News

Nagel leaves education post

By Jeff Kurowski
Compass Assistant Editor

	Lee Nagel

When Lee Nagel accepted the position of director of Total Catholic Education for the Diocese of Green Bay in 1990, he didn't receive congratulations from some of his friends.

"They told me, 'You're crazy,'" he said. "Maybe I was naive. The day of my last interview, Bp. (Adam) Maida was named Archbishop of Detroit. I took a job not knowing who my boss would be, but I really felt called. It was meant to be."

At the time, Nagel, a native of Bismarck, ND, was interested in moving to the Midwest after three years in California, where he completed his doctorate while working part-time in parish ministry. He was attracted to the diocese because Catholic schools and religious education here were together in one department.

"It doesn't mean that you have to have a department called Total Catholic Education, but you have to have the philosophy," he said. "When I saw the position, I thought, 'They've got it right.' I interviewed in Des Moines, Iowa, and was offered a position there. I told them, 'I'm going to Green Bay next week, and I think that's where I'm supposed to work, but I'll let you know.' That's just how I felt."

Following more than 15 years of diocesan service, Nagel resigned as director of education to do per diem work for Benziger, a publisher of parish catechetical materials.

Related articles: from Jan. 6, 2006 issue: • New Education director named     President of ACES/Xavier will head up the     diocesan office from Oct. 14, 2005 issue: • Diocesan education director resigns     Lee Nagel will move on at the end of the year     after 15 years in the post from April 8, 2005 issue: • Reaching outside school walls     Diocesan education department helps schools,     religion programs

"I will be a national sales consultant, but I don't do any selling," said Nagel, who will continue to reside in Green Bay. "I will give talks, do parish missions and conduct in-services. I really feel called to do more spiritually in faith formation, especially parish missions. I used to do two a year because that's all that my time allowed. There are very few lay people doing that. I think it's a great witness to know that you can have a 'real life' and have a spiritual life as well."

While serving the diocese, Nagel spoke at venues throughout the country.

"That's what I call my teaching part," he said. "I don't think anyone enters any position in education if you don't like teaching."

Reflecting on his years at the diocese, Nagel said many people come to mind.

He describes the late Sr. Anne Kennedy, OSF, who was overseeing Catholic Charities, Pastoral Services and serving as the interim director of Education at the time of his appointment, as a "gift."

"She was a great help in finding the way and focusing on what needed to be done," he said.

"I always like to share a story of hers. Years ago, when she became academic dean at Silver Lake College, Sr. Brideen (Long, OSF), the president, told her 'Now that you're in administration, you can only make one mistake a year, but I will start counting over every morning.' She passed that on to me. Why wouldn't you want to work for a woman like that? She was a great mentor."

"I remember finding out I would be working with Dick Riechert," he added. "I had used his books, so I was amazed to be on the same staff. I've always liked the people I've worked with here. As a team, I'm proud of how we worked together in developing materials."

The education staff did some of its best work at annual goal setting retreats, said Nagel.

"We looked for ways to broaden our mission," he said. "Prepare the Way came out of our goal setting. We felt there needed to be a unified sense in the fall when we started."

The annual Gathering of the Church of Green Bay evolved from an education congress to an event designed for all Catholics of the diocese during Nagel's tenure.

"It's still not where I would like it to be in a sense that people tie it too much to formal education teachers and catechists," he said. "It belongs to all of us. We all, through our baptismal call, have a responsibility to our lifelong faith formation. It is one of the finest opportunities in terms of the amount of options and the quality of speakers."

"There are a significant number of catechists who take a day off of work to attend, so they can go both days or have Saturday free for family activities," he added. "I'm always impressed by their devotion. We need to pray together and see that we are a larger church."

Looking at the state of the diocesan schools, while the number of closings over the years are concerning, Nagel said there are many positives.

"I think most of our schools are better than they were," he said. "They are more focused on the learner. I think we are better at giving them an experience in faith. For a long time, we taught religion and that's all we did. Now, we teach religion and we infuse it into the way we live. Our faculty is more comfortable with prayer. Spiritually, I think we still have a lot of work to do, but I think we are on the right road. We have a good reputation as a diocese and I feel good about that. We do prayer and hospitality in our schools better than many."

"We do have a great challenge," he continued. "I don't know if people understand the power of being engaged in education where faith lives in it. It's also become more expensive. There is pressure for parents to provide other things for their kids. It's a hard call. For most parents, there is a sense that I should pay for Catholic education or my kids shouldn't go. We have not bridged that. Everyone applies for financial aid for college, even if they have no chance to qualify for it, but people feel it is a demeaning act to seek financial aid for their child to attend a Catholic school. I don't know how we address that."

Nagel made a six-year commitment to the diocese when he accepted the position.

"I told them I would stay longer if they put in a sabbatical year," he said. "I never got the sabbatical, but it turned out to be a great decision."

"They were good years, and I've been blessed," he added. "I've always been impressed with the commitment to education in this diocese. I'm always in awe and will continue to be in awe of the hours and hours donated by staff and volunteers. There are many wonderful people who care. Stewardship is alive in so many ways."