The theology of stewardship calls us to recognize that everything we have is a gift from God, and we are accountable for the use of those gifts. This Archdiocese has embraced stewardship as a way of life for many years, and tremendous strides in stewardship education have been made. Goal 6 builds on this success and addresses ways to expand and enhance stewardship education efforts, especially in the area of education for children and youth. In addition, the action steps encourage parishes to more effectively share resources, manage capital construction, and address school funding issues.
Objective 6.1
Provide a comprehensive process for parish leadership that defines, educates, and supports the archdiocesan vision of stewardship.
Action Steps:
6.1.1
Continue to develop a training program that provides pastors, pastoral administrators, and associate pastors with an understanding of the theology of stewardship and its application in light of the archdiocesan vision for stewardship. [Stewardship & Development, Continuing Formation for Clergy]
B Fall 2002
C Fall 2003
6.1.2
Integrate the theological principles of stewardship and their application into the curriculum for the permanent diaconate. [Diaconate, Stewardship & Development]
B Fall 200
C Spring 2006
6.1.3
Integrate an educational process on the theological principles of stewardship and their application as part of the seminarians’ summertime parish experience. [Stewardship & Development, Vocations]
B Summer 2003
C Summer 2004
6.1.4
Continue training lay leadership at the parish level, including school classroom and religious education teachers, in the theology and principles of stewardship as outlined in the U. S. Bishops’ pastoral letter, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response. [Stewardship & Development, Ministry & Spirituality, OLFE]
B Fall 2003
C Spring 2005
Objective 6.2
Customize materials and support systems so that all parishes will embrace and implement the theological principles of stewardship.
Action Steps:
6.2.1
Assist parishes in educating parishioners on the theology of stewardship as articulated in the U. S. Bishops’ pastoral letter, Stewardship: A Disciple’s Response. [Stewardship & Development]
B Fall 2002
C Fall 2004
6.2.2
Assist parishes in developing and refining systems that will enable parishes to accurately track and record parishioners’ gifts of time, talent, and treasure. [Stewardship & Development, Finance, Personnel & Planning]
B Fall 2002
C Winter 2004
6.2.3
Collaborate with parishes to establish guidelines for providing periodic accountability reports to parishioners on the use of the parish’s resources. [Stewardship & Development, Finance]
B Fall 2002
C Fall 2004
6.2.4
Expand stewardship education for young people in parish schools and/or parish religious education programs. [Stewardship & Development, OLFE]
B Fall 2003
C Spring 2004
Objective 6.3
Establish and provide for the administration of an archdiocesan building repair fund for parishes in need.
Action Steps:
6.3.1
Explore various avenues for the creation and funding of a building repair fund. [Finance]
B Spring 2003
C Fall 2004
6.3.2
Develop a plan for the administration of a building repair fund. [Finance]
B Fall 2004
C Fall 2005
Objective 6.4
Explore and develop new funding models for parish schools.
Action Steps:
6.4.1
Explore the establishment of alternative non-traditional school models. [OLFE]
B Spring 2003
C Fall 2005
6.4.2
Establish opportunities for parish schools to share resources by developing a system to track and match individual school needs with a school that has the resources to share. [OLFE, Personnel & Planning]
B Spring 2003
C Fall 2005
6.4.3
Explore programs that meet the educational and social needs of Catholics in areas without a Catholic school presence. [OLFE, Charities, Multicultural Ministry]
B Spring 2003
C Fall 2004
Objective 6.5
Develop plans that provide for the effective utilization of available personnel and/or material resources within each region.
Action Steps:
6.5.1
Survey parishes to identify current and projected staffing needs. [Personnel & Planning]
B Spring 2003
C Spring 2004
6.5.2
Develop a process where parishes can achieve their staffing goals through collaborative efforts such as job sharing. [Personnel & Planning, OLFE, Clergy Personnel]
B Spring 2004
C Spring 2005
6.5.3
Research and develop new parish staffing models in light of the projected decline in available clergy. [Personnel & Planning, Clergy Personnel]
B Spring 2003
C Fall 2004
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