Father Garrett Nelson is the new Director of Vocations and Ministry
Bishop Warfel travels the Diocese for the completion of Initiation. He is shown here in Livingston at St. Mary’s this spring.
Young people from St. Labre Indian School gather with Bishop Warfel.
By Darren Eultgen, Chancellor
Two years ago, Bishop Warfel and I began discussions about the need to update the Pastoral Plan which would guide the diocese for the next 5 years. Since then, the Bishop has made a pastoral visit (followed by a listening session facilitated by the Chancellor) to nearly every parish community in our diocese celebrating weekend Masses at the parishes and missions of different clusters of churches throughout Eastern Montana. Pope Francis has consistently spoken of the need to listen and to dialogue. Some 2000 Catholics attended the listening sessions and offered their opinions which were recorded. With this information in hand, a Leadership Summit, The Joy of the Gospel, was held in Billings. It was attended by a cross section of clergy, religious and lay members from Eastern Montana, a total of 105 representatives. The Leadership Summit was facilitated over two-day assembly. From the many needs presented, the participants voted on what they judged were priority needs. Three surfaced as the major priorities: 1) Church life and Liturgy; 2) evangelization and discipleship; 3) vocations to the priesthood. Though it did not surface as one of the top priority needs at the Leadership Summit, the most consistent concern expressed during the year and a half of listening sessions was for youth and young adults.
The Joy of the Gospel, Diocesan Pastoral Plan, was mailed to every household in the diocese in the middle of February. The goal is to have every parish in our diocese read and discuss the Pastoral Plan with their Pastoral Council, Finance Council, and other councils and groups within the parish working with their Pastor to formulate goals to cooperate with the Bishop’s and Diocese plan. After a time of discussion, Pastors and Parishes complete a short report listing their goals for the year which were due on July 1, 2016.
Nearly all of our parishes met with their pastors (or Parish Life Coordinators) and began discussing and formulating their own goals to work with Bishop Warfel to begun implementing the three priorities in their own parish communities.
Some examples of chancery offices and parishes working to cooperate with the Pastoral Plan are:
Parish Life and Liturgy:
At the Chancery
Bishop Warfel is working with the Diocesan Worship Commission to plan and carryout a Eucharistic Conference in March 2017.
At Corpus Christi in Great Falls
Create a parish orientation/hospitality program for new parishioners, run by parish staff as well as a welcoming committee to be established from among members of parish and including also all members of pastoral council. To be established and running by Christmas 2016.
At St. Denis Crow Agency and St. Xavier
We ordered current songbooks and taught the current texts of the liturgy, the current sung responses and institute a 2 minute teaching at all Masses during Lent and Advent to catechize about the celebration of Eucharist.
At St. Jude in Havre
We are seeking to involve junior high and high school students more fully by encouraging their participation in the ministries of Lector and Eucharistic Minister at one weekend Mass per month.
At the Churches of Big Sandy, Rocky Boy, Box Elder
Provide annual training for catechists and other parishioners in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
At St. Raphael in Glasgow
Easy parishioner access to all Parish Ministries and ministers through a Ministry Directory. The directory will contain information about commissions, councils and committees. The Stewardship and Pastoral Council, will compile a rough draft and the final copy and approval for St. Raphael’s and Missions will be done by October 2016. Printing of the Directory will be done in our parish office by November 2016 and available during the Parish Appreciation Sunday gathering on November 6th. This is a living document and will be updated on an annual basis and as need arises.
Evangelization and Discipleship
At the Chancery
The Diocesan Stewardship Council will offer workshops on stewardship and growing an engaged church in our Vicariates in 2017.
At Holy Spirit in Great Falls
Establish and develop a media committee to explore ways to utilize webcasts, DVD, public access and other media technology to evangelize and have better engagement.
At St. Benedict in Roundup
We will offer scholarships for the St Thomas Summer Camp in the hopes of increasing the number of those attending from our parishes and to make our young people feel a part of the larger church.
At St. Leo in Lewistown
We will offer weekly adult education classes in order to strengthen our love and understanding of the faith so as to evangelize and share it more effectively with others.
At the Churches of Columbus, Absarokee, and Red Lodge
We will continue to work through the Parish Engagement Survey and continue to implement Strengths Finder in our Parishes. The Survey will be done with all three Parishes by the end of 2016, which will give us an idea for goals next year.
Vocations to the Priesthood
At the Chancery
Bishop Warfel appointed Father Garrett Nelson to be the new full-time Vocations and Formation Director to work with our priests, parishes, and families throughout our diocese.
At Immaculate Conception in Ft. Benton
Include in Prayers of the Faithful – prayers for priestly and religious vocations, prayers for all vocations – marriage and single life, professional, etc.
At Mary Queen of Peace in Billings
Our goal will be to continue to hold regular Eucharistic Adoration every Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and to foster and pray the rosary for vocations.
At St. Anthony in Laurel
We will invite at least one seminarian to participate in our Sunday Mass and/or give them the opportunity to speak to the young people of our parish.
At least one class period for the 2016-2017 middle school and high school will be dedicated to vocations and vocation discernment.
At the Churches of Sidney, Fairview, and Charlie Creek
Offer a Scholarship of $10,000/year to Jr/Sr. who is attending a Catholic College or University and is seriously studying Philosophy and Theology with the intention of Priesthood for the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings.
The full Pastoral Plan can be found on the Diocesan Web site diocesegfb.org.
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