News

Catholics invited to Faith Alive town meeting

By Heather Chrudimsky
Compass Correspondent

Related articles: from Oct. 20, 2006 issue: • Faith Alive process continues     Consulting firm seeks response to recommendations • Editorial -- Take time to comment on Faith Alive     Still time to comment on the proposal from Sept. 22, 2006 issue: • Faith Alive taps support for working together     Listening sessions show that parish leaders want to work     together on schools, ministry from Sept. 15, 2006 issue: • Faith Alive calls for more education, ministry collaboration     Green Bay parishes and schools would work together more     Sidebar: Faith Alive Feedback     Sidebar: Parishes in the Faith Alive Project from Mar. 17, 2006 issue: • Cooperation plan work begins     Parishes, schools, diocesan agencies join in the effort 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 • 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

To give Green Bay area Catholics another chance to respond to the Faith Alive project, which proposes a unified Catholic day school system and a cooperative approach to parish ministries, three additional meetings have been scheduled next week.

Representatives from The Reid Group will be in Green Bay on Thursday, Nov. 9, to meet with pastors, school principals, parish business managers and parishioners. Here is the schedule:

• pastors and school principals from 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. in Bona Hall Room 39 at the diocesan offices;

• parish business managers from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Bosco Hall Conference room;

• a Town Hall Meeting from 7 to 9 p.m. at Legends Restaurant and Banquet Hall in East De Pere. The Reid Group and diocesan departments responsible for implementing Faith Alive will host the meeting, which is open to any parishioners interested in hearing the latest on Faith Alive and in providing additional input.

Already, The Reid Group - the Seattle-based consulting firm developing the plan - and diocesan leaders had extended the deadline by two weeks to gather comments and/or concerns about the 27-parish Faith Alive project.

Consultants from The Reid Group and diocesan leaders have stressed throughout the planning process that strong parishes, and in turn strong Catholic Day Schools, exist when pastors, principals and parents work together and continually ask questions to make the plans more effective, thus pointing to the need to gather as much information as possible from those involved.

Mark Mogilka, diocesan director of Stewardship and Pastoral Services and overseer of diocesan parish and school planning, said the purpose of the meetings on Nov. 9 is:

• to share reflections on input received to date;

• to share information on financial issues;

• to provide a final opportunity for input before the report is completed and delivered to Bp. David Zubik on Nov. 17.

The meetings "are yet another opportunity for everyone to share what they feel are the strengths, areas that need to be addressed further and suggestions for changes or additions," said John Reid, a consultant with The Reid Group.

While some people think that Faith Alive focuses just on Catholic day schools, the preliminary recommendations support all parish ministries, including adult faith formation, Catholic day schools, prayer and worship, religious education for children, vital outreach, pastoral care and evangelization and stewardship service, Reid said.

"Bp. David Zubik has continued to stress that Faith Alive is meant to strengthen all church ministries - first we create vital parishes and therefore create vital Catholic day schools," Reid said.

Over the next several weeks, Bp. Zubik will share copies of the Reid Group's preliminary report, released in September, with the Diocesan Board of Education, the Presbyteral Council, the Diocesan Pastoral Council and the Bishops Advisory Committee, to gather their wisdom and insight.

Reid said that if his firm's final recommendations are adopted, he doesn't foresee the system being in place until July 2007 - with a five-year implementation plan, including a tuition formula change over three years, and a parish subsidy implementation over five years.

"This is a process," Reid said. "If our recommendations are accepted, tuition for the 2007-2008 will be set by pastors and principals of each particular parish, mindful of the process.

Officials hope to have a decision from Bp. Zubik sometime in December.