By Sam M. Lucero
Catholic Herald
SUPERIOR -- In an effort to meet the ministerial challenges facing the Diocese of Superior, Bishop Raphael M. Fliss has issued a pastoral letter, "A New Springtime." The letter addresses key concerns facing the Catholic Church in northern Wisconsin and proposes six guiding principles that can help "create a new springtime for our local church."
The pastoral letter, which is published as an insert in this week's Catholic Herald, is the result of nearly one year of preparation. In June 2000, the bishop appointed Richard Lyons as director of the diocesan Office of Planning. Lyons' first task was to meet with pastors and parish directors and assess the challenges facing the diocese.
The visits began last October and ended in January 2001.
"We talked about their assessment of the 2000 Plan and the most important challenges the diocese faces in the next 10 years," said Lyons. The 2000 Plan was a document issued in 1982 by the diocesan Planning and Research Commission. Formally known as "2000 Here We Come," the document projected the number of priests that would be serving in the diocese in the year 2000 and offered guidelines for addressing an impending shortage of priests.
A New Springtime revisits the subject.
Lyons said he gathered the information received through interviews with priests and parish directors and identified common themes. "Those themes were the basis for A New Springtime," he said.
Lyons presented a summary of his report to the Diocesan Pastoral Council and Presbyteral Council and revisions were made. During deanery clergy meetings priests were asked to study the document and give additional input. A final version was presented to the bishop, who decided to write a pastoral letter using the summary as a guide.
A New Springtime is the first pastoral letter written by Fliss. It addresses the most critical issues facing the diocese: finding new ways to minister to a growing faith community with fewer priests, and promoting vocations and lay ministry.
In addition to publishing the pastoral letter in the diocesan newspaper, the letter was printed in booklet form. These booklets, which include additional information such as a section of frequently asked questions, will be mailed to all parishes.
Enough copies were printed to distribute to all parish pastoral council members, along with a resource packet. The bishop has requested that parish pastoral councils discuss the pastoral letter using a "Parish Council Reflection Tool" that is part of the resource packet.
Parish pastoral council members are asked to respond to a series of questions related to the letter, said Lyons. They are also requested to offer other strategies. The results of each council's discussions will be returned to the Chancery by March 20.
A representative from each parish council will later be asked to attend a deanery level meeting to discuss the additional suggestions, said Lyons. The proposals that are accepted will be added to the list of strategies that the diocese will implement in its pastoral plan.
Lyons said the bishop's pastoral letter is a catalyst for discussion and action. "I hope we can come up with a plan that will provide the widest sacramental experience we can for the people of northern Wisconsin," he said, "and that the laity, religious and clergy can work together in carrying out the mission of the church given the resources we have at our disposal."
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2001