Christ Our Life CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF NEW ULM, MN DIOCESAN PLAN FOR PARISHES FROM 2013 TO 2020 AND BEYOND Pursuing the Mission of Jesus Christ as Priest, Prophet, and King CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF NEW ULM, MN DIOCESAN PLAN FOR PARISHES FROM 2013 TO 2020 AND BEYOND Edited by The Diocesan Committee on Parishes: Bishop John M. LeVoir Msgr. Douglas Grams Fr. Ronald Huberty, Chair Fr. Brian Oestreich Fr. George Schmit Fr. Anthony Stubeda Fr. Paul Timmerman Sr. Mary Ann Kuhn, SSND Sr. Vivian Petersen, OSB Joann Evjen Mary Nordstrom Shirley Nowak Tom Keaveny, Staff Liaison, Director of Pastoral Planning Karla Cross, Diocesan On-Call Member, Director of Schools Sr. Anna Marie Reha, SSND, Diocesan On-Call Member, Director of Hispanic Ministry Dan Rossini, Staff Liaison, Coordinator of Staff and Director of Communications Former Committee Members Serving Between 2003 and 2011: Archbishop John C. Nienstedt Fr. Brian Mandel Fr. William Sprigler Sr. Jeanette Homan, OSF Sr. Laetitia Lariviere, IHM Sr. Mary Kay Mahowald, OSF Stephen Arnold Dolores Berg June Brust Wayne Carlson Christie Fox Laurie Yackley Mark Kemmeter, Former Coordinator of Staff Wayne Pelzel, Former Director of Schools For further information on the Diocesan Plan for Parishes, contact: Coordinator of Staff, 1400 6th Street North, New Ulm, MN 56073; e-mail: [email protected] Copyright © 2013 Diocese of New Ulm All Rights Reserved PRAYER FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FOURTH PLAN FOR PARISHES Heavenly Father, we place in your hands the Fourth Plan for Parishes of the Diocese of New Ulm. It was only with your grace that this pastoral plan has been formulated. It will only be with your grace that its implementation will take place. Help us to recognize our dignity as baptized Catholics, who have been configured to Christ. We ask for the grace to live out our share in the triple offices of Christ – priest, prophet, and king – and thereby to show the loving face of Christ to others in our families, parishes, work places, schools, social gatherings, and all other activities. Strengthen our priests as they carry out the ministerial priesthood of Christ by teaching, shepherding, and sanctifying the people entrusted to their care by the bishop. Be with our consecrated women religious as they give their lives to Christ for the sake of building up his Church. Unite us all as one in the New Evangelization, so that all may share the Good News of Christ. May Jesus work in us and through us to bring about a culture of life and love in our diocese and beyond. Strengthen our marriages and families so that they may be places of love, formation in the faith, generosity, and vocations. Assist our country. May the religious liberty of all be respected. For these intentions, we ask the maternal intercession of the patroness of our diocese, Our Lady of New Ulm. All of this we ask through Christ our Life, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen. Revised: May 15, 2013 v Revised: May 15, 2013 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Foreword .................................................................................................................................................. ix Synopsis of General Principles ................................................................................................................ xi Previous Plans for Parishes in the Diocese of New Ulm ....................................................................... xiii Section I: Foundational Principles ............................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 1. The Identity and Mission of the Diocese of New Ulm ............................................................ 3 Chapter 2. The Single Pastor Model of the Area Faith Community ......................................................... 7 Chapter 3. The Role of Pastoral Administrators ..................................................................................... 10 Chapter 4. Permanent Diaconate in the Diocese of New Ulm ................................................................ 13 Chapter 5. Consecrated Life: Those Called to Christian Perfection ....................................................... 16 Chapter 6. The Role of the Laity in Society ........................................................................................... 20 Section II: Pastoral Vision ........................................................................................................................ 25 Chapter 1. Synopsis of Pastoral Priorities ............................................................................................... 27 Chapter 2. Christ Our Life ...................................................................................................................... 30 Chapter 3. The Priestly Office: Embracing a Eucharistic Spirituality .................................................... 35 Chapter 4. The Prophetic Office: Evangelizing the Church to Evangelize the World ............................ 43 Chapter 5. The Kingly Office: Transforming the World in Christ’s Love ............................................. 50 Chapter 6. Vocations to the Priesthood and Consecrated Life ................................................................ 67 Chapter 7. Hispanic Ministry: An Opportunity for Mutual Enrichment ................................................. 72 Chapter 8. Catholic Schools: A Vital Part of the Prophetic Mission of the Church ............................... 75 Chapter 9. Conclusion: Living Heroic Lives in Imitation of Christ........................................................ 80 Section III: People of the Diocese ............................................................................................................ 83 Chapter 1. Demographics of the Diocese ................................................................................................ 85 Chapter 2. Population Projections for the Diocese ................................................................................. 89 Chapter 3. The Hispanic Population and Racial Composition of the Diocese ........................................ 92 Chapter 4. Parish Population and Mass Attendance Trends ................................................................... 94 Chapter 5. Conclusion: The Present and Future of the Diocese of New Ulm ......................................... 97 Section IV: Parish Organization ............................................................................................................ 101 Chapter 1. Overview of Diocesan Organization ................................................................................... 103 Chapter 2. The Area Faith Community ................................................................................................. 105 Chapter 3. The Parish ............................................................................................................................ 108 Chapter 4. The Church and the Church Building .................................................................................. 112 Revised: May 15, 2013 vii Chapter 5. The Small Parish ................................................................................................................. 115 Chapter 6. Options for Small Parishes .................................................................................................. 119 Section V: Pastoral Leadership ............................................................................................................. 127 Chapter 1. Overview of Pastoral Leadership in the Diocese of New Ulm ............................................ 129 Chapter 2. Our Present and Future Priests ............................................................................................ 131 Chapter 3. Pastoral Leader Allocation .................................................................................................. 134 Chapter 4. Consultation and Implementation........................................................................................ 140 Chapter 5. Area Faith Community and Parish Ministry ....................................................................... 145 Addenda: Guidelines .............................................................................................................................. 147 Appendix 1. Area Pastoral Council Guidelines .................................................................................... 149 Appendix 2. Area Assessment Guidelines ............................................................................................ 154 Appendix 3. Administrative Council Guidelines .................................................................................. 155 Revised: May 15, 2013 viii FOREWORD On October 11, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI issued the apostolic letter Porta Fidei (The Door of Faith), calling for a Year of Faith. The Year of Faith is being observed from October 11, 2012, until November 24, 2013. It coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the twentieth anniversary of the publication of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which the Holy Father calls the authentic fruit of Vatican II. The Holy Father begins his letter: “The ‘door of faith’ (Acts 14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church” (no. 1). We enter the “door of faith” by accepting the Word of God and letting God’s grace, received