Deaneries respond to the challeges of the future
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As noted in Bishop Raphael M. Fliss' letter, all of the parishes in the diocese have been involved in an extensive planning process since November 2001. The recommendations that resulted from this process are shown below.
Northwest Deanery
Fr. Dean Buttrick convened the Northwest Deanery planning group. In 2001 the Northwest Deanery included seven parish clusters and two non-clustered parishes. The New Springtime Initiative projected that five clusters could be sustained in 2005.
After receiving the plan proposed for 2005 from the Northwest Deanery and following additional consultation with the deans of the diocese, the Diocesan Presbyteral Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Fliss has approved the clustering of parishes for 2005 that are shown on the map. Over the next two years implementation of this cluster plan would require the following adjustments:
(1) St. Anthony Parish in Lake Nebagamon clusters with St. Pius X Parish in Solon Springs, St. Anthony of Padua in Gordon, and St. Mary Parish in Minong.
(2) The parishes of St. Francis Xavier and St. Anthony in Superior form a new cluster.
(3) The Cathedral of Christ the King clusters with Holy Assumption Parish and St. William Parish located in Superior and Pattison Park.
The other currently operating clusters of parishes are expected to remain in place through 2005. As in 2001, the parishes of Immaculate Conception in Grantsburg and St. John the Evangelist in Birchwood remained clustered with parishes in the Southwest Deanery in 2005.
The New Springtime proposal from the Northwest Deanery states that Cathedral Parish would need an associate priest and that the priests assigned to work in the chancery would be needed to provide assistance in the city of Superior. The implementation of a staggered weekend Mass schedule was suggested. Under such a plan, one parish in a cluster would have Mass on one weekend, while another parish might have a Sunday Celebration Absent a Priest. These services would then be scheduled on a weekly alternating basis throughout the cluster.
A recommendation was made that each cluster of parishes seek to centralize their pastoral programs and ministries. Furthermore, the five faith communities in Superior were recommended to form
a city-wide youth group and confirmation process. Together these five communities are to develop a team to assist the priests in outreach to hospitals, nursing homes and senior citizen apartment complexes. In addition city-wide teams for liturgical ministry training, adult formation and education, and for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) are proposed.
The increased need for deacons and lay ministers to take an active role in parish ministry was also cited. The employment of business managers in each of the clusters is proposed.
Southwest Deanery
Fr. John Drummy convened the Southwest Deanery planning group. In 2001 the Southwest Deanery included nine parish clusters and six non-clustered parishes. The New Springtime Initiative projected that 13 clusters could be sustained in 2005.
By the time that the Southwest Deanery proposal was submitted to Fliss, the projected target for 2005 had already been reached. Among the changes that took place in the Southwest Deanery were:
(1) St. Ann Parish in Turtle Lake clustered with Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Almena and St. Anthony Abbot Parish in Cumberland.
(2) St. John the Baptist Parish in Glenwood City clustered with Immaculate Conception Parish in Hammond and St. Bridget Parish in Wilson.
(3) St. Patrick Parish in Centuria was consolidated with Our Lady of the Lakes Parish in Balsam Lake.
(4) Following a request from, and consultation with, parishioners, St. Bridget Parish in Stanton was closed.
As a result of these changes the Southwest Deanery currently has eight clusters of parishes and five non-clustered parishes. Consequently, the Southwest Deanery planning group did not recommend any further clustering to be done before 2005.
The Southwest Deanery planning group also recommended that use be made of Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest when weekend Masses could not be scheduled. Increased efforts to recruit candidates for priesthood and permanent diaconate were also urged. The creation of alternative ministry assignments for older priests who want to continue to minister, but not longer want to bear the full responsibility of a cluster of parishes, was encouraged. Several recommendations regarding the permanent diaconate made by the Southwest Deanery planning group have been conveyed to the permanent diaconate board for review. The use of a parish director, who is responsible for those activities within a parish or cluster not requiring ordination, and who is supervised by a neighboring pastor, was endorsed. Also encouraged were efforts to reduce the number of meetings that the priest would have to attend. Cluster councils were identified as a possible way to make that happen.
The planning group also endorsed providing programs for adult catechesis that allows the recipients "to grasp and live the immense extraordinary richness and responsibility received at baptism" and the establishment of a networking team that would personally invite inactive Catholics to participate in a small Christian community.
South Central Deanery
Fr. James Jackson convened the South Central Deanery planning group. In 2001 the South Central Deanery included nine parish clusters and two non-clustered parishes. The New Springtime Initiative projected that 11 clusters could be sustained in 2005.
After receiving the plan proposed for 2005 from the South Central Deanery and following additional consultation with the deans of the diocese, the Diocesan Presbyteral Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Fliss has approved the clustering of parishes for 2005 that are shown on the map. Over the next two years implementation of this cluster plan would require the following adjustments:
(1) St. Philip Parish in Stone Lake clusters with St. Ann Parish in Cable and St. Joseph Parish in Hayward.
(2) Sacred Heart Parish in Radisson and St. Peter Parish in Winter cluster with St. Ignatius Parish in New Post and St. Francis Solanus Parish in Reserve.
(3) Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Stetsonville clusters with Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Medford.
With the implementation of these changes the faithful residing in the South Central Deanery would be served by nine clusters of parishes.
The South Central Deanery report noted, "To make this work and to make sure that each community remains viable, much work and planning will have to be done. Each cluster of parishes will have to decide how they can best be served. They will have to look at their needs and recognize the help that is available to them so that they best use the resources that are available. This will mean looking at parish directors, business administrators and other leaders within and outside the community. The structure of the church will be changing; it will be necessary for each community to discern its needs and how we will be able to serve those needs with all resources possible."
North Central Deanery
Fr. Robert O'Connell convened the North Central Deanery planning group. In 2001 the North Central Deanery included seven clusters of parishes. St. Mary Parish in Odanah, St. Ann Parish in Cable, and Immaculate Conception Parish in Butternut were parts of clusters with priests resident in other deaneries. The New Springtime Initiative projected that five clusters could be sustained in 2005.
After receiving the plan proposed for 2005 from the North Central Deanery, and following additional consultation with the deans of the diocese, the Diocesan Presbyteral Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Fliss has approved the clustering of parishes for 2005 that is shown on the map. Since the preparation of the deanery report, St. Peter Parish in Dauby and St. Michael Parish in Iron River have clustered with St. Florian Parish in Ino and Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Moquah.
Over the next two years implementation of this cluster plan would require the following adjustments:
(1) St. Isaac Jogues and Companions Parish in Mercer clusters with St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Parish in Hurley, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Montreal, Holy Redeemer Parish in Pence, and St. Ann Parish in Saxon.
(2) St. Mary Parish in Odanah and St. Anne Parish in Sanborn cluster with Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Ashland.
With the implementation of these changes the North Central Deanery will have five clusters of parishes. St. Ann Parish in Cable and Immaculate Conception Parish in Butternut will continue to be parts of clusters with priests resident in other deaneries.
The North Central Deanery report calls for the development of pastoral teams to serve the cluster of parishes in Hurley, Mercer, Montreal, Pence and Saxon; the cluster of parishes in Washburn, Bayfield, Red Cliff, Cornucopia and La Pointe; the cluster of parishes in Iron River, Dauby, Ino and Moquah; the cluster of parishes in Ashland, Odanah and Sanborn; and the cluster of parishes in Mellen, Glidden, Clam Lake and Highbridge. A parish director was recommended to reside at Most Precious Blood Parish in Glidden.
East Deanery
Fr. James Horath convened the East Deanery planning group. In 2001 the East Deanery included seven parish clusters and two non-clustered parishes. During the preparation of the East Deanery report, efforts began to unite St. John Vianney Parish in Lake Tomahawk, St. Patrick Parish in Minocqua, and Our Lady Queen of the Universe in Woodruff into one parish. The New Springtime Initiative projected that seven clusters could be sustained in 2005.
After receiving the plan proposed for 2005 from the Northwest Deanery, and following additional consultation with the deans of the diocese, the Diocesan Presbyteral Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Fliss has approved the clustering of parishes for 2005 that is shown on the map. Since the preparation of the East Deanery report St. Joseph Parish in Rhinelander has been clustered with Immaculate Conception Parish in Rhinelander, and St. John Parish in Pelican Lake.
Over the next two years implementation of this cluster plan would require the following adjustments.
(1) Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Manitowish Waters and St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Lac du Flambeau cluster with St. Anne Parish in Boulder Junction and St. Rita Parish in Presque Isle.
(2) St. Mary Parish in Sayner clusters with St. Peter the Fisherman Parish in Eagle River, St. Albert Parish in Land O'Lakes, and St. Mary Parish in Phelps.
(3) St. John Parish in Pelican Lake clusters with St. Kunegunda of Poland Parish in Sugar Camp and St. Theresa Parish in Three Lakes.
With the implementation of these changes the East Deanery will have six clusters of parishes and one non-clustered parish.
The report prepared by the East Deanery notes, "It (has become) apparent we all must actively pray for more vocations to the priesthood and religious life, both personally and as parish communities. We must also pray that laity will come forward to be parish leaders. The formation of vocation committees in our parishes is highly recommended. Also, we need to consider the possibility of advertising and recruiting candidates from professional graduate programs in pastoral ministry."
The reports also states, "The individual parish communities within the cluster must learn to function 'differently' in many aspects of their parish life. The term 'differently' has yet to be precisely defined. Perhaps 'differently' will have a varied meaning in every cluster, and this can only be experienced with time and trial."
The need to plan for additional parish staffing, such as pastoral associates, parish secretaries, parish directors, business managers, leaders of prayer, liturgists and other parish leaders, was cited in the report. The report recommends that parish directors reside at St. Augustine Parish in Harrison, St. Albert Parish in Land O'Lakes, and either St. Anne Parish in Boulder Junction or St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Lac du Flambeau.
Business managers and pastoral associates were recommended for the Lake Tomahawk, Minocqua and Woodruff parish cluster, and for the Eagle River, Land O'Lakes, Phelps and Sayner cluster. A need for additional pastoral staff was also projected for the St. Joseph Parish and Immaculate Conception Parish in Rhinelander, and St. John Parish in Pelican Lake.
Also noted in the report was "a tremendous need for training laity in areas such as: lay leadership roles in a parish; spiritual development; in-service formation and catechesis ... Individual parish communities will need strong leadership from each pastor to educate, encourage and accept these new clusters and the redefined duties of laity and clergy alike."
© Superior Catholic Herald, 2003