News

Door parishes proactively seeking solutions

By Jeff Kurowski
Compass Assistant Editor

	LOOKING AHEAD: Jim Jauquet, who chairs the Northern Door Catholic Community Strategic Planning Committee, in St. Paul Church, Fish Creek, which is not having Sunday Mass in January. Area parishes will take turns going without Mass this winter. (Rick Evans photo)

"We want to be proactive rather than reactive."

That's the approach Catholics in Northern Door County are taking in response to the priest shortage, said Jim Jauquet of Fish Creek.

Jauquet chairs a recently formed committee to develop a strategic plan on how to best serve the long-term needs of the Northern Door Catholic Community.

According to diocesan plans, it's possible that, by 2010, only one priest will serve all the parishes in Northern Door County and Sturgeon Bay. Currently, Fr. Mat Simonar is pastor of the Northern Door faith community which includes five parishes - St. Michael, Jacksonport; St. John the Baptist, Egg Harbor; St. Paul, Fish Creek; St. Rosalia, Sister Bay; and St. Mary of the Lake, Baileys Harbor - plus the Washington Island Station. Dominican Srs. Geri Hoye and Georgia Acker serve as pastoral associates. Oblates served Northern Door County for approximately 90 years until Fr. Simonar's appointment in 2000.

The Long-Range Planning Committee allows parishioners to make decisions for the future rather than waiting for directives from the diocese, said Jauquet. All five parishes are represented on the 38-member committee.

"This is a way we can take control of our own destiny and plan our own way through these problems," said Jauquet. "We have a great friend in a good, young priest. We need to support him and help him as much as we can. He cannot do it all by himself."

Fr. Simonar serves on the committee. He describes his role as overseeing the work of the group and serving as a sounding board for questions and concerns. The formation of the committee is a positive step for the Northern Door County Catholic Community, he added.

"It's bringing down the walls that have separated the parishes of this big old faith community," he said. "The people have a good attitude. They realize that something has to be done. People are taking ownership. They can have a say in what is going to happen."

"Slowly, people (from different parishes) are getting to know each other," said Jauquet. "Some had never stepped foot in one of the other churches before, so it is quite a change. They are realizing that these people aren't so bad after all. I'm hoping we can carry that forward throughout this process."

Sub-committees look at demographics, programs, facilities, finances and services. Committee members have visited models of inter-faith collaborations within and outside the Green Bay Diocese. The committee receives assistance from Don Lozier who served as director of parish leadership for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee prior to retiring to Door County.

"I'm really pleased with what they are doing," said Mark Mogilka, diocesan director of Pastoral Services. "I get regular updates and am regularly consulted along the way. Don Lozier brings a wealth of experience and their work is a phenomenal gift. We don't have the staff to facilitate all that they are doing."

Mogilka added that the next diocesan parish planning process was scheduled for January of 2004, but was postponed due to the arrival of Bp. David Zubik. The process is expected to be completed by fall.

When examining the needs of the Northern Door parishes, the changing population must be considered. For each year-round parishioner who goes to Mass in Northern Door, there are four to five visitors, said Jauquet.

"Most are visitors, some are seasonal residents," he said. "It makes it a big challenge. When you look at St. Paul in Fish Creek, for example, we have only 37 registered units, but we had 25,000 people attend Mass during the year."

"Visitors are such a factor," he continued. "As stewards of the church, we must take care of these visitors. That's why it's important that we start thinking as one people and not as little areas along the lake. In planning for the future, parishioners are going to have to think of what's good for the whole and that's going to be very hard."

Building a new church in a central location to serve the entire Northern Door region is not a favorable option. The faith community covers a 45-mile area. Parishioners may be willing to drive for Mass, but it would limit participation in meetings and other ministry opportunities, said Jauquet. He favors the use of two units.

"Maybe one could be used primarily for Masses and one for other functions," he said. "We would still need to make accommodations for our peak season. We have to have help from the diocese (priests to celebrate Masses) from July to the middle of October."

Parishioners may get a glimpse of the future this winter. St. Paul Church will be closed during the month of January. A different Northern Door church will be closed each month, February through April.

"It will be a wake up call to test their faith," said Fr. Simonar. "We will use this experience in our future planning. We will look at Mass attendance and listen to feedback from the people."

The committee and sub-committees continue to meet regularly. Open parish-wide meetings are scheduled for the summer to discuss information from the data gathering process.

The Northern Door Long-Range Planning Committee serves as a good example for other regions facing difficult mergers and linkages due to the priest shortage, said Mogilka.

"Their planning supports and affirms local initiative rather than diocesan mandates," he said. "The spirit of cooperation and dialogue is very healthy. The emphasis is not just a business plan, but pastoral planning. They are not just looking at business practices, but the discernment process. They are open to the works of the Holy Spirit and are acting in the best interest of the Church of Door County while respecting the individual."

"We have a window of opportunity to do something positive on our own," said Jauquet. "If we don't, we are going to lose a good man in Fr. Mat. We don't want to burn him out."