The parish and school planning process is underway in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and members of an archdiocesan task force have begun to meet with priests and parish leaders to gather information.
The task force plans to use the information gathered at these sessions to craft recommendations on archdiocesan-wide planning for Archbishop John Nienstedt’s consideration. It plans to have its recommendations ready for the archbishop in July 2010.
The planning effort seeks to address the way the archdiocese currently uses its resources — such as clergy and lay personnel, buildings and finances — and how those resources might be used to best serve the people of the archdiocese.
When Archbishop Nienstedt first wrote about the process in his March 26 column in The Catholic Spirit, he emphasized that every parish must be part of the evaluation to ensure a comprehensive process.
The process has 11 main steps (see graphic at right) and is currently on the third, fourth and fifth steps. The task force is currently meeting with priests, and it is scheduling meetings with parish leaders and parish staff groups. Already, priests have completed a self-study in which they evaluated their parishes’ resources, and the task force has begun analyzing that information.
Father John Bauer, task force co-chair with Father Peter Laird, said the task force wants everyone to have an opportunity for input.
“We encourage participation,” said Father Bauer, who is rector of the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. “We want to urge people. If they have a voice, it needs to be heard, and we want to hear it.” Catholic Spirit
Stages of the Planning Process
April 2009 Priest deanery meetings
Archdiocesan Catholics can easily give their ideas, concerns and feedback to the task force via the Web, telephone or U.S. postal mail.
May 2009 Web/voice mail feedback lines become available
Web address: www.archspm.org. Click on link for “planning proccess” to access a survey.
Voice mail: (651) 291-4435
Mailing address:
Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis; PST - Planning Process Comments
328 Kellogg Blvd. W; St. Paul, MN 55102
- May 2009 to Oct. 2009 Priest deanery meetings begin
May to Oct. 2009 Regional leadership meetings
May to Oct. 2009 Archdiocesan Coalition of Ministry Association meetings
Sept. to Oct. 2009 Regional parishioner meetings
Nov. 2009 to Jan. 2010 Priest deanery presentations to task force
Jan. to May 2010 Task force meetings to consider options
June 2010 Feedback on options
See step details in the Catholic Spirit
July 2010 Task force development recommendations
Aug. 2010 and beyond Archbishop to consider task force recommendation
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