist on its own? It's many things - finances, dedication, involvement, liturgy, energy, activity, attitude and life," he said. While some may put more focus on the finances - when determining viability - he said some parishes may have a lot of money but no life.
As the number of priests who serve in active ministry in the diocese declines, the task force was established to evaluate how to best utilize priest manpower while providing the most effective ministry at parishes.
When the task force formed last November, the four priests who make up the committee were asked by their brother priests to seek input from parishioners.
With a desire to include the laity in the process and the need to come up with a tool to help measure parish viability, the members of the task force created two surveys. One, titled Parish Vitality Indicators, will go to all parishioners. The second, titled Parish Viability, will be sent to all parishes and the pastor will identify parish leaders.
"The purpose of both of these is rather than coming from the top down, we want to have the people's involvement and ownership in the plan," said Msgr. Seifried, who acknowledged that through the years laity have contributed much to the parishes.
Msgr. Duchaine, chairman of the task force and pastor at St. Mary Church in Mapleton and St. Mary Church in Oto, stressed the fact that the Catholic Church is the people.
"That's how it is described: the People of God," he said. "And so it is not only important but absolutely essential that the people be informed of what is happening, be given an opportunity to share in the discussions and dialogue pertaining to strategic planning, and take some portion of ownership for whatever decisions are reached."
Not only that, he said, but who knows better what is or is not happening in the parishes than those who live in them?
"If we want accurate information regarding the viability and vitality of our parishes, then parishioners will be an important font of knowledge and wisdom," Msgr. Duchaine said.
Parish Vitality Indicators
Parishioners will soon receive the Parish Vitality Indicators survey in the mail.
Categories on the Parish Vitality Indicators survey include liturgy, evangelization, adult faith formation, building and grounds, parish life, stewardship, Catholic school, demographics, caring community, responding to the needs of the people, prayer and spirituality, welcoming and parish leadership.
For instance in the category of liturgy, parishioners are asked if they agree, disagree or are unsure to: "Our parishioners participate fully and consciously in the celebration of the liturgy."
In the category of evangelization, an indicator is: "Our parish plays an active and visible role in the life of the community in which it is located."
In the category of parishioner involvement, one vitality indicator is: "Events and programs at our parish are well attended."
By completing this self-evaluation of sorts, parishioners will help identify the parish's strengths and weaknesses. In some cases, Msgr. Seifried said parishioners may realize that their own parish isn't very viable.
"If we have a shortage of priests, maybe it's not the best stewardship to have their parish be the center for activities," he said. "It may be a wake-up for people to understand, appreciate and take ownership."
In some cases, he added, this may motivate some people to become more involved in their own parishes.
Parish Viability
These surveys will be sent to the pastors who in turn will identify parish leaders - possibly members of the parish council or finance councils - or other parishioners with strong parish involvement.
The Parish Viability survey asks questions in several categories including parish life, liturgy/worship, education/youth ministry, building and grounds/financial status, stewardship and demographics.
In each of the categories, the survey lists three to seven specific questions. For instance one of seven questions under parish life asks: What is the percentage of parishioners from our parish who attend Mass? One demographic question asks: Is our parish growing or declining in numbers? In the category of education/youth ministry, a question inquires: Do the parents and adults of our parish support faith formation and youth activities?
"Some of the questions will be filled out by the parish staff. The hard facts - what percentage of the people go to church, what percent contribute financially - will come from the books," noted Msgr. Seifried.
Members of the task force created the surveys and used their personal experiences as well as similar surveys to help form the questions.
Information from these surveys will be evaluated and ultimately will help the task force determine how to proceed with the long-range plan.
"If we had looked at all the issues pertaining to 'viability' years ago, we might well have been able to plan for what is now about to descend upon us," said Msgr. Duchaine. "We might not have been able to know exactly what was going to be needed, but we probably would have had a fairly good idea and could have planned accordingly."
With that in mind, he said it is vital that the diocese now make up "for this lack by examining where parishes are right now insofar as numbers, finances, ministries, liturgy, etc. and, thereby, be able to project into the future which parishes may be left as they are, merged with other parishes, or closed altogether."
Because so much is at stake, Msgr. Seifried said they have high expectations with the survey completion rate. The percentage of return, he added, could provide another sign or indicator of parish viability.
(This is the third a series of articles on the long-range planning process.)
STRATEGIC PLANNING: Process involves research, input, communication
Change in parish configuration and in the number of parishes that make up the Diocese of Sioux City is not a new reality.
Father William Schreiber, a member of the Strategic Planning Task Force in the diocese, pointed out that since the diocese was established in 1902, 35 parishes have closed. There have been other changes, too, such as at one point the diocese had 30 Catholic high schools and now there are eight.
This makes him think that long-range planning is not a new concept to the diocese.
"Someone had to plan, had to have a vision of how we can best utilize what we have," noted Father Schreiber, who added that the population was going down in some areas and they were growing in others. "At this point in our history, that's the same thing and our people understand that."
As the number of priests who serve in active ministry in the diocese declines, a long-range planning process is underway to evaluate how to best use priest manpower while providing effective parish ministry.
It was at a Presbyteral Council meeting last November when the decision was made to establish a Strategic Planning Task Force. The priests were concerned that a plan be developed as they are aware that a large number of priests are approaching retirement age.
Currently, there are 78 priests available for active parish ministry in the diocese and 11 of them are of retirement age but have chosen to continue ministry. In 2014, 53 priests (those under age 70) will be available for ministry and by 2019 the number of priests under the age of 70 is expected to be 39. This number could be higher depending on the number of new priests or could be lower with unexpected deaths or restrictive illnesses in priests.
Looking at the anticipated numbers of new priests compared to the level of anticipated retirements, Father Schreiber said parishioners know something has to be done.
"At our first meeting we came up with 20 to 25 questions that we felt we needed to answer through this process," he explained. "For instance, one question was how far do we plan out? Other questions were what is our deadline, what do parishioners want and what do priests want?"
They submitted the questions to the Presbyteral Council and sought input as to the direction. Subsequent meetings allowed time to focus on particular questions and come up with solutions.
From there they proceeded to research and are currently focused on gathering information. The various stats they are studying include county population demographics, but they are also looking at numbers that pertain to the parishes and church structures such as seating capacity of churches and numbers from the November Mass attendance count in recent years.
Father Schreiber said many priests have expressed the desire to include the people in this process and some of the much-needed information will come from parishioners. All parishioners will soon receive a Parish Vitality Indicators survey that includes information ranging from liturgy to prayer and parish leadership. Pastors will be asked to identify parish leaders who will complete a second survey centered on Parish Viability.
"The people have been very committed to their parishes in this diocese and to their schools," he said. "Some of them know that we do not have a great many new priests. We were blessed with two this year."
Information from the surveys as well as research unveiled by members of the task force will all play a factor in the look of the long-range plan.
Another major part of the process has been keeping the channels of communication flowing. Bishop Nickless and the Presbyteral Council are updated on the progress of the task force on a monthly basis. Parishioners are informed through regular articles in The Catholic Globe and their pastors. Priests are updated on the progress by deans during their Holy Hours held in their particular deaneries.
Msgr. R. Mark Duchaine, who heads the Strategic Planning Task Force, said communication in a matter such as this is essential.
"If those involved in the process of parish restructuring and realignment do not work as a team, then surely there will be at least one major constituency that will feel unheard and disrespected," he said. "On the other hand, if our core groups -- clergy, religious, and laity - feel that their input was received, that it obtained a fair hearing, and that it was implemented when to do so was advantageous, it will, I think, lead to a greater acceptance of whatever plan is ultimately adopted."
The plan, noted Father Schreiber, will hopefully keep the parishes alive.
"Through this process, we will have to look at new possibilities - there's no question and we will probably have to upset some old views and even predict some painful decisions. But people are aware that true growth comes from it and they will have to change somewhat," he said.
Members of the task force have mentioned that in some cases the long-range plan may call for parish closures but in others it may mean streamlining of parishes. Three or four smaller parishes may merge into one large parish with the churches remaining open as worship sites.
The goal is to have a plan in place by the spring of 2009 so that the bishop can make assignments based on those results.
(This is the fourth in a series of articles on the long-range planning process.)
12 February 2009
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
Several months ago I wrote to inform you of the establishment of a Strategic Planning Task Force whose purpose it was to draw up a proposal for the reorganization of our parishes according to the numbers of priests available for service both now and in the years to come.
Many elements came together during the course of the Task Force’s work: Mass attendance, demographics, ethnic ministry, vocation prospects, etc. And a survey of our laity and lay parish leadership also provided significant information upon which to construct a plan. I now wish to inform you that, after much consultation, I have provisionally accepted the latest draft of this Strategic Planning proposal and to ask your pastor to now present it to you for study, evaluation and critique.
First of all, allow me to remind you of my three most basic concerns: 1) No parish will be closed that meets minimal standards for viability; 2) No priest will be expected to minister at a level beyond his abilities or his strength; 3) Parish administration will be streamlined in order to provide greater efficiency. That being said, I also wish you to know that sacrifices will need to be made: by priests who will be asked to accept a different assignment and by parishioners who may have to experience either a reduction in or a closing of their present parish.
Certain parishes will remain as seats of governance where, for instance, the parish office will be located and the pastor will reside. Others may be termed liturgical sites, where most major parish functions will continue. Still others may need to be reduced to church building status or be closed altogether. I anticipate that virtually all of our parishes will be involved in this process by the year 2014 at the latest … and some will begin moving in this direction as of this spring.
At this time, your pastor will be planning to schedule meetings with his leadership team and, hopefully, with all interested parishioners. I wish to receive your feedback on this plan, not only as it specifically relates to you but as it relates to the entire Diocese. Please be attentive to whatever announcements are made regarding such meetings and make plans to participate. All such meetings should be held—and the reporting back to the Diocese be made—by March 1 if at all possible.
Change is never easy and old patterns of behavior are difficult to let go of. But I am sure that all of us together can make this new arrangement work by accepting our share of the burden.
Thank you for your attentiveness, understanding and cooperation.
Your brother in Christ,
Most Reverend R. Walker Nickless
Bishop of Sioux City
Projected number of priests in the Diocese:
>2014 53 priests
>2019 39 priests
Number of priests over age 70 still serving in parish ministry today: 17
Parishioner Viability Study:
>30,000+ sent out
>10,000 returned
>8,500 properly completed to be included in results
>Results for each parish given to the proper pastor for his review.
Work continues to prepare the Diocese to serve its growing population as the number of priests decline.
Pastors, parishes review strategic plan
By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor [as appearred in The Globe, 19 February 2009]
The Diocese of Sioux City is one of many dioceses throughout the country in the process of parish restructuring intended to provide the best possible pastoral care to parishioners. This trend comes in light of the shrinking number of priests.
Last week’s Catholic Globe contained a letter by Bishop R. Walker Nickless to parishioners, announcing that he had sent the provisional long-range plan to pastors. That same letter was to be presented by the pastors in their own parishes and from there, the priests were to schedule informational meetings at the parish or cluster level.
“I wish to receive your feedback on this plan, not only as it specifically relates to you but as it relates to the entire diocese,” the bishop wrote to parishioners.
According to Msgr. R. Mark Duchaine, vicar general and chair of the Strategic Planning Task Force, each pastor will present the specific plan for his parish or parishes at the local meetings as well as the deanery plan.
“I anticipate that these will be largely ‘listening’ sessions: hearing the concerns, the complaints, the suggestions, etc., of those present,” he said.
It is important to the bishop as well as the four priests who make up the Strategic Planning Task Force to receive input regarding the plan from parishioners.
“There is no alternative to gathering information from our lay people who, besides the priests themselves, will be the most seriously affected by this plan,” Msgr. Duchaine said. “We need to hear of any ideas or possibilities that they wish to present because, for all we know, we priests may have ‘missed something’ that only a concerned lay person will be able to share with us.”
Priest availability
Father Bill Schreiber, one of four priests who serve on the task force, said that in addition to presenting the plan, he anticipates that pastors will recap the number of priests available for active ministry.
“Two big numbers stand glaringly out. We will have 51 active priests in 2014 and 39 in 2019,” he said. “We presently have 116 canonically established parishes, so something has to give.” Currently, there are 78 active priests so within 10 years the priest-manpower will be cut in half.
In one way or another, Father Schreiber said most parishes will experience some form of change within a few years, even if it is in less significant ways such as a change in Mass schedule. Others, however, will experience greater loss with the closure of their parish.
“The people need to know on the local level what is happening with their parish and they need to have some input,” Father Schreiber said.
He acknowledged, however, that if parishioners at all 116 parishes were given a vote, they would all want to stay open, keep the parish status, have a resident pastor and keep the same Mass schedule. He urges parishioners to remember that priests can only split their efforts in so many ways.
The bishop has requested that the parishes hold their meetings soon so that input can be submitted to the diocese by March 1. Many parishes have already held meetings.
Parish structures
Along with presenting parish and deanery plans, pastors are expected to explain upcoming changes in parish structures and the correlating new terminology during the local meetings.
In the provisional plan, it stated that a single parish may have one, a combination or all of the following:
Parish Center – rectory, governance seat with parish offices and pastoral/finance council, Sunday liturgical site, sacramental site, catechetical site, Blessed Sacrament present, weekday Mass and coordinate ethnic ministries (where applicable).
Liturgical Site – Sunday liturgical site, sacramental site, optional catechetical site, Blessed Sacrament present and optional weekday Mass.
Church Building – sacramental site, optional catechetical site, Blessed Sacrament present and optional weekday Mass.
Closure – permanent and property may possibly be sold with the exception of the cemetery remaining.
In a letter to priests, Bishop Nickless wrote, “For this plan to work effectively, everyone – priests, deacons, religious and laity – must be willing to sacrifice. There must be ‘openness’ to the plan, as some parishes will become liturgical sites while others become church buildings or will be closed.”
When Father Armand Bertrand, a member of the Strategic Planning Task Force, read the letter last weekend during Mass at his parishes he said people acknowledged that they were anticipating change.
And while people know that change is coming, he said, “There will be some tearfulness – when you tell people they are going to go to church building status or close.”
Once the diocese receives the feedback, Msgr. Duchaine said the next step will be for the Strategic Planning Task Force to review all the results from the various parish/cluster meetings and make changes to the plan as might be necessary or desirable. From there it will go back to Bishop Nickless via the Presbyteral Council for additional comment and fine-tuning.
Father Bertrand stressed the fact that the plan will not be implemented “all at once. It will happen gradually, but indeed it will all happen.”
This plan is developed according to a five-year and 10-year arrangement. In his letter to priests, the bishop said that all parishes will be subject to reorganization within five years and for some parishes, it will happen this year due to a decline in priestly numbers caused by retirement or ill health.
“Some parishes won’t be affected this year and some parishes will be,” Father Bertrand said. “It is based on many factors.”
In the provisional plan, within 10 years 10 parishes are slated for closure and another eight are possible. And while there is only one closure proposed for the first five years, numerous parishes will move to the liturgical site or church building status. In five years time, there will be 49 parish centers and within 10 years, there will be just 42 parish centers.
Father Schreiber pointed out that depending on the number of priests retiring and health issues, it may mean certain parts of the plan will have to be evaluated and the time-frame for implementation potentially may move up.
Since the Strategic Planning Task Force has tried to keep people abreast of the need for this process from its initial stages, Father Bertrand said he hopes parishioners will be prepared for change and receive the plan well.
National trend
Father Bertrand pointed out that he and Father Schreiber recently participated in a national conference related to pastoring multiple parishes.
“This is happening all over the country,” he said. “It affirmed for us that we are on the right track in terms of the strategic plan.”
Father Schreiber said at the conference he learned that this diocese’s plan is similar to some and different from some – each diocesan plan is unique.
“Most dioceses are going through a reconfiguration or restructuring, but it is change and change is very difficult,” he said.
As the diocese moves forward with this process, Msgr. Duchaine said it was important for everyone to remember that "we are all in this together."
He described it as a joint effort between all segments of the Diocese of Sioux City to arrive at a workable plan that will accomplish the goals set forth by Bishop Nickless: maintain as many parishes as possible, safeguard the health of our active priests, and streamline parish administration.
Priests serving on the task force anticipate struggles for the priests as well as parishioners.
For instance, Msgr. Duchaine said one of the challenges for priests will be overseeing the closure of a parish or its diminution to church building status.
“No one wishes to see a parish face this reality, and yet we are at the point where there is no other alternative,” he said.
Ultimately, Father Bertrand and Father Schreiber said the plan attempts to keep the mission of the church alive, which is to make Christ present to the people.
“We have to do that to the best of our ability with the personnel and the facilities that we have at this moment,” said Father Schreiber. “That is the challenge we have.”
DIOCESAN VIABILITY STUDY UPDATE: Since 2006 Bishop Nickless has asked every parish in the Diocese to conduct a Mass count at all Masses in November. Thus, ushers count attendance during these Masses and this count is reported to Bishop Nickless. The results for ST. MICHAEL CHURCH-KINGSLEY:
2006 1,295
2007 1,266
2008 1,507
In October 2008 surveys were sent to all parish families to ask for their input regarding the viability of their parish. Some of the local results for ST. MICHAEL CHURCH-KINGSLEY include:
Number of surveys sent out: 208
Surveys returned: 63
1. Our parishioners participate fully and consciously in the celebration of the liturgy:
Agree 93.65%
Disagree 1.59%
Unsure 4.76%
Blank 0.00%
2. Our parish reaches out to non-practicing Catholics:
Agree 34.92%
Disagree 17.46%
Unsure 47.62%
Blank 0.00%
3. Our parish emphasizes adult faith formation:
Agree 50.79%
Disagree 15.87%
Unsure 33.33%
Blank 0.00%
4. Buildings are adequate in meeting the needs of our Parish:
Agree 98.41%
Disagree 1.59%
Unsure 0.00%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
5. Grounds are well maintained and contribute to the overall beauty of the area:
Agree 96.83%
Disagree 3.17%
Unsure 0.00%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
6. We have more Masses than are needed:
Agree 6.35%
Disagree 84.13%
Unsure 9.52%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
7. Financial information is shared with all parishioners on a regular basis:
Agree 77.78%
Disagree 12.7%
Unsure 9.52%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
8. Our Catholic School has broad-based support:
Agree 11.11%
Disagree 4.76%
Unsure 25.40%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 58.73%
9. Most of our shopping is done outside of our parish:
Agree 42.86%
Disagree 14.29%
Unsure 38.10%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
10. I see our parish as being primarily older in nature:
Agree 26.98%
Disagree 55.56%
Unsure 15.87%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.59%
11. Our parish is a supportive community where people care for one another:
Agree 92.06%
Disagree 6.35%
Unsure 1.59%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
12. New members are personally contacted and welcomed to our parish by parishioners or parish staff:
Agree 80.95%
Disagree 3.17%
Unsure 15.87%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
13. Our parish attends to the special needs and situations of families today (e.g. single parents, separated and divorced, inter-church marriages, etc.)
Agree 34.92%
Disagree 14.29%
Unsure 41.29%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 9.52%
14. Parishioners are eager to become involved in parish leadership and ministry.
Agree 53.97%
Disagree 17.46%
Unsure 26.98%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.59%
15. Members of our parish council collaborate with each other and the pastor.
Agree 69.84%
Disagree 6.35%
Unsure 23.81%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
16. Our parish recruits and retains high quality parish staff.
Agree 74.60%
Disagree 7.94%
Unsure 17.46%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
17. Our parish effectively communicates information about ministries, activities and events.
Agree 93.65%
Disagree 3.17%
Unsure 3.17%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
18. All bills and assessments are paid in a timely manner.
Agree 74.60%
Disagree 0.00%
Unsure 23.81%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.59%
19. We have many young families in our parish.
Agree 84.13%
Disagree 7.94%
Unsure 7.94%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
20. The liturgies at our parish are prayerful, reverent and spiritually moving.
Agree 88.89%
Disagree 0.00%
Unsure 11.11%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
21. Our parish plays an active and visible role in the life of the community in which it is located.
Agree 74.60%
Disagree 4.76%
Unsure 12.70%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 7.94%
22. Parishioners appreciate and encourage the ethnic diversity of our parish (e.g. Hispanic, Laotian, Vietnamese, etc.)
Agree 25.40%
Disagree 6.35%
Unsure 44.44%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 23.81%
23. Parishioners are eager to become involved in parish leadership and ministry.
Agree 50.79%
Disagree 14.29%
Unsure 28.57%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 6.35%
24. Parish leadership consults parishioners in decisions that affect the life of the parish.
Agree 55.56%
Disagree 17.46%
Unsure 22.22%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.77%
25. Our pastor and pastoral staff are energized and enthusiastic about their ministry.
Agree 80.95%
Disagree 0.00%
Unsure 12.70%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 6.35%
26. Our parish is spirituality vital and alive.
Agree 90.48%
Disagree 1.59%
Unsure 3.17%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
27. Our parish provides a variety of prayer experiences and devotions.
Agree 69.84%
Disagree 9.52%
Unsure 14.29%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 6.35%
28. The music at our liturgies inspires prayer and worship of God.
Agree 74.60%
Disagree 7.94%
Unsure 12.70%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
29. Our parish engages in outreach to the poor.
Agree 49.21%
Disagree 7.94%
Unsure 38.10%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
30. Our parish invites parishioners to become involved in parish life and ministry.
Agree 79.37%
Disagree 3.17%
Unsure 12.70%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
31. Our parish supports both pastor and staff in training and formation.
Agree 74.60%
Disagree 3.17%
Unsure 17.46%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
32. Parishioners receive training for leadership and ministry.
Agree 74.60%
Disagree 3.17%
Unsure 17.46%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
33. Events and programs at our parish are well attended.
Agree 50.79%
Disagree 15.87%
Unsure 28.57%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
34. Our church is sufficiently filled for each of our weekend liturgies.
Agree 80.95%
Disagree 7.94%
Unsure 4.76%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 6.35%
35. We are generous in our charitable giving (e.g. special collections, special needs, etc.)
Agree 65.08%
Disagree 6.35%
Unsure 23.81%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
36. We have active organizations for men and women.
Agree 68.25%
Disagree 15.87%
Unsure 11.11%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
37. We support other community/Church activities.
Agree 80.95%
Disagree 4.76%
Unsure 7.94%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 6.35%
38. The preaching at our parish connects scripture to daily life and inspires Christian living.
Agree 88.89%
Disagree 1.59%
Unsure 4.76%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.76%
39. Our parish attends to the needs of the sick, homebound and bereaved.
Agree 76.19%
Disagree 6.35%
Unsure 9.52%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 7.94%
40. Youth and young adults are actively involved in the life of the parish.
Agree 53.97%
Disagree 17.46%
Unsure 22.22%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 6.35%
41. Our parishioners are spiritually prepared to live the gospel in their daily lives.
Agree 61.90%
Disagree 1.59%
Unsure 30.16%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 6.35%
42. Our parish reaches out to non-Catholics.
Agree 42.86%
Disagree 20.63%
Unsure 30.16%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 6.35%
2006 1,172
2007 1,194
2008 1,193
In October 2008 surveys were sent to all parish families to ask for their input regarding the viability of their parish. Some of the local results for IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH-MOVILLE include:
Number of surveys sent out: 311
Surveys returned: 69
1. Our parishioners participate fully and consciously in the celebration of the liturgy:
Agree 76.81%
Disagree 7.25%
Unsure 13.04%
Blank 2.90%
2. Our parish reaches out to non-practicing Catholics:
Agree 28.99%
Disagree 23.99%
Unsure 44.93%
Blank 2.90%
3. Our parish emphasizes adult faith formation:
Agree 76.81%
Disagree 4.35%
Unsure 13.04%
Blank 5.80%
4. Buildings are adequate in meeting the needs of our Parish:
Agree 95.65%
Disagree 1.45%
Unsure 1.45%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
5. Grounds are well maintained and contribute to the overall beauty of the area:
Agree 97.10%
Disagree 2.90%
Unsure 0.00%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
6. We have more Masses than are needed:
Agree 10.14%
Disagree 82.61%
Unsure 7.25%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
7. Financial information is shared with all parishioners on a regular basis:
Agree 73.91%
Disagree 8.70%
Unsure 13.04%
Not Applicable 2.90%
Blank 1.45%
8. Our Catholic School has broad-based support:
Agree 14.49%
Disagree 2.90%
Unsure 33.33%
Not Applicable 20.29%
Blank 28.99%
9. Most of our shopping is done outside of our parish:
Agree 60.87%
Disagree 5.80%
Unsure 27.54%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 5.80%
10. I see our parish as being primarily older in nature:
Agree 23.19%
Disagree 66.67%
Unsure 8.70%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
11. Our parish is a supportive community where people care for one another:
Agree 76.81%
Disagree 8.70%
Unsure 8.70%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 5.80%
12. New members are personally contacted and welcomed to our parish by parishioners or parish staff:
Agree 36.23%
Disagree 23.19%
Unsure 39.13%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
13. Our parish attends to the special needs and situations of families today (e.g. single parents, separated and divorced, inter-church marriages, etc.)
Agree 24.64%
Disagree 24.64%
Unsure 37.68%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 13.04%
14. Parishioners are eager to become involved in parish leadership and ministry.
Agree 33.33%
Disagree 37.68%
Unsure 27.54%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
15. Members of our parish council collaborate with each other and the pastor.
Agree 63.77%
Disagree 5.80%
Unsure 30.43%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
16. Our parish recruits and retains high quality parish staff.
Agree 73.91%
Disagree 5.80%
Unsure 17.39%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 2.90%
17. Our parish effectively communicates information about ministries, activities and events.
Agree 89.86%
Disagree 5.80%
Unsure 0.00%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
18. All bills and assessments are paid in a timely manner.
Agree 63.77%
Disagree 0.00%
Unsure 34.78%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
19. We have many young families in our parish.
Agree 76.81%
Disagree 11.59%
Unsure 10.14%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
20. The liturgies at our parish are prayerful, reverent and spiritually moving.
Agree 68.12%
Disagree 24.64%
Unsure 5.80%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
21. Our parish plays an active and visible role in the life of the community in which it is located.
Agree 65.22%
Disagree 15.94%
Unsure 13.04%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 5.80%
22. Parishioners appreciate and encourage the ethnic diversity of our parish (e.g. Hispanic, Laotian, Vietnamese, etc.)
Agree 34.78%
Disagree 2.90%
Unsure 40.58%
Not Applicable 13.04%
Blank 8.70%
23. Parishioners are eager to become involved in parish leadership and ministry.
Agree 27.54%
Disagree 50.72%
Unsure 20.29%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
24. Parish leadership consults parishioners in decisions that affect the life of the parish.
Agree 39.13%
Disagree 27.54%
Unsure 31.88%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
25. Our pastor and pastoral staff are energized and enthusiastic about their ministry.
Agree 71.01%
Disagree 11.59%
Unsure 11.59%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 5.80%
26. Our parish is spirituality vital and alive.
Agree 68.12%
Disagree 18.84%
Unsure 10.14%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 2.90%
27. Our parish provides a variety of prayer experiences and devotions.
Agree 79.71%
Disagree 8.70%
Unsure 10.14%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
28. The music at our liturgies inspires prayer and worship of God.
Agree 68.12%
Disagree 21.74%
Unsure 8.70%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
29. Our parish engages in outreach to the poor.
Agree 56.52%
Disagree 7.25%
Unsure 34.78%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
30. Our parish invites parishioners to become involved in parish life and ministry.
Agree 88.41%
Disagree 1.45%
Unsure 10.14%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
31. Our parish supports both pastor and staff in training and formation.
Agree 59.42%
Disagree 8.70%
Unsure 31.88%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
32. Parishioners receive training for leadership and ministry.
Agree 72.46%
Disagree 2.90%
Unsure 24.64%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
33. Events and programs at our parish are well attended.
Agree 43.48%
Disagree 23.19%
Unsure 33.33%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
34. Our church is sufficiently filled for each of our weekend liturgies.
Agree 65.22%
Disagree 21.74%
Unsure 8.70%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 4.35%
35. We are generous in our charitable giving (e.g. special collections, special needs, etc.)
Agree 47.83%
Disagree 11.59%
Unsure 39.13%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
36. We have active organizations for men and women.
Agree 82.61%
Disagree 7.25%
Unsure 8.70%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
37. We support other community/Church activities.
Agree 76.81%
Disagree 7.25%
Unsure 14.49%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
38. The preaching at our parish connects scripture to daily life and inspires Christian living.
Agree 71.01%
Disagree 15.95%
Unsure 13.04%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 0.00%
39. Our parish attends to the needs of the sick, homebound and bereaved.
Agree 49.28%
Disagree 17.39%
Unsure 31.88%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
40. Youth and young adults are actively involved in the life of the parish.
Agree 47.83%
Disagree 24.64%
Unsure 26.09%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
41. Our parishioners are spiritually prepared to live the gospel in their daily lives.
Agree 55.07%
Disagree 8.70%
Unsure 34.78%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
42. Our parish reaches out to non-Catholics.
Agree 43.48%
Disagree 17.39%
Unsure 37.68%
Not Applicable 0.00%
Blank 1.45%
Clergy Day addresses pastoring multiple parishes
By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor [as appearred in The Globe, 25 June 2009]
One pastor for one parish is the ideal ministry model but more and more dioceses throughout the nation are finding that this is no longer a realistic option in most cases.
The same is true for the Diocese of Sioux City. That’s why the diocese recently brought in keynote speakers to address the topic of multiple-parish ministry.
According to Father Armand Bertrand, a member of the Strategic Planning Task Force for the Diocese of Sioux City, about 90 priests were on hand June 12 for a Clergy Day held in Early.
Father Bertrand and Father Bill Schreiber, another member of the Strategic Planning Task Force, had attended a conference on the concept of pastoring multiple parishes and felt priests of the diocese could benefit from the information.
“We wanted to bring back these ideas and present them to the whole presbyterate because the entire presbyterate will be affected by the reality we are going to face,” Father Bertrand said. “One pastor, one parish is the ideal – there’s no doubt about that, but we have to do the best we can with a less than ideal situation.”
The speakers
Speakers Dr. Kate Wiskus and Mark Mogilka, experts in this emerging ministry, gave the presentation. Wiskus is a member of the faculty and associate dean of formation at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. Mogilka is the director of Stewardship and Pastoral Services for the Green Bay Diocese. He chairs the national study committee on Multiple-parish Pastoring for the Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership Project. The two authored a book on pastoring multiple parishes.
The two speakers presented six parish models. These ranged from separate parishes that coordinate activities together (similar to the clustering concept), to a merged parish with multiple worship sites model and one unified parish with one church building.
“They very much emphasized the fact that no one model will fit all, and that’s even within a diocese,” Father Bertrand said. “There may be several different models used within one diocese.”
Choosing a model
Many factors play into determining the model of preference. For instance, geographic locations can make a difference. Three parishes within the city limits may have different needs and realities than three parishes in a rural area due to the distance between sites.
Other factors that impact which model is adopted include present demographics, future demographic trends, economics, administrative leadership skills and pastoral leadership skills.
“As we get into the long-range plan, I would anticipate that pastors will have to use their creativity and pastoral leadership to look at these models and determine what works best,” Father Schreiber said. “They may even have to use a variation on some of the models. You don’t have to use the models as is, you can adapt to your local situation.”
He pointed out that each parish is unique with its own culture and history. The various models will allow the pastor and the parish leadership team to select the path that works best for their own situation.
Determining which model to use will be a collaborative venture of the parishes – both priests and parish leaders.
“But it is a time-limited process,” said Father Bertrand, who added that they must act at some point soon rather than continuing to merely think about options.
He said something must be done in order to lighten the workload of the priests.
“We have to do this for survival, because one priest can’t be running to three parish council meetings, three finance council meetings. We will be burned out,” he stressed. “We have to be thinking in terms of lay, local leadership.”
One of the speakers had the priests write down what they did everyday for a week. Then he told them to cut that in half. The speakers tried to emphasize the fact that the pastors can’t do it all.
“What we are going to have to do is learn how to better manage our time as pastors and we are going to have to depend on the lay leadership,” Father Bertrand said.
Some already pastoring multiples
For some of the priests in attendance at the meeting, the concept of pastoring multiple parishes has already been a reality of their priesthood for a number of years.
Father Patrick O’Kane, pastor at St. Bernard’s in Blencoe, St. John’s in Onawa and St. Joseph’s in Salix, said that as a pastor of multiple parishes it verified some of the things he has been doing. He agreed with the speakers points on the importance of lay involvement.
“What I have found while being a pastor of multiple parishes is rather than having it be something to be afraid of, it’s really been a wonderful experience because the people understand that you can’t do everything,” he said. “They have allowed me to concentrate on the things that a priest should do. I can spend time in prayer, time in spiritual direction and celebrating the sacraments.”
Father O’Kane has found pastoring multiple parishes “to be a real gift,” which has enabled him to prioritize his responsibilities on being a spiritual father to the people.
Father Ed Girres, pastor at St. Cecelia in Algona, said that what stood out for him as a former pastor of multiple parishes in Webster County was that pastors can’t do it all.
“You can’t duplicate everything you do in one parish in the second parish,” he said. “We need to delegate some of the tasks to other people. I think the speakers gave us some real practical areas where we can get some help – to help remind us of what is essential.”
Plus, Father Girres added, the priests were reminded that if they have a passion for a particular area of ministry that they should put some time and energy into it because that can breathe life into their ministry and priesthood. Again, some of the other duties can be delegated.
He acknowledged that working together at times can be difficult. Some people are more open to and comfortable with collaboration.
Working together
“We need to help people realize that we can do some things together that doesn’t take away from our individual identity, but helps us grow in our faith,” Father Girres said. “There are things we can do together that we can’t do alone.”
Not only is some of this collaboration and merging necessary due to the priest numbers, but he said some of it “is good for us because when we work together, we can be better about what we are called to do. It’s not all negative; there are some great things that can happen for our spiritual and church life. There are some real positive sides to this.”
Even for Father Bertrand, he said since he was ordained 15 years ago, he has never been pastor of just one parish. He has always been a pastor of multiple parishes.
“But things will get a lot trickier in the diocese when we start linking larger entities together,” he said.
Some parishes will start with one model and then move or evolve to another model as collaboration increases and the needs are more readily identified.
The priests on the task force pointed out that this Clergy Day wasn’t offered as part of coming up with the long-range strategic plan of the diocese. That has been created and is waiting the promulgation of Bishop R. Walker Nickless.
“The planning has been done for five years and now it’s a matter of implementing and getting those necessary skills and tools for each of the pastors so that we can help them as much as we can to deal with the reality we have,” Father Schreiber said.
This educational day was offered because the strategic plan will create the necessity for pastoring multiple parishes.
A PARISH CENTER is the location of: the rectory, parish office, and pastoral and finance council. It is a sacramental site with Sunday and weekday Mass, reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, and the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and funerals. It is also a catechetical site where youth and adult faith formation programs are held.
A LITURGICAL SITE is a sacramental site with Sunday Mass, the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, and the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and funerals. Weekday Mass may be celebrated there if deemed necessary. It is an optional catechetical site where youth and adult faith formation programs may be held if deemed necessary.
It was proposed at the cluster meeting of February 15 that by 2014 that Immaculate Conception-Moville will be the PARISH CENTER: with the rectory, parish office, and pastoral and finance council; a sacramental site with Sunday and weekday Mass, reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, and the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and funerals; and a catechetical site where youth and adult faith formation programs are held. And that St. Michael-Kingsley will be a LITURGICAL SITE with Sunday and weekday Mass, the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, and the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and funerals; a catechetical site where youth faith formation programs are held; and with the care of the St. Michael Cemetery.
At this time we are waiting for Bishop Nickless to formally approve the plan. Once the plan is approved parish leadership from both parishes [pastor, staff, and Councils] will begin meeting to discuss and decide on the details of how to implement the plan in this area. It will be important to listen, sacrifice, and pray as we work to continue to make both parishes viable under the leadership of one pastor for many years to come. Please stay tuned for additional information in the future.
7/5/09
A PARISH CENTER is the location of: the rectory, parish office, and pastoral and finance council. It is a sacramental site with Sunday and weekday Mass, reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, and the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and funerals. It is also a catechetical site where youth and adult faith formation programs are held.
A LITURGICAL SITE is a sacramental site with Sunday Mass, the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, and the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and funerals. Weekday Mass may be celebrated there if deemed necessary. It is an optional catechetical site where youth and adult faith formation programs may be held if deemed necessary.
It was proposed at the cluster meeting of February 15 that by 2014 that Immaculate Conception-Moville will be the PARISH CENTER: with the rectory, parish office, and pastoral and finance council; a sacramental site with Sunday and weekday Mass, reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, and the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and funerals; and a catechetical site where youth and adult faith formation programs are held. And that St. Michael-Kingsley will be a LITURGICAL SITE with Sunday and weekday Mass, the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, and the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Matrimony, Anointing of the Sick, Reconciliation, and funerals; a catechetical site where youth faith formation programs are held; and with the care of the St. Michael Cemetery.
Now that the plan has been approved parish leadership from both parishes [pastor, staff, and Councils] will begin meeting to discuss and decide on the details of how to implement the plan in this area. It will be important to listen, sacrifice, and pray as we work to continue to make both parishes viable under the leadership of one pastor for many years to come. Please stay tuned for additional information in the future.
Stay tuned for more information.