Focus group studies goals

Laity, clergy and religious from several parishes and diocesan offices gathered Feb. 8 at St. Patrick's Church in Albany to evaluate a list of goals and objectives designed by the Diocese to prepare Catholics for the new millennium.

The focus group discussed the diocesan Strategic Plan, which grew out of the Diocesan Cluster Planning Process, during which cluster representatives identified the needs of parish communities. Among the needs repeated most during that process were leadership training for laity, youth ministry, adult education/faith formation, liturgical formation/ministry training, evangelization/outreach, stewardship programs, improving faith formation programs, and developing social justice issues/ministry.

The Strategic Planning Committee reviewed the cluster plans; Bishop Howard J. Hubbard's pastoral letter, "We Are God's Priestly People"; and the 1992 Strategic Plan, "Our Faith and Our Future: Faith Formation and Stewardship," and compiled a plan addressing parishes' needs and diocesan priorities.

Reactions

The focus group at St. Patrick's produced a lively discussion on such topics as education, multiculturalism in liturgy, the need for more deacons of color and the role of the World Wide Web in evangelization.

Participants first talked about the plan as a whole and then zeroed in on each of the seven goals within it. Among those commenting were:

* Betty Bursey, a parishioner of St. John's/St. Ann's Church in Albany, who said that while the plan contains some good ideas, Catholics will need education and training to accomplish its goals. "If we had the backup and the education on how to do this, it would be very exciting," she said.

* Rev. Francis O'Connor, pastor of St. Patrick's, who wondered whether further discussion and analysis of the plan would actually lead to more collaboration between diocesan offices and parishes. "I would question the methodology, but I'd be willing to cooperate," he said.

* Gil Marzan, a parishioner of St. Patrick's, who spoke about the importance of multiculturalism within the Church. He mentioned the Spanish liturgy celebrated each Sunday at St. Patrick's, in particular, and how the Scripture readings and songs are all in Spanish. Having literature and resources available in languages besides English would help to promote diversity within the Diocese, he said.

* Yvonne Nelson, a parishioner of St. George's Black Apostolate in Albany, who referred to a chart illustrating the current organizational structure of the Diocese and emphasized that there should be more cross-fertilization among diocesan offices. "I think it's a critical element in moving the Church into the new millennium," she said.

Ms. Nelson, expressing concern over the lack of permanent deacons of color in the Diocese, hoped that more could be done to encourage such men to join the diaconate.

"I know in my own faith community, there's been some interest," she said. "But if you don't feel it's attainable, you back off."

The group also debated whether or not the internet could be an essential tool in communicating with Catholics. Although participants seemed to think many parishes and laypeople don't have access to the World Wide Web or may not necessarily look for Church-related information through that medium, they agreed that today's youth are exposed to it constantly and that it could be the wave of the future for evangelization in the Diocese.

(Four focus group meetings have been conducted thus far; two more are scheduled for Feb. 15. The Strategic Planning Committee will compile the results of the focus groups and send a written summary of the meetings to the invited participants by the end of February.)

(02-12-98) [[In-content Ad]]