Mission Prayer for the Diocese of f St. . Cloud Leader: Gracious, loving God, help us to be like Christ your Son, who loved the world and died for our salvation. All: Inspire us by His example in fulfilling His mission, as we strive to be faithful to the mission that is ours. Guide us as we commit our lives anew to the call that is ours as your people at this time and in this place, in our diocese. (Pause) All: We, the people of God of the Diocese of St. Cloud, in union with the universal Catholic Church, believe in and proclaim the presence of Jesus Christ in our world. Our mission is to be His heart of mercy, voice of hope, and hands of justice.
Leader: In living out our mission, we will: Reader 1: Dedicate our lives to building up the kingdom of God, committing ourselves to lifelong formation in our faith through study, prayer, and active participation in the liturgy; Reader 2 : Devote ourselves to the development of strong family life, drawing on the values of the generations that have gone before us; Reader 3: Recognize the dignity of each person, seeking justice for all at every stage of life; Reader 4: Cherish our rural tradition, respecting the beauty and sacredness of the earth;
Reader 5: Share the Good News, witnessing the love of Christ through our words and actions; Reader 6: Embrace the spirit of Vatican II, accepting the challenge to renew our own lives and the life of the Church; Reader 7: Celebrate the Eucharist as the source and summit of our faith, praying, as Christ did, that all may be one. Leader: Let us trust in God’s merciful, redeeming love as we pray: All: Our Father , who art in heaven….
Leader: May the God of endurance and encouragement, grant us to think in harmony with one another, in keeping with Christ Jesus, that with one accord, we may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. May Christ who redeemed us and continues to nourish and heal us through the Eucharist, and one anther, strengthen us to be faithful to our mission. All: We pray this in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Praise & Thanksgiving to you! We have marvelous staff, volunteers, , teachers, , and parishioners. Thank you to all ll who sacri rifice to make our parishes pla laces of f encounter wit ith Jesus Christ. Special thank you to our r staff and parish council members. . (S (Stand for applause)
In Our Years Together, we have: - Done facility improvements at both parishes St. K’s – new church, completed the kitchen, added gutters & downspouts St. M’s – new roof on church & rectory, new lighting, (Also cleaned up/repaired after water damage – BOTH parishes!) (Repaired tornado damage to St. K’s cemetery and the Rectory and PC) - Hosted the Diocesan Canonization of St. Kateri, Confirmations, the Blessing of the Beatitude Garden, Spring Mission Deanery Meeting, Rural Life Celebration - Added the Bereavement Ministry and Homebound Ministry Programs - Changed to “Family” Faith Formation vs. CCD
Offered various prayer opportunities , including Sunday Masses, Morning Communion Services, Marian Devotions, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, Stations of the Cross, the Rosary (World Mission Rosary too), Prayer Service for Peace, Prayer Service to Discern before Elections, Parish Reconciliation Services, , Paris ish Mis issions wit ith Fr. . Dic ick k McGuir ire and Fr. . Ron Hoye …
Par artic icip ipated in in Co Communit ity y Outreach via The Ogilvie Food Shelf, Mora Food Pantry, The Refuge, Kick Cancer to the Curb, A Place for You, Soup for the Soul, Operation Community Connect, Vasaloppet activities including the Art Show, St. Clare’s and Eastwood, Box City, Feed My Starving Children, One More Time. Par artic icip ipated in regular Bible Study Groups, our small Faith Groups in Advent and Lent, and special videos on the changes in liturgy.
Went t on Miss issio ion Tri rips to Mexico and Kenya, Catholic Heart Workcamp in Chicago and Detroit Lakes. Se Sewed for r the school in Red Lake, MN and the children in Kenya. Work rked together on Pari rish Activit ivitie ies: Funeral lunches, Spring Salad Luncheons, Fall Festivals, Pork Dinner, Craft and Bake Sale, Holiday Fair, Fish Fries, and numerous Breakfasts!
Just a short summary… but we are most grateful!
The Changing Future in in the Dio iocese of St. . Clo loud Where do we go from here?
Catholic Church in the State of Minnesota • There are 6 Dioceses: Crookston, Duluth, St. Cloud, the Arch Diocese of Minneapolis and St. Paul, New Ulm and Winona.
How large is the Diocese of St. Cloud? *16 counties *12, 500 square miles *From Breckenridge and Browns Valley in the west to Mora and Braham in the east. *From Menahga and Butler in the north to Elk River in the southeast. *133,000 registered Catholics in 131 parishes
The Diocese is divided into deaneries. • Alexandria/ Morris Deanery • Cold Spring Deanery • Fergus Falls Deanery • Foley/Princeton Deanery • Little Falls Deanery • Melrose Deanery • St. Cloud Deanery
Each Deanery is composed of a number of parishes within a geographic area. • For example: we are in the Foley/Princeton Deanery which includes Mary of the Visitation in Becker/Big Lake St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Isanti Sts. Peter & Paul in Braham St. Mary in Milaca Christ the King in Cambridge St. Patrick in Minden Township St. Marcus in Clear Lake St. Mary in Mora St. Lawrence in Duelm St. Kathryn’s in Ogilvie St. John in Foley Christ our Light in St. Louis Bertrand in Foreston Princeton/Zimmerman
Currently in our Diocese: • Only 7 Stand Alone Parishes - Alexandria, Elk River, Fergus Falls, Long Prairie, Morris , Christ Newman Center, and Sauk Rapids. • 2 Merged Parishes – Becker/Big Lake (Mary of the Visitation) and Princeton/Zimmerman (Christ our Light) • All others are twinned/paired (two parishes working together) or clustered ( with 3, 4, or 5 parishes working together)
Why do we need a plan for the future? • We are looking at just 57 priests under the age of 70 serving in only 4 years; that’s IF no one else dies or becomes incapacitated for any reason. • Shifting areas of population – from western counties to growth in the southeast (Sherburne) county. • Fewer people attending church regularly. • Growing Hispanic populations in certain areas of the Diocese.
What has been done in this planning process thus far? • Priest Task Force looked at Canon Law for possibilities. • Three priest gatherings were held this summer in 3 locations, with active and retired priests invited. Discussed: What is right sizing of a parish? How do we measure the vibrancy of a parish? Can 131 parishes continue in the future? • Diocesan Ministry Day (9-25-17) Laity and clergy were asked for input. Discussed: What does it mean to have quality parish life? What resources does a parish need to have that quality of life? How can we sustain 131 parishes with a projected 57 priests under the age of 70 as we look to the future ? How do we maintain a Catholic Presence in the 16 counties, 12, 500 square miles of the Diocese of St. Cloud? • Clergy Conference in Alexandria – report given on material gathered
Deanery Meetings held with Parish Leaders Here too the questions were asked: • What does it mean to have ‘quality’ parish life? • What resources does a parish need to have quality of life? • How can we maintain 131 parishes with a projected 57 priests under the age of 70 as we look to the future? • How do we maintain a Catholic presence in the 16 counties, 12,500 square miles of the Diocese of St. Cloud?
Then all that information was shared with the Presbyterial Council. What’s that? A group made up of a representative priest from each deanery, plus a representative from the various religious orders serving in our diocese – and of course the Bishop. And again information was shared with the Diocesan Curia. What’s that? All the diocesan offices – Offices of Finance, Worship, Communication, Catholic Education Ministries, Vocations, Marriage and Family Life, the Marriage Tribunal, Development Office, the St. Cloud Visitor, etc. – and of course the Bishop.
Now it is our turn for input!!! • Looking to the future it is important to remember our call as responsible active Catholics. “The vision of the Diocese of Saint Cloud is to have communities that are vibrant centers of parish life, providing Sunday liturgy, faith formation and spiritual development, active lay involvement, strong pastoral leadership and financial stability.” “The responsibility of every baptized person, at every age, is to deepen their understanding of God’s desire in fulfilling the mission of Jesus Christ. One of the primary tasks of a faith community is to see that this mission is kept vibrant through the ongoing assessment of the key elements of parish life.”
JESUS CHRIST HAS A MISSION: S ave every soul To save and sanctif ify from their sin, every ry soul in in our destruction & territ itory. death. S anctify every soul to its fullest potential of glory.
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