News

Positive reaction greets decision

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

Related articles: from Feb. 3, 2006 issue: • Life after GRACE: Work starts soon     Work will begin on finding ways to cooperate on efforts     Sidebar: Bishop outlines future actions 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

Reaction was largely positive to Bp. David Zubik's decision announced Jan. 27 to further study plans for a unified Catholic school district in Green Bay, while also reviewing all aspects of Catholic education and parish ministries.

Bp. Zubik himself said he was pleased that people care so much about their schools and the church as shown by their level of participation in the listening process.

Robin Jensen, acting principal at Holy Cross School, Bay Settlement, one of three schools slated for closure under the GRACE proposal, described her response as "pure joy."

She and Fr. Tom Hagendorf, O.Praem., pastor, joined other pastors and principals at a meeting where Bp. Zubik announced his decision before meeting with the press.

She said the room was quiet and there were only a few questions before they returned to their schools to relay the news before the press conference.

Because the TV stations had been running screen crawls telling viewers that the decision would be announced at 2 p.m., several parents were already at the school. Fr. Hagendorf announced the decision at an all-school assembly.

"There were very loud cheers from our students, our faculty and our parents," Jensen said. "It was emotional. There were lots of happy tears."

Jensen said she was "very pleased with how the bishop handled this." He did a good job of listening to and sorting out the information from "everyone who was involved, those schools that were slated for closure, those schools that were slated to be combined, as well as parishes without any schools who had real serious concerns about the way this was presented," she said. "We're very, very pleased with his decision."

Dcn. Tim Reilly, diocesan director of Administration, called it "a watershed moment for the church of the greater Green Bay area because this allows the opportunity to talk about the commonality of ministry in a lot of different areas. Not only Catholic day schools, but religious education, pastoral care, youth ministry, help to the Hispanic community, help to the elderly. We can look for the common areas where parishes can work together and we can be more like a total church, as opposed to a combination of just individual churches doing their own thing."

Mark Mogilka, diocesan director of Stewardship and Pastoral Services, said responses to GRACE show "that we need a broader vision of church and our many ministries. Education is essential, but so are others. We need to step back to look how we best use our limited resources for all the ministries. What will that look like? There are an awful lot of possibilities and we don't want to preclude anything."

Mogilka said he sees new energy and a challenge to make the church stronger in the Green Bay area in a way that could have implications for the whole diocese.

Fr. Ken DeGroot, pastor of St. Willebrord Parish, Green Bay, said he strongly opposed the GRACE plan, as did many others. "The bishop apparently listened in making the decision. Hopefully, he will consider to monitor these concerns."

Parishes have different missions and identities, Fr. DeGroot said. "The call of the church and the call of Jesus is to help the poor. We can't run schools at the expense of helping the poor and we have to look at other missions in churches as well."

Fr. DeGroot said he is pleased with Bp. Zubik's decision, but that "it remains to be seen how it will be developed."

Bob LeMieux, an active supporter of St. Joseph School, which also was slated for closure under GRACE, said: "I'm so thankful and grateful that St. Joseph School can continue. I hope more people will come to appreciate what a quality school we have and continue to support St. Joseph School for many years to come."

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