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Diocese of Davenport Living the Faith Task Force

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Diocese of Davenport Living the Faith Task Force Diocese of Davenport Living the Faith Task Force Final Report Submitted to The Most Reverend William E. Franklin April 17,2005 Task Force Co-Chairs: Father Bob Busher Father Ken Kuntz Table of Contents Diocesan Charge Task Force Members PART I A. Planning Assumptions and Objectives B. Proposed Deanery Plans 1 .) Clinton Deanery 2.) Davenport Deanery 3.) Grinnell Deanery 4.) Iowa City Deanery 5.) Keokuk Deanery 6.) Ottumwa Deanery C. Summary of Deanery Plans PART I1 \ Reports of Diocesan Specialized Ministries 1.) Deacons' Report 2.) HispanicfLatino Ministry Report 3.) VietnameseIAsian Ministry Report 4.) Stewardship Report 5.) Social Action Report 6.) Vocations Report PART 111 Executive Summary and Recommendations PART IV Exhi bits: 1. Ministry Formation Programs 2. Role Descriptions: Canonical Pastor Sacramental Priest Parish Life Administrator (or Pastoral Administrator and Finance Administrator) 3. Sample Contract 4. Six Ministry Areas 5. Viability Document 6. Wellness Document-"The Welfare of Priests in the Diocese of Davenport" 7. Priests' Projected Retirements and Summary 8. Introduction to Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest (Leader's Edition--USCCB) 9. Non-Recommended Alternatives to Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of the Priest PART V Supplementary Materials 1. Report on Lay Ministry Formation, Parish Life Administrator Training, and Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest 2. Diocesan Policy for Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest 3. Diocesan Policy for Weekday Liturgies in the Absence of a Priest 4. Report of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate: Understanding the Trends- Parishes Entrusted to Parish Life Coordinators July, 2004 DIOCESAN CHARGE MINUTES FROM THE DEANS AND CONSULTORS MEETING HELD ON NOVEMBER lgth,2003 Chairs for the Living the Faith Committee were appointed and they are Fr. Ken Kuntz and Fr. Bob Busher. Suggestions for this committee were given. Tasks for this committee were discussed and the following were suggested and are open for further recommendations: develop a "structural plan" for each deanery visioning less priests in parishes and other ministries review the need for more Pastoral Ministers review possibilities for clustering/consolidating review possibilities for sharing personnel (priests, DRE's, youth ministers, pastoral ministers, etc.) review parish's evangelization programs review parish's stewardship programs Living the Faith Task Force Co-Chairs: Fr. Bob Busher and Fr. Ken Kuntz Clinton deanery Kathy Goddard (Welton) Davenport deanery Murial Martinez (Le Claire) Grimell deanery Tarnrny Norcross (Newton) Iowa City deanery Jude West (Iowa City) Keokuk deanery Merlin Hellman (Fort Madison) Ottumwa deanery Wanda Flahive (Lovilia) Others: Carol Kaalberg (Lone Tree)--Parish Life Coordinator Sister Agnes Giblin (Iowa City)--Pastoral Associate Deacon Bill Olson (Grimell>-Permanent Deacons Sister Irene Munoz (Ottumwa)--Hispanic Ministry Father Joseph van Phung (Iowa City)--Vietnamese Ministry Judy Johnson (Davenport)-Stewardship Dan Ebener (Davenport)-Social Action Fr. Robert Gruss (Davenport>-Vocations Director 1laMae Hanisch (Davenport)--Lay Ministry Development Living the Faith Task Force Planning Assumptions and Objectives I) Introduction a. The Living the Faith Task Force has been charged with the responsibility of developing a ten-year plan for the diocese (from 2005-201 5). We could begin with three scenarios regarding the future: i. The Davenport diocese priest level will be the same as it is now (with three ordinations per year). .. 11. The Davenport Diocese parish priest level will be slightly lower than now (with two ordinations per year). iii. The Davenport Diocese parish priest shortage will be dramatic (with one ordination per year). b. The task force has adopted scenario number three as the focus of our attention. If it proves to be accurate, action needs to be taken as early as possible to expand lay ministries. 11) Planning Assumptions The number of diocesan priests available for parish work in 20 15 will be approximately 25% lower than present. (This assumes one ordination per year.) Since the continuation of current parish assignments will not be possible, there will be significant changes in parish life. Many parishes will be administrated in different ways and others will be clustered. Few parishes will be maintained as they currently are. In many cases, the role of the parish priest will be dramatically changed. His administrative duties may be assigned to trained and qualified lay personnel. Preaching, presiding at liturgy, and providing pastoral care will be his major responsibilities. Concurrently with this change in role, there will be the need to evaluate the workload of the priests so that they do not burnout or succumb to stress related illnesses. The role of Parish Life Administrators will be reviewed and most probably expanded. More lay persons will be encouraged to take on administrative and coordinative activities within the parish. The result of items d and e will necessitate a review of diocesan ministry formation programs to train lay people/deacons to assume these ministries. The importance of stewardship, evangelization, and social action will need to be emphasized as imperative components of parish life. The faith of many Catholics will be challenged during this significant period of change. Innovative approaches to decision making and change will be sought. 111) Obiectives of the Living the Faith Task Force To create a deanery plan allowing each parish to self determine its own fi$ure based upon a 25% reduction of diocesan priests over the next ten years-ie. whether to surface and train lay leadership, to cluster or consolidate, or to close. NOTE: All parishes (or parish clusters) MUST BE VIABLE. Cf. criteria for Parish Viability in the Diocese of Davenport. To discuss various models of parish life. GOAL: That every parish or cluster without a resident Pastor would have a Parish Life Administrator (or a Pastoral Administrator and a Finance Administrator). To integrate evangelization, stewardship, and social action programs into the life of every faith community. To show support to parishioners whose faith may be challenged as a result of the changes that will be undertaken in their community. To plan for enhanced ministry to the growing LatinolHispanic and AsianNietnamese populations in the diocese. To agree upon a reasonable workload model for priests so as to reduce the possibility of burnout and undue stress-ie. 3 weekend Masses, 20 fherals, 15 weddings, 3 weekends off per year. Cf. The Priests ' Wellness Document. To explore possibilities for increasing vocations to the priesthood. CLINTON DEANERY PROPOSED PASTORAL PLAN Rationale: In setting up the pastoral plan for the Clinton Deanery, our primary concern was parish viability. We would like each parish to be a vibrant community that celebrates the faith, lives the faith, and passes on the faith to future generations. The following factors were taken into consideration: 1. The number of Masses currently being celebrated each weekend in the parish. 2. The seating capacity of the church. 3. The average number of people worshipping on a weekend. We also wanted to make sure that each priest would celebrate no more than three Masses each weekend, with a goal of no more than fifteen weddings and twenty funerals per year. Each priest would have three weekends off a year. CLINTON DEANERY SCENARIO #I: Parish Current # of Masses Current Average weekend Seating per weekend attendance capacity Clinton * First Communions, Weddings, and Funerals POSSIBLE PASTORAL ARRANGEMENTS: Jesus Christ Prince of Peace parish will have two priests. Masses will be celebrated in the new church. Total number of priests: 2 Pastoral Associates: 1 or 2 CLINTON DEANERY SCENARIO #2: Parish Current # of Masses Current Average weekend Seating per weekend attendance capacitv DeWitt 4(36,8,24)* 1,259 394 Grand Mound 1(6,6,5)* 203 286 Toronto 1(2,2,2)* ? (44,16,31) * First Communions, Weddings, and Funerals POSSIBLE PASTORAL ARRANGEMENTS: The Pastor of St. Joseph's Parish lives in DeWitt. He celebrates one Mass on Saturday evening in DeWitt and two Masses on Sunday morning in DeWitt. The Pastor of St. Joseph's parish in DeWitt is the Canonical Pastor of Ss. Philip and James parish in Grand Mound and St. James parish in Toronto. A Sacramental Priest lives in Grand Mound. He celebrates one or two Masses in Grand Mound and one Mass in Toronto each weekend. Total number of parish priests: 1 (+ 1 Sacramental Priest) Parish Life Administrators: I or 2 (Grand Mound & Toronto) CLINTON DEANERY SCENARIO #3: -Parish Current # of Masses Current Average weekend Seating per weekend attendance capacity Lost Nation 1(2,0,3)* 60 ? Oxford Junction ?(?,?,?)* (2,093) * First Communions, Weddings, and Funerals POSSIBLE PASTORAL ARRANGEMENTS: The Canonical Pastor is the Pastor of Jesus Christ Prince of Peace Parish in Clinton. The Sacramental Priest is the chaplain of Mercy Medical Center in Clinton. The Sacramental Priest lives in Clinton. One Mass is offered in each parish each weekend as well as at the hospital. Total number of resident pastors: 0 Sacramental priest: 1 Parish Life Administrators: 2 (Lost Nation & Oxford Junction) CLINTON DEANERY SCENARIO #4: Parish Current # of Masses Current Averagie weekend Seating per weekend attendance capacity Charlotte 2(6, 192)" 175 (Villa Nova) Sugar Creek 2(7,4,5)* 200 (Bryant) 326 330 Wel ton 1(2,0,0)* 393 (2297, 10) * First Communions, Weddings, and Funerals POSSIBLE
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