January 2016 Synod: the Next Step Parish Pastoral Planning 101
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Inside this issue 5 ACA Chair Couple Rowan and Julie Taylor 25-48 Special Diocesan Schools Supplement Please visit us on: at www.facebook.com/ bridgeportdiocese at www.twitter.com/ diobpt, dobyouth Latest news: bridgeportdiocese.com Frank E. Metrusky, CFP® President and Financial Advisor 945 Beaver Dam Road Stratford, CT 06614 203.386.8977 Securities and Advisory Services offered through National Planning Corporation (NPC), Member FINRA/SIPC, and a Registered Investment Advisor. Catholic Way investments and NPC are separate and unrelated companies. 2 January 2016 Synod: The Next Step Parish Pastoral Planning 101 BY PATRICK TURNER Ideally, parish pastoral planning helps to answer the questions: You may have heard recently that your parish is entering into • Who are we as a parish? a pastoral planning process for • What are we called to do? 2016. You probably have many • How are we best going to do questions about what exactly that it? means, what is involved in the • Do we have the necessary process, and the timeline for a resources, personnel and struc- parish pastoral plan. This article tures in place to do what we will attempt to address many of want to do? those questions. One of the major initiatives The goal is to create a mech- that emerged from the Diocesan anism by which every aspect of Synod was the recommendation parish life is intentional, mission- that every parish in the diocese ary-driven, and open to periodic engage in a comprehensive and evaluation and improvement. It is intentional process to create a important this process be rooted in parish pastoral plan for the next prayer and open to the guidance two years. Throughout the synod, of the Holy Spirit, and that those the delegates recognized that involved are faithful to patient finance councils and trustees to members and trustees to review identify ways in which the parish there were many strengths in our discernment and study and com- serve on this body, and also to the parish self-assessment, the Task effectively supports that growth. individual parishes, but also iden- mitted to creating a plan with the invite new lay leaders into this Force will identify several priorities As a means to support this tified a number of challenges fac- pastor that will set the roadmap visioning process. The pastor will for the next two pastoral years. planning process, Father Dogali ing our parishes and our diocese. for vitality and vibrancy. serve as the leader of the Planning 4. Each parish will provide will be meeting throughout the What was noted was that a The pastoral planning process Task Force. opportunities this spring and spring with each pastor individ- number of our parishes operated consists of five components: There are a number of broad summer for the broader parish ually to review their parish data on a year-to-year basis, respond- steps to the planning process after community to have discussions and to engage in a conversation ing to the immediate needs, • Collection of data, including the establishment of the Planning with the Planning Task Force about their particular parish pri- without having the occasion to financial, sacramental, pasto- Task Force: about the priorities established orities. In addition, there will be step back and carefully and inten- ral, demographic and the state 1. Each Planning Task Force before the finalized pastoral plan several “Pastoral Planning 101” tionally set priorities and identify of the parish’s physical plant will be asked to review a parish is submitted to Bishop Frank J. workshops designed specifical- needs to be addressed. This pro- • Evaluation of that data snapshot to be provided by the Caggiano by September 30. ly for the Planning Task Force cess is designed to provide the • Identification of strengths, Office of Strategic and Pastoral members to come together, share opportunity for a broader discus- challenges and priorities for Planning in early February that Disciple Maker Index ideas and experiences and learn sion of goals and a renewal of our the next two years will include financial, pastoral In addition to the process best practices from local and parishes. • Creation of a two-year pastoral and sacramental data trends over outlined above that will be under- national experts. The Office of Strategic and plan that addresses both the the last few years. taken in all 82 of our parishes, All of this: the planning pro- Pastoral Planning (OSPP) was parish’s particular challenges 2. After reviewing the parish 29 parishes will also be partic- cess, the data review, the consul- created in October 2015 to pro- and the synod’s global chal- snapshot, the Task Force will be ipating in the Disciple Maker tations and collaboration, and the vide the resources to assist the lenges asked to complete a parish self-as- Index (DMI) survey offered identification of goals for a parish parishes in the diocese in imple- • Evaluation of that plan on an sessment evaluation: identifying through the auspices of the pastoral plan, is designed to menting this synod initiative. annual basis pastoral strengths and challenges Catholic Leadership Institute in strengthen our parishes, to iden- Led by Father Michael Dogali, through the prism of the synod Philadelphia. Thanks to a gen- tify needs, to celebrate strengths, vicar for Strategic Planning, In order to undertake this plan- global challenges, a projection erous donor, these self-selected and to position our churches to and Patrick Turner, director of ning process, each parish has been of the financial resources for the parishes will have the opportu- be beacons of light to the people Strategic and Pastoral Planning, asked to identify 6-10 lay leaders coming years, and a review of nity to engage their parishioners of Fairfield County for many the office will develop the mate- to serve as a Planning Task Force the current condition of all parish in a broad-based survey that years to come. rials and provide the formation for the next nine months. Pastors buildings. will allow respondents to reflect (Patrick Turner is director of necessary to assist parishes in have been encouraged to seek 3. After meeting with parish on their own personal spiritual Strategic and Pastoral Planning for drafting a two-year pastoral plan. out members of their parish and staff, pastoral and finance council growth and discipleship and the Diocese of Bridgeport.) n ON THE COVER | CONTENTS NATIONAL CATHOLIC 6 MCGIVNEY CENTER 15 REFLECTIONS ON ISRAEL SCHOOLS WEEK—Students Writer Nina Riccio from St. Ann Academy in Black Bishop cooks for kids Inside this issue Rock, Bridgeport, among the nearly 9,000 young people who 8 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH 18 OBITUARIES 5 ACA Chaircouple attend 31 diocesan elementary Rowan and Julie Taylor Catholic Charties and St. Vincent’s Remembering Father Malloy, Msgr. Caldas and high schools throughout Fairfield County. “Catholic CONSECRATED LIFE PROFILE Special Diocesan 12 25-48 Schools: Communities of Faith, 21 TRINITY CATHOLIC FOOTBALL Schools Supplement Please visit us on: Knowledge and Service” is the Sister Anna Rodriguez, MSSMI Columnist Don Harrison at www.facebook.com/ theme of National Catholic bridgeportdiocese at www.twitter.com/ diobpt, dobyouth Latest news: Schools Week, January bridgeportdiocese.com ® KOLBE CATHEDRAL TEACHER Frank E. Metrusky, CFP 13 President 31-February 6. DIOCESAN YOUTH CHOIR and Financial Advisor 22 945 Beaver Dam Road Stratford, CT 06614 “Making a Difference” 203.386.8977 (PHOTOS BY AMY MORTENSEN) Spirits soar at Christmas Concert Securities andMember Advisory FINRA/SIPC, Services offered and a throughRegistered National Investment Planning Advisor. Corporation (NPC), Catholic Way investments and NPC are separate and unrelated companies. 3 January 2016 Local News Lilly grant will enable SHU/high school theology FAIRFIELD—Committee gram will provide 24 high school Michelle Loris, director of SHU’s members for the Lilly students with an experience of Catholic studies program; Father Endowment High School Youth faith education, self-discovery Anthony Ciorra, assistant vice Theology Institutes gathered for and fun activities. Six SHU stu- president for Mission & Catholic the first time on January 12 to dent mentors will act as guides Identity at SHU; Dr. June-Ann discuss the week-long workshop in this exploration of faith. They Greeley, professor of religious for local youth in June. The will share in small group con- studies at SHU; Father David event, funded by a $559,654 versations about real life issues, Buckles, director of Campus grant from Lilly Endowment prayer, liturgy, music ministry Ministry and Chaplaincy at SHU Inc., will be hosted jointly by and community service. and Evan Psencik, coordina- Sacred Heart University (SHU) The week will include key- tor of Youth and Young Adult and the Diocese of Bridgeport. note talks by Bishop Frank J. Formation for the Diocese of This planning team includes Caggiano and Kerry Robinson, Bridgeport. members of the SHU faculty, noted Catholic lay leader and “This will be an extraordi- campus ministry and student executive director of the National nary and transformative week life who are working with staff Leadership Roundtable on for those high school young men from the diocese to plan and Church Management. The partic- and women who want to become develop this week-long Institute, SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY Catholic Studies Program Director Michelle ipants will also visit the Cloisters more knowledgeable, effective, “SHU Journey: To God and the Loris conducts a meeting with the Lilly Endowment Summer Theology in New York City. confident and faith-filled leaders World.” Program committee on January 12. (PHOTO BY TRACY DEER-MIREK) The faculty and staff leaders in their parishes, schools, and The six-day residential pro- for the week will include Dr. communities,” Dr. Loris says. n Two judges join Tribunal Tribunal BRIDGEPORT—Two judges from the Metropolitan Tribunal have been appointed to serve on of the Archdiocese of New York.