Diocesan Ministry Days

Diocesan "Ministry Days" are gatherings held each year to provide professional in-service and enrichment opportunities for clergy, parish ministers, and other church leaders serving in the Diocese of Winona.

Coming Up...

• June 9-10  ~ "Ministry Days 2008 " (@ Saint Mary's University / Winona, MN)

Theme for 2007-08

Planning the Ministry, Living the Gospel

Background

Bishop Harrington issued a pastoral letter this Advent entitled, Proclaim Jesus!, which charts the future of diocesan ministry in the coming years.  {Click here to see the text of the pastoral letter.}  Introducing this pastoral letter will be the focus of our diocesan Ministry Days gatherings in the 2007-08 year.

Ministry Days 2008

{See registration flyer.  See registration form.}

Monday Morning General Session

What Lies Ahead? ~ Pastoral Leadership and Ministry in the U.S. Catholic Church.

Drawing on the findings of a four-year study of the Catholic Church in the United States (under her direction), Ms. Jewell will explore the "emerging models" of pastoral leadership relevant to parish life today.  These findings will be examined within the context of the more specific areas of ministry highlighted in Proclaim Jesus!

PRESENTER:  Marti R. Jewell is Director of the Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership Project, and Associate Director of the National Association for Lay Ministry.  She is a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree at The Catholic University of America.

Monday Afternoon General Session

Engaging Our Youth ~ Ministry with "the Millennials"

Dr. McCarty will help us to engage the millennial generation in a ministry designed around the goals and components of Renewing the Vision: A Framework for Catholic Youth Ministry.  This session will examine effective models, methods, and leadership structures needed for a comprehensive approach to ministry.  (On Tuesday, Dr. McCarty will lead an in-service for the priests focusing on the role of pastor and staff in building an effective ministry.)

PRESENTER:  Robert J. McCarty, D.Min., is the Executive Director of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry.  He has been in professional youth ministry since 1973, and continues to author resources for Catholic youth ministry and provide training programs and presentations on ministry issues internationally.

Tuesday Morning General Session

Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship ~ A Call to Political Responsibility. 

With another election cycle now in full swing and a long season fo debate and dialogue upon us, questions and concerns about appropriate parish involvement in the political process are common.  Because our parishes and schools are encouraged to share the Church's teaching on the relationships between Christian faith and political life, articulating well what we believe about political responsibility and the life and dignity of the human person becomes increasingly important.

PRESENTER:  Jeffry Odell Korgen is Director of Social Ministries at the National Pastoral Life Center in New York City.  He serves at Secretary for The ROUNDTABLE Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors and Secretary for the Conference for Pastoral Planning and Council Development.

Dates & Site

• Monday, June 9th - Tuesday, June 10th / Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, Winona

Spring Ministry Gatherings (2008)

Title & Description

On the first Sunday of Advent, 2007, Bishop Harrington issued a pastoral letter entitled, Proclaim Jesus!  He describes this letter as "a call to action, a call to bring Jesus and His message to our world."  In the letter, he lifts up four "initiatives" for our common focus and ministry: Vocations; Youth Ministry; Hispanic Ministry; and Stewardship.

In February, members of the diocesan curia traveled to each of the five deaneries of our diocese to present the message of the pastoral letter to the clergy and pastoral council leaders of our parishes.  In March, this same presentation will be offered at two sites for lay parish staff and other lay leaders of the diocese at our diocesan Spring Ministry Gatherings.  The day will include curia presentations on the initiatives in the morning, and table discussion and planning in the afternoon.

Dates, Times, & Sites

• Thursday, March 6th (9:30 am - 2:00 pm) ~ St. John Vianney Parish, Fairmont
• Tuesday, March 11th (9:30 am - 2:00 pm) ~ Pax Christi Parish, Rochester

Fall Ministry Gatherings (2007)

{See registration flyer}

Title & Description of Morning Presentation

Multiple Parish Ministry: Realities, Dynamics, and Leadership. This sessionwill explore the increasing phenomenon -- in our diocese and many others -- of parishes being clustered together for shared ministry.  Sister Katarina Schuth, OSF, Ph.D.,  will present her research in this area and describe "models of leadership that contribute to vital parishes as well as factors that might lead to the diminishment of vibrant parish life." [from Priestly Ministry in Multiple Parishes]

PRESENTER:  Sr. Katarina Schuth, OSF, Ph.D., holds the Endowed Chair for the Social Scientific Study of Religion at The Saint Paul Seminary Scho0l of Divinity at the University of St. Thomas.  She is a nationally known researcher and presenter in the field of ministry, and is the author of several books including, Educating Leaders for Ministry: Issues and Responses and Priestly Ministry in Multiple Parishes .

Title & Description of Afternoon Presentation

Hispanic Ministry: The National Plan, Our Diocesan Context.  This session will provide an overview of the U.S. Catholic Bishops' "National Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry" (in this its 20th anniversary year), and apply the plan to the particular realities of our diocese.  Specific issues to be considered are how to act on the plan in rural settings, and in parishes where the staff and parish leaders do not speak Spanish.

PRESENTER:  Mr. Pedro Moreno is the Director of the Light of Christ Institute for Lay Ministry Formation in the Diocese of Fort Worth.  He previously served as the Director of Hispanic Ministry for the Diocese of Galveston-Houston.  He holds a Master of Religious Education degree, and is presently studying for a Doctor of Ministry degree at the Aquinas Institute of Theology.

Dates, Times, & Sites

• Friday, November 2nd (9:30 am - 3:00 pm) ~ St. Joseph Parish, Owatonna
• Saturday, November 3rd (9:30 am - 3:00 pm) ~ St. John Vianney Parish, Fairmont

For Additional Information...

Contact:  Todd Graff, Director

Office of Ministry Formation -- P.O. Box 588 -- Winona, MN 55987-0588 / Phone: (507) 454-4643, ext. 270 / Fax: (507) 454-8106 / E-mail: tgraff@dow.org