Earlier this year, I asked Bishop Richard Sklba to assemble a representative group of leaders in the Archdiocese to shepherd our planning process. He has been active in this project for the last decade, and has invested much energy in this important endeavor. Not only that, but he knows this Archdiocese, its priests, people, deacons, and lay ecclesial ministers better than anybody else. In collaboration with him, on the commission he has assembled, are Father William Stanfield, the pastor of St. Matthew Parish in Oak Creek; Deacon Charles Kustner; Father William Kohler, our director of priest personnel; Noreen Welte, and Dr. Maureen Gallagher, both of our department of parish life; and Jan Ruidl, of our Archdiocesan Pastoral Council. I am immensely grateful to the bishop and his colleagues for their work, which has already been going on for nearly nine months.
They do not act in a vacuum. They will depend on input from the other excellent collegial bodies in the Archdiocese: the Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, the Archdiocesan Priests' Council, the Cabinet of the Curia of the Archdiocese, the Archdiocesan Resource Development Council, and the Archdiocesan Finance Council. They will also be calling for consultative sessions in our parishes this fall.
Not only that, but our pastoral planning for a future full of hope must flow from a clear understanding of our goals and priorities for the future. As we debate sensitive questions about budget and personnel, for instance, we need a mutual appreciation of what is important for us in our mission as Catholics.
To help us articulate that, I have asked Tom Van Himbergen, on the staff of St. Francis Seminary, who has background in this area, to take a hard look at our internal archdiocesan infrastructure, and in examining our central office structure and priorities, to make sure we are organized in an effective way to carry out the Mission of the Church. Assisting him in this valuable endeavor are Jerry Topczewski, Joan Feiereisen, Barbara Anne Cusack, Maureen Siwula, Patti Dew and Noreen Welte from the archdiocesan offices; Father Jeff Haines, Council of Priests; Father Michael Newman, Pastor of St. Mary in Kenosha; Peg Gregorski, Antoinette Mensah, Olivia Vallarreal, of our Archdiocesan Pastoral Council; Deacon Joe Wenzler, and Richard Kohl, of Catholic Charities.
In the months ahead, I intend to be more attentive to articulating my vision for the future of the Archdiocese, as I listen closely to the insights expressed through this planning process.
Let me bring this to a close by mentioning a couple of priorities that are already highly important. Any consideration of pastoral planning immediately highlights two critical areas of need in the Church:One, vocations. Yes, I mean "vocation" in the broad sense - that every baptized member of the Church realizes his/her gifts and duties in bringing Jesus to the world today. But I also mean "vocations" in the strict sense, that we do not weary of promoting vocations to the priesthood, and consecrated religious life (sisters, brothers, and priests). This must be a high pastoral priority for us. This Archdiocese has traditionally been a seedbed for vocations, and the decline of the last three decades can and will be reversed. Nor do we let up in our invitation to the diaconate and lay ecclesial ministry. And we are conscious of the real threats to the vocation of marriage, and set as a goal the protection of marriage and the family as the foundation of civilization, indefatigable in promoting strong, faithful, loving, life-giving marriages in the Church.
Two, stewardship. The people of southeastern Wisconsin are remarkably generous. We will need your continued and even expanded generosity, as we call each person to the beautiful biblical virtue of stewardship: a humble, grateful recognition that everything we have is pure gift from God, Who wants us to share it generously with others. Our parishes, schools, and charitable ministries struggle daily just to pay the bills and keep the lights on. To provide a secure financial foundation for the Church's work of education and charity is a high priority in our pastoral plan and can only be accomplished through stewardship.
I close by returning to the image of the boat in the water. Recall when Jesus walked on the water, and the startled Peter in the boat exclaimed, "Lord, if it is really you, tell me to come to you across the water." Jesus replies with the invitation, "Come," and, sure enough, Peter, with eyes focused on the Master, is able to walk on the water. So does Our Lord invite us to "walk on the water" towards Him, not letting the winds and waves of doubt, confusion and fear sink us. With careful planning, and full confidence in the Lord who promised to be with us always, we set out towards Christ, and I invite you to pray with me:
Keep praying as if all depends on God … because it does!
Keep rowing as if it all depends on you, as this Archdiocese has for 160 years!
Keep walking on the water towards Jesus!
I commend our planning efforts to St. Joseph, patron of the Church universal, and with total trust in his Virgin wife and foster Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Most Reverend Timothy M. Dolan
Archbishop of Milwaukee