Bishop Nienstedt looks back on year of adjustments

By KEVIN SWEENEY

Journal Editor

NEW ULM -- The past year since the installation of Bishop John Clayton Nienstedt as bishop of the New Ulm Catholic Diocese has been a year of big adjustments, both for Nienstedt and for the diocese.

For the diocese, which has had only two bishops in its history, it's been a year of getting to know the new bishop and how he does things.

For Nienstedt, born and raised in Detroit, it's been a year of getting used to living and working on the edge of a corn field in a mostly rural diocese.

It's a diocese with many different issues and concerns from the Detroit Diocese where he was auxiliary bishop, and Nienstedt has spent a lot of time studying up on them since his Aug. 6, 2001 installation.

"I tell people that the year has gone better than I deserve," said Nienstedt on Friday in his office in New Ulm. "People have been very gracious to me, I have received a tremendous welcome, and the people, in particular the pastoral advisors and the staff here at the diocesan center have been very patient as I have grown into the position.

"I've said many times I'm a city boy who has been transplanted, and so getting to know the concerns of rural America, some of the issues involved with the farm crisis, coming to an understanding of where our 82 parishes and missions are, and what are their concerns, all that has taken a little time."

Nienstedt said there have been four key areas for him this first year.

His first concern has been getting to know the diocese. Nienstedt has logged 28,000 miles on his car visiting 59 of the 82 parishes in the diocese (he plans to visit them all) and spending time in the 18 schools in the diocese.

Nienstedt said that in 25 years, the diocese developed a great affection for his predecessor, Bishop Raymond Lucker. In meetings early this year, he has let people know that he's different from Lucker, who died within the month after Nienstedt's installation, "and we've worked our way through that very well."

This year Nienstedt said he will be making pastoral visits in the diocese, spending weekends in the parish, and coming back during the week to meet with religious education classes.

"I think a part of leadership is knowing the people you serve, so that you're not just sitting in an office and making decisions in the abstract," said Nienstedt.

The bishop's second concern is the change in population in the diocese, and how to serve it. The western part of the diocese is losing population, while the cities in the eastern part of the diocese are gaining. The churches that have been built over the years, however, can't move with the people. Nienstedt said planning for the future is an important task for the diocese, to find the best use for the diocesan resources. The Diocese has conducted long-range planning for several years, but developments are pushing the diocese to make more changes and adjustments.

It's important, said Nienstedt, to look not at what is being lost, which parishes might be closed or consolidated, but to look at taking care of what the diocese has.

In January, Nienstedt shared with his committee on parishes his reflection that "there's a certain almost sadness in our discussions because it's about it's about 'Can we keep this parish open?' or 'Can we pull these two parishes together to help keep them viable?'"

Nienstedt came up with the image of a diabetic patient who faces amputation of toes or part of a leg because of circulation problems. "We're always looking at what part we are losing. I want to turn it to looking taking care of what we are and what we have."

It will be important, as changes come, to let people know that changes will enhance what they have, that it will help their worship and education.

One idea the diocese will be exploring is the concept of area parishes, where neighboring parishes can share resources and planning in areas like religious education programs, worship committees, even parish councils.

In his sermon at his installation, Nienstedt emphasized vocations, asking people to pray for religious vocations and to abstain from meat on Fridays for that purpose.

"We've raised consciousness on the issue with our Friday abstinence," he said, "and I talk about it in all my school visits and in working with confirmation classes. I believe that the Holy Spirit provides for the full needs of the church in every age. We can only raise the issue and identify those with qualifications."

The controversy over pastoral sexual abuse in the Church doesn't reduce the need for priests and nuns, said Nienstedt. He tells the young men that the priests of tomorrow have to be more chaste, more pious, than ever before, because the people of the church "want their priests and bishops to practice what they preach, to be an example to the church so it can be a light to the world."

Finally, Nienstedt has worked on his own personal transition, moving from an area where he had lots of old friends and family to a new community. He had a lot of adjustments to make, from finding a new spiritual advisor to finding a new barber. He's found both, and is making himself comfortable in his new position, while he hopes the diocese becomes more comfortable with him.