News

Life after GRACE: Work starts soon

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

Bishop outlines future actions Here is a summary of what Bp. David Zubik announced Jan. 27 for the future of Catholic schools and other ministries in the Green Bay Diocese: 1. There will not be a mandated Catholic school system in the Green Bay area for fall 2006 as originally recommended by the GRACE Steering Committee. Thus, there will be no closures or consolidation for the 2006-07 school year of any the 13 Green Bay area Catholic schools unless requested by the pastor and parish leaders of that school. Such pastors should consult with their parish Pastoral Councils, Boards of Education and Finance Councils with assistance from the diocesan staff as needed. 2. The diocesan Department of Education, under the leadership of Dr. Joseph Bound, director of Catholic Education, is to carefully study the recommendations of the GRACE Steering Committee, and input from parish leaders, parishioners, parents and diocesan consultative bodies to work toward creating a Green Bay regional Catholic day school system to begin operating no earlier than fall 2007. 3. Robert Atwell, president of Nicolet Bank, Green Bay, will work to establish an independent, non-denominational, non-profit foundation to provide tuition assistance to low and moderate income families who wish to send their children to independent, non-public schools in the greater Green Bay area. 4. Dr. Bound is to work collaboratively with parish, diocesan and educational leaders to clarify and articulate a clearer mission, core values, and vision statements for Catholic education that reflect the overall diocesan education mission, including Catholic day schools, religious education for public school students and adult education. 5. John Reid of Reid and Associates of Seattle, a professional church and school management consulting firm, will work with the various diocesan departments to determine how parishes in the greater Green Bay area can better work together to support other essential church ministries, including care for the poor, worship, youth and young adult ministry, pastoral care. Msgr. James Dillenburg, pastor of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, will head a task force of all Green Bay area pastors to explore ways to do that. For the text of Bp. Zubik's remarks at the press conference and the specifics of what is to happen next, click here: http://www.gbdioc.org/pg/article.tpl?asku=113839693114281051.

Work should begin this month on finding ways for Green Bay parishes to more closely work together to meet the educational and other ministerial needs of all Catholics, diocesan officials say.

The new initiative comes at the direction of Bp. David Zubik, who on Jan. 27 announced that he would not enact a proposed unified K-8 Catholic school system. The proposal, known as GRACE - Green Bay Regional Association of Catholic Education - would have led to the closing of three schools and the consolidation of two others for the next school year.

There will be no closures or consolidation for 2006-07 in any of the 13 Green Bay area Catholic schools unless the pastor and parish leaders of the schools request it, Bp. Zubik said.

Bp. Zubik announced his decision first at a meeting of pastors and school principals, then at a press conference.

The GRACE proposal had been released in mid-November for comments by diocesan consultative bodies, pastors, parish leaders and individuals.

Since then, responses by consultative bodies - Presbyteral Council, GRACE steering committee, Diocesan Pastoral Council and Board of Education - plus priests, parishes and some 3,000 individuals showed widespread support for the idea of a single system, Bp. Zubik said.

However, respondents also said a decision was being rushed; that there were specific concerns about closing or consolidating schools; that the diocese also needed to pay attention to religious education for public school students and adult education; and that the entire mission of the church should be included.

To resolve these concerns, Reid and Associates of Seattle is being retained as a consultant. The process will involve several diocesan departments, including Education, Stewardship and Pastoral Services, Evangelization and Pastoral Services, and Catholic Charities.

The Department of Education, under Dr. Joseph Bound, director, will work with parishes to develop plans for a regional school system to begin no sooner than fall 2007.

Bound also is to work with parishes and others to develop mission, vision and core value statements for Catholic day schools, religious education for public school students and adult education and faith formation.

Mark Mogilka, director of Stewardship and Pastoral Services and a diocesan resource person for GRACE, anticipates meeting with Bp. Zubik; Dcn. Tim Reilly, diocesan director of Administration; Bound; Msgr. Jim Dillenburg, whom Bp. Zubik asked to convene a meeting of pastors to discuss plans for collaborative ministries; and other key leaders, to put together a proposal for action within 4-6 weeks.

Related articles: from Feb. 3, 2006 issue: • Positive reaction greets decision     Bishop heartened by the sheer number who got     involved in discussion from Jan. 27, 2006 issue (article posted 1/30/2006): • Unified Green Bay school system plan delayed     No schools to close for 2006-07 unless parishes ask from Jan. 6, 2006 issue: • GRACE comments from individuals, parishes compiled     Process continues this week from Dec. 9, 2005 issue: • Bridging the Gap by Bishop David Zubik --     Bridging the Gap: G-R-A-C-E     This is a time for exploration and for collaboration 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

But, Mogilka said, "We need to take our time and do it well. As we learned from GRACE, we need to take at least the next year to get to it, and address all the concerns before we move on it."

The aim is to help parishes determine how they can better collaborate on essential church ministries, including care for the poor, worship, youth and young adult ministry, and pastoral care.

Bp. Zubik said he has asked Robert Atwell, president of Nicolet Bank, Green Bay, to establish an endowment to fund scholarships to Green Bay nonpublic schools for students from low and moderate income families.

In outlining the plan, Bp. Zubik said he was delighted by the response to GRACE because it showed that people realize both the value of the schools and that "the church is important for the people of our area."

"What we've gone through here," Bp. Zubik said, "was no different from what happened in the early days of the church. People were excited about the issues and wanted to work through what would ultimately be the best, particularly for the young folks of our diocese."

Bp. Zubik said the call for collaborative efforts means "we're really on the cusp of a new way of doing some things. We have a lot of resources that we can use in each of the parishes to help the parishes to become much more vibrant."

"One of the points that I trust that people will garner from the discussion here is that what we do as church we've got to do together," Bp. Zubik said. "It is not a matter of opting in or opting out of any of the ministries of the church, but what we do needs to have the buy-in of every one of the parishes so that we can do the best job of reaching out to the people who are served by our church."

A big issue that remains for the schools, Bp. Zubik said, is economic because schools must rely on tuition, parish subsidy and third-source funding. The challenge the diocese is trying to meet, he said, is to balance the three areas.