It's the first step in a move that will eventually cluster all eight parishes into one administrative unit designed to save money and improve pastoral care on the south side, said Father Robert Stiefvater, the vicar for Hispanic ministry for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
At Mass yesterday the priest read a letter from Archbishop Dolan assuring us that the millions of dollars spent to settle the California clergy sexual abuse cases against our Archdiocese does not financially affect our parishes and charitable programs. That might be true in a legal or accounting sense, but it's still millions of dollars that won't available for anything else. Reminds me of how most of the parishes in the largely black inner city north side were closed in the 1990s, yet somehow there was $450,000 left lying around to pay the Marcoux settlement.
"We all have one thing in common, and that's large and growing Hispanic congregations that we've really been scrambling to service," Stiefvater said. But the parishes also must provide for the needs of a significant but aging English-speaking community on the near south side, along with a growing African-American community, he said.
Maybe instead of pairing up poor parishes, they should pair up a poor one with a better-off one.
And the churches also have to consider the new condominium projects that are expanding into the Walker's Point area from the Third Ward and attracting a growing number of empty nesters and young professionals, he said.
"Consider", meaning what? There has been a lot of new upscale housing built downtown, as well. I haven't seen any reports that downtown Catholic parishes have programs for evangelizing those newcomers.
Our Catholic Herald reported on these parish pairings several weeks ago in Priests take collaborative approach to Hispanic ministry, by Cheri Perkins Mantz. Let the considering begin!
"It's a very poor neighborhood and a diverse neighborhood. How do we minister better to such a diverse community and use our resources better?" he [Fr. Stiefvater] said. "One resource is the diminishing number of priests and how do we help lay ministers minister better?"
Not just considering, but considering the considering process.
One of the ways the team of eight priests is working is by using a "Five-Step Methodology" that was introduced by Jesuit Fr. Jose Moreno, parish team member and pastor at St. Patrick and Our Lady of Guadalupe.The five steps the group is looking to improve upon include leadership formation, integration of cultures, faith formation, stewardship and outreach.
"Steps" implies this is some kind of sequence, but it apparently isn't.
According to Fr. Stiefvater, the team has chosen to focus upon leadership, faith formation and outreach this year. However, he did say that stewardship is ongoing.
Outside a church, this would be the opposite of focus. I note the deferred step is "integration of cultures".
One of the funniest parts of Catholic Social Justice talks is when it's said the economy should be less competitive and more cooperative. I say funny because the article depicts the usual utter lack of cooperation and coordination between these parishes, despite their situation.
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