New Ulm Diocese finalizes plans for parish alignments

By MARTHA KRIENKE

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The Catholic Diocese of New Ulm announced Tuesday the completion of the official Diocesan Plan for Parishes 2003-08, Hope for Years to Come.

The 82 parishes in the 15 counties of the Diocese of New Ulm will be grouped in separate "Area Faith Communities." (AFC) Because of fewer active priests, people moving from farm communities to urban areas and the aging of many who make up Sunday congregations, the local Catholic church has faced some new challenges.

An AFC includes two or more parishes, small parishes or oratories based on geography, population and school districts. Although some parishes have been grouped as "clusters" in the past, the degree of collaboration in an AFC will be greater, according to Mark Kemmeter, liason to the committee of parishes and coordinator of diocesan staff. The five-year diocesan plan says an AFC will also "share the cost of area personnel, ministries and pastoral programs by a proportionate assessment."

Seven AFCs are currently in the two-year planning process of establishing an Area Pastoral Council and committees. By this summer, five more AFCs will begin the process.

New Ulm's Cathedral and St. Mary are currently being joined with Lafayette, West Newton Twp. and Searles to form an AFC. Sleepy Eye, Leavenworth and Comfrey are another AFC.

The proposed plan for 2008 is to have 22 AFCs that include 59 parishes, 10 small parishes and 13 future oratories. A "small parish" is determined by its staff, number of registered members, revenues, cost of building needs, enrollment in the religious education program and distance to neighboring parishes. Oratories with even more declining numbers will no longer celebrate a weekly Sunday liturgy but will remain open as a place for "occasional worship," such as weddings and funerals.

Some parishioners fear their parish will be closed because of this plan, but Kemmeter explained this is not the case. Instead, being a part of an AFC will allow more ministry opportunities and sharing of ministerial staff not otherwise available to them. The AFC will work together to organize programs, sponsor activities and share facilities.

In the smaller parishes, a Sunday liturgy will soon not be able to be provided. With the new plan, parishioners will be asked to register and attend Sunday Mass in a parish in their AFC.

The AFC plan will not require any cut-backs in staffing for pastoral leadership but will allow the diocese to better use the 44 priests and 15 pastoral administrators already present. According to the Diocesan Plan, each AFC will be "entrusted to the care of one pastor with a pastoral staff or pastoral leaders who work together to carry out the ministries in the area." As some priests retire and the diocese's needs change, the Diocese of New Ulm projects to have 38 priests and 21 pastoral assistants in 2008.

"The Diocesan Plan for Parishes is not radical, but it will require a new way of envisioning our Catholic way of life," said Bishop John Nienstedt. "It will require us to have what Pope John Paul II calls a 'spirituality of communion' which is a greater identity with the Body of Christ, making room for more of our Catholic brothers and sisters and sharing in their burdens as well as their joys."

Kemmeter said he hopes this plan will help parishoners see the Catholic church as a universal church with a common mission and not different parishes competing with one another. "We are all hopeful this is going to strengthen the Church in southwest Minnesota," he said.