diocese of syracuse

OVERVIEW OF FOCUS SESSIONSOVERVIEW OF FOCUS SESSIONSWINTER-SPRING 2012WINTER-SPRING 2012

Diocesan Pastoral Council – 3 November 2012Diocesan Pastoral Council – 3 November 2012

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• Demographics and Resources in our 7 countiesDemographics and Resources in our 7 counties

–Population–Mass Attendance–Religious Practice of Catholics–Diminishing number of Priests, Religious

and Lay Ministers–Change in Cultural Climate about Religion

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• 150 Sessions held throughout the diocese.150 Sessions held throughout the diocese.• Sessions were held for priests, religious, seminarians, Sessions were held for priests, religious, seminarians,

faith formation directors, parish ministry staffs, faith formation directors, parish ministry staffs, parish trustees and parish pastoral council officers.parish trustees and parish pastoral council officers.

• The included a presentation of the data and The included a presentation of the data and opportunities for discussions and recommendationsopportunities for discussions and recommendations..

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•The sessions were characterized by candor, The sessions were characterized by candor, faith, and the desire to maintain dynamic faith, and the desire to maintain dynamic Catholic Communities.Catholic Communities.•We wish that more people had been present We wish that more people had been present because the quality of the dialogue because the quality of the dialogue demonstrated a rich sense of faith.demonstrated a rich sense of faith.

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• Some expressed concern that pastors may Some expressed concern that pastors may lack the energy, skills and willingness to lack the energy, skills and willingness to embrace the next steps in the process.embrace the next steps in the process.

• People are proud of what they and the People are proud of what they and the diocese has done to date in moving forward.diocese has done to date in moving forward.

• Most people know that the process is not Most people know that the process is not complete.complete.

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• There is a clear need for training and There is a clear need for training and mentoring in new leadership styles.mentoring in new leadership styles.

• Previous emphasis on parochial identity has Previous emphasis on parochial identity has hindered collaboration in some areas.hindered collaboration in some areas.

• We need to focus on “Community Centered We need to focus on “Community Centered Parishes” rather than “Pastor Centered Parishes” rather than “Pastor Centered Parishes”Parishes”

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• People love their priests, yet hope that they People love their priests, yet hope that they will be trained and mentored as new will be trained and mentored as new leadership styles emerge.leadership styles emerge.

• Reconfiguration is a work in progress. The Reconfiguration is a work in progress. The pace of Change will increase.pace of Change will increase.

• Parochialism challenges needed ClusteringParochialism challenges needed Clustering• Grow into a Community Centered Parish Grow into a Community Centered Parish

served by a Priest and Teamserved by a Priest and Team

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• New Leadership styles are an evolving reality.New Leadership styles are an evolving reality.• Canon Law provides a Bishop options in Canon Law provides a Bishop options in

shaping the parishes of his diocese.shaping the parishes of his diocese.• Practical implications of new modelsPractical implications of new models• The question of Sustainability.The question of Sustainability.• Acknowledging history and entrusting the Acknowledging history and entrusting the

future to God.future to God.

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• The need for training in collaborative ministryThe need for training in collaborative ministry• CARA Studies on recently Ordained Priest and CARA Studies on recently Ordained Priest and

Parishes. Parishes. www.cara.georgetown.edu • The Emerging Models of Ministry Project – The Emerging Models of Ministry Project –

www.emergingmodels.org • The Evolving roles of the Permanent DiaconateThe Evolving roles of the Permanent Diaconate• Co-Workers in the Vineyard of The Lord-Co-Workers in the Vineyard of The Lord- USCCB USCCB

20052005

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• New types of Lay Ministries, including Parish New types of Lay Ministries, including Parish Life Coordinators and Cluster TeamsLife Coordinators and Cluster Teams

• Human Resource issues that come with new Human Resource issues that come with new leadership styles.leadership styles.

• A fuller role for parish business managers and A fuller role for parish business managers and parish finance councils in assisting pastors.parish finance councils in assisting pastors.

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• What does the cluster model look like and What does the cluster model look like and how is it experienced at the lived level.how is it experienced at the lived level.

• The Emerging Models MPP & MPM Studies – The Emerging Models MPP & MPM Studies – reflect a variety of leadership styles (Mogilka)reflect a variety of leadership styles (Mogilka)

• Embracing Pastoral Creativity & Evolving a Embracing Pastoral Creativity & Evolving a local vision (with Parish Pastoral Council). local vision (with Parish Pastoral Council).

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• The future parish will be:The future parish will be:• Mission Focused• Adaptive• Collaborative• The situation of each parish will be

‘customized’ to fit the needs of the area.

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• The current demographic contains an The current demographic contains an urgent urgent need to identify, recruit, train, mentor, need to identify, recruit, train, mentor, resource, and place new leaders at all levels.resource, and place new leaders at all levels.

• Participants strongly urged consistency in Participants strongly urged consistency in parish application of diocesan program and parish application of diocesan program and sacramental polices. This will allow parishes to sacramental polices. This will allow parishes to cluster or combine more easily.cluster or combine more easily.

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• Capture the essentials:Capture the essentials:– Enable Priests to focus on Spiritual Leadership

and the faith formation of parishes.– COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS [at all levels]– HOSPITALITY; Welcome to parish family &

others.– EVANGELIZATION AS A LIFESTYLE– Family, Youth and Young Adult Ministries– Focus on developing new professionals

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• Encourage strategic alliances by:Encourage strategic alliances by:– Enhancing and Promoting Inter-Parochial

Collaboration and Sharing.– Diocesan development of Staffing models,

Leadership selection, formation – training – mentoring programs & policy.

– Assist parishes in improving resources and patterns of sustainability.

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• RE-ALIGN PASTORAL CARE AREAS TO PROMOTE:– Inter-parochial collaboration and sharing– To enable future Inter-Parish Staffing, linkage, or

Clustering as the care for the people of the diocese remains a core concern.

– Bring resources to the development of long-range parish sustainability & fiscal liquidity.

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• The Diocese will provide guidance in naming, The Diocese will provide guidance in naming, and guiding the application of Canonical and guiding the application of Canonical Models as we move into the future.Models as we move into the future.

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• DEVELOP & IMPLEMENT A RENEWED DEVELOP & IMPLEMENT A RENEWED PASTORAL PLANNING COMMUNICATION PASTORAL PLANNING COMMUNICATION PLAN.PLAN.– Include:• Homily Time Video Presentations• Models for Parish Town Hall Meetings• Training for Priests & Parish Staffs

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• Pastoral Communication Plan, continuedPastoral Communication Plan, continued– Training for Parish Pastoral Councils, Parish

Finance Councils, Parish Business Managers to enhance “Mission Focused Parishes.”

– Encourage use of the Appreciative Inquiry Model.– Catholic Sun series on the evolving future– Public Media Orientation [Radio, T.V., the Press,

etc.] for the continuing planning process.

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•Identify, mentor, and collaborate with parishes as they enter the clustering process.

[Note: These models may will be a significant shift in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States, However, they are in wide use throughout the U.S.A., Canada, and on other continents.]

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• PROVIDE SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO PROVIDE SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO PRIESTS/PASTORS, PARTICULARLY TO THOSE PRIESTS/PASTORS, PARTICULARLY TO THOSE UNDER AGE 65.UNDER AGE 65.

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•There is a concern about limited financial There is a concern about limited financial resources and the best ways to use these resources and the best ways to use these resources for the future. The Increase Offering resources for the future. The Increase Offering Campaign was very helpful to parishes. Campaign was very helpful to parishes. Continued collaboration with the diocese Continued collaboration with the diocese regarding these issues is essential.regarding these issues is essential.

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• CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE FLEXIBILITY AND CONTINUE TO REVIEW THE FLEXIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS OF DIOCESAN PRIEST PERSONNEL RESPONSIVENESS OF DIOCESAN PRIEST PERSONNEL POLICIES [appointment, term, and tenure) FOR THE POLICIES [appointment, term, and tenure) FOR THE EVOLVING NEEDS FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF THE EVOLVING NEEDS FOR THE PASTORAL CARE OF THE ENTIRE DIOCESE.ENTIRE DIOCESE.

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• REVIEW THE FLEXIBILITY AND VIBRANCY OF THE REVIEW THE FLEXIBILITY AND VIBRANCY OF THE DEACON PERSONNEL POLICIES AND THE MODELS BY DEACON PERSONNEL POLICIES AND THE MODELS BY WHICH THESE POLICIES SUPPORT DIOCESAN WHICH THESE POLICIES SUPPORT DIOCESAN PAROCHIAL MINISTRY.PAROCHIAL MINISTRY.

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• THE DIOCESE WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR THE THE DIOCESE WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE FOR THE RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, ROLE SPECIFICATION, RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, ROLE SPECIFICATION, HUMAN RESOURCE EXPECTATIONS, TRAINING, HUMAN RESOURCE EXPECTATIONS, TRAINING, EMPLOYMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF NEW PARISH EMPLOYMENT AND DEPLOYMENT OF NEW PARISH BASED “MINISTERIAL” LEADERSHIP.BASED “MINISTERIAL” LEADERSHIP.

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• PROMOTE AND ENHANCE ACCESS TO THEOLOGICAL PROMOTE AND ENHANCE ACCESS TO THEOLOGICAL FORMATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION AT:FORMATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION AT:– ST. BERNARD’S SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY– THE LIMEX PROGRAM– LE MOYNE COLLEGE– THE PERMANENT DIACONATE PROGRAM– THE FORMATION FOR MINISTRY PROGRAM– CATECHETICAL FORMATION– PARISH BASED ADULT EDUCATION

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• IMPLEMENT AND PROMOTE THE NEW IMPLEMENT AND PROMOTE THE NEW EVANGELIZATION AT ALL LEVELSEVANGELIZATION AT ALL LEVELS

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• ENABLE PARISHES TO FOCUS ON DEVELOPING ENABLE PARISHES TO FOCUS ON DEVELOPING MINISTRIES OF HOSPITALITY & WELCOMINGMINISTRIES OF HOSPITALITY & WELCOMING

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• What barriers prevent your parish from being mission What barriers prevent your parish from being mission focused?focused?

• List 3-5 strategies that will help your parish to reach its goals?List 3-5 strategies that will help your parish to reach its goals?

• What steps should your parish and Pastoral Care Area take to What steps should your parish and Pastoral Care Area take to strengthen parish life between now and 2017? 2020?strengthen parish life between now and 2017? 2020?

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• Brother Ed and Father Jim are always available Brother Ed and Father Jim are always available to work with parishes and pastoral care areas to work with parishes and pastoral care areas as the plan for the future.as the plan for the future.

Father Jim Lang – Vicar for Parishes – 315-470-1437Father Jim Lang – Vicar for Parishes – 315-470-1437Brother Ed Falsey – Associate Director for Pastoral Brother Ed Falsey – Associate Director for Pastoral

Planning – 315-470-1430Planning – 315-470-1430

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• The Diocese of SyracuseThe Diocese of Syracuse240 East Onondaga StreetSyracuse, New York 13202

• Fax: 315-478-4619Fax: 315-478-4619• E-mail: E-mail: jlang@syrdio.org or or

efalsey@syrdio.org

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Peace and Good things!Peace and Good things!

St. Marianne Cope, Pray for us!St. Marianne Cope, Pray for us!St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Pray for us!St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Pray for us!

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