Diocese moves into new phase with launch of pastoral plan

From The Superior Catholic Herald...

Editor’s note: This article contains background information. Further details on the event and the new pastoral plan will follow in the next issue.

Diocese of Superior Bishop James P. Powers, clergy from parishes across the diocese and Chancery officials gathered Tuesday, Feb. 18, at St. Peter, Cameron, for the introduction of the new Maintenance to Mission Pastoral Plan.

Detailing the bishop’s strategy for deeper engagement of parishioners, outreach to nonpracticing Catholics and an emphasis on missionary discipleship, the document instructs parishes to develop a plan for enriching and revitalizing their communities.

The plan is the next step in the diocesan Maintenance to Mission initiative, an effort started before the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen Catholicism across the 16-county region. The creation of the Office of Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship, directed by Chris Hurtubise, was one of the first public actions of the initiative; another was hosting a series of deanery meetings inviting local Catholics to talk about their parishes.

The Diocesan Planning Committee is composed of Bishop Powers, Fr. John Gerritts, Fr. Gerald Harris, Fr. Andrew Ricci, Dcn. John Grek and Chancery office directors Peggy Schoenfuss, Dan Blank, Chris Hurtubise, Christine Newkirk and Steve Tarnowski. Together, they have designed the plan to confront some of the challenges in the mission diocese – cultural and societal shifts away from Christianity; rural depopulation; graying population; declining participation in Mass and the sacraments; and falling enrollment in Catholic schools and faith formation programs.

Read the rest of this news story on The Superior Catholic Herald (official publication of the Diocese of Superior) website here...