Bridging the Gap: G-R-A-C-E

By Bishop David Zubik

	Bishop David Zubik

Throughout the whole of my life, I have and continue to be a strong supporter of Catholic schools. Understandably so.

For 24 years, I sat on the student side of the classroom and will be ever grateful for all that I learned about God and His Church and His world from the exemplary women and men who were my teachers and professors.

For an additional 13 years, I served on the other side of the desk in the classroom and school, as both a teacher and an administrator.

Consequently, I was so happy to join with my brother Bishops last June when, as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, we released an important document, Renewing OUR Commitment to Catholic Elementary & Secondary Schools in the Third Millennium" in which we reiterated our unqualified support of the value of the Catholic schools. "We believe that the time has come to revisit and reaffirm our commitment to Catholic elementary and secondary schools as invaluable instruments in proclaiming the Good News from one generation to the next. We are convinced that Catholic schools continue to be the most effective means available to the Church for the education of children and young people who are the future of the Church."

Becoming a better church

During my first visit to Green Bay on Oct. 10, 2003, the day that my appointment as the 11th Bishop of the diocese was made public, I spoke clearly about my support of Catholic schools. In the short 20 hours of that visit, I did in fact stop by one of the schools of the diocese to introduce myself to the students and faculty.

During the course of my first year as your Bishop, I consulted with a number of people in our parishes and other faith communities on how we, as the Church of Green Bay, could become more Church, a better Church, building on the strong, faith-filled past of our former Bishops and faithful members of the diocese. During the course of that first year, and relying heavily also on our very dedicated diocesan staff, I found it necessary to embark on some important studies.

Facing a challenge

Faced with the challenge of providing opportunities for our parishes to become more vibrant, I called for another phase of the Regional Parish Planning Project to offer recommendations on the direction that all the parishes in 15 planning groups should take through 2010. I felt it was important to go to local parish leadership for that input first. While not easy, that process has yielded some exciting new life in our parishes, St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Manitowoc comes to mind as one of the prime examples.

Faced with the challenge of reviewing what kind of service diocesan administration offers to parishes and other faith communities, I engaged in a wide ranging consultation of how we, how I, could do a better job.

What resulted were a number of recommendations that led to a realignment of diocesan departments with the hope that, in so doing, we become a better Church. While not easy, the process has yielded some exciting new directions. The establishment of a new Department of Evangelization and Worship promises greater attention to the vitality of spreading our faith and the fidelity that we invest in our spirituality and worship.

Faced with the challenge of providing good opportunities for Catholic education, I listened to much input on what we need to do in our three major areas of education: adult faith formation, catechetical programs for public school students, and Catholic schools.

In my first weeks as Bishop, I was faced with recommendations that called for the closing of several schools in different parts of our diocese. During those first months and since, I have heard pastors' concerns about the uneven escalation of costs borne on the shoulders of some parishes to support schools, and the choice of other parishes to offer little or no support to schools. I have heard teachers' and administrators' concerns about the duplication of efforts in individual schools versus where there might be reasonable alternatives to combine efforts. I have heard parents' concerns about both the affordability and accessibility of Catholic day school education.

Recommendations sought

Last January, with all those questions and concerns in mind, I called for a comprehensive study of our schools. This study was broken down into six regions of our diocese. Parish and school representatives throughout the diocese were given the charge to offer recommendations on how to make our schools in each of those areas more affordable and accessible, not to mention more vibrant.

Once again it was imperative that such a study, with a view toward recommendations, begin with the "grass roots."

Past Compass articles: from Nov. 25, 2005 issue: • Plan released for unified Green Bay system     Proposal would close three schools, consolidate two and form one K-8 school system     Sidebar: Green Bay school proposal     Sidebar: Schedule for action from Nov. 4, 2005 issue: • Release delayed on school planning report     Proposal for consolidating the     Green Bay area schools into a     system due after Thanksgiving from Sept. 2, 2005 issue: • GRACE subcommittees form     Proposed plan for a unified     Green Bay Catholic school     system continues to advance from July 8, 2005 issue: • Unified Green Bay Catholic school system under study     No decisions have been made from June 24, 2005 issue: • Groups ponder schools' future     Proposal considers ways to     guarantee the financial     solvency of Catholic schools

Recently, a great deal of public attention has focused on one of the regional recommendations on the issue of Catholic day schools. The GRACE proposal (Green Bay Regional Association of Catholic Education) representing 23 parishes and thirteen schools have drawn up a PRELIMINARY plan. I must emphasize that it is a FIRST DRAFT PLAN. NO DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE.

My purpose in writing to you about this important endeavor is not to comment on any or all of the recommendations. This is the time for the faithful in the Green Bay area to do so in anticipation of a final recommendation that will be made to me in late January following extensive consultation, not only from parishes, but also from the diocesan Pastoral Council, the Presbyteral Council and the diocesan Board of Education. (It is important to note that these Boards are comprised of representatives from the parishes and schools in the diocese.)

Four-step appeal

My purpose however in writing this article is to appeal to FOUR important steps in reviewing the GRACE proposal:

• First, look at the big picture. The purpose of the entire school study is to secure viable and vibrant Catholic Day School education for years to come. Difficult as it may be, providing such may require us to think "out of the box." It is important to remember that what we do in this regard, we are to do as Church, the whole Church, not one parish or one school's preservation but what is of benefit for the whole Church.

• Second, remember that NO DECISIONS HAVE YET BEEN MADE. As I write this article, all members of each of the 23 parishes and 13 schools in Green Bay have the opportunity to voice their opinion on the GRACE proposal. So that those insights can get to me, it is imperative that those opinions be expressed in both parish surveys (copies available through the diocesan website www.gbdioc.org) and through the pastors and pastoral councils of each parish. The deadline for that input in each parish is Dec. 15.

• Third, any consultation on this critical mater must be done with RESPECT and COLLABORATION. I am reminded of St. Paul's admonition in his letter to the Ephesians about how imperative it is "to speak the truth in love." (Eph 4:15).

What causes me no small concern is the possibility that the important and necessary attention given to this critical matter could lead to divisions in parishes, rash and unfounded judgments, and hostility expressed by pen and voice. What we do in this endeavor must be done as Church, with respect of each other's insights and in COLLABORATION with each other as Church. Remember that the growth of the early Church as noted in the Acts of the Apostles did not always find our ancestors in the faith in total agreement. Rather, they had to work through their differences with RESPECT for each other and in COLLABORATION with each other. So must it be with the GRACE proposal.

• And finally, and most important of all, it is imperative that no one of us leaves God out of the picture in the GRACE endeavor. The Apostles had to be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit for the Church to grow at Pentecost and beyond, and so must we.

As we daily pray "The Lord's Prayer," the prayer that Jesus taught us, it is imperative that we pray to God the Father open to the Holy Spirit as we thoughtfully and sincerely repeat the words of Jesus: "May your Kingdom come, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."