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Oratory Town Hall Meeting

Oratory Town Hall Meeting. Historical Glimpse of Pastoral Planning. November 1984 – Diocesan plan to examine parish viability; brings about linkages July 1993 – Long Range planning: Ministry 2000 – Our Baptismal Call

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Oratory Town Hall Meeting

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  1. Oratory Town Hall Meeting

  2. Historical Glimpse of Pastoral Planning • November 1984 – Diocesan plan to examine parish viability; brings about linkages • July 1993 – Long Range planning: Ministry 2000 – Our Baptismal Call • Review of shifting demographics; declining number of priests for service across the diocese • Town hall meetings to discuss this impact on area parishes • 2000: Team approach for Webster County announced • Bishop DiNardo appointed a team of priests to care for 3 Fort Dodge parishes, Clare and Barnum • 2002: Parishes in Dayton, Duncombe and Moorland were added to the team coverage

  3. Historical Glimpse of Pastoral Planning • 2005: Long range planning submitted that the eight parishes be suppressed and a new single parish be created with an eventual single site for worship • 2006: Having celebrated the sesquicentennial of Catholicism in Webster County, the new parish of Holy Trinity was established by decree of Bishop R. Walker Nickless on November 10 • 2008: Priests assigned for service at Holy Trinity are reduced from 4 to 3; three worship sites close • 2007- 2008: Joint planning with St. Edmond and Holy Trinity; a single worship site is recommended to help forge parish unity • 2013-2014: Holy Trinity updates its long range plan, United by Faith • 2016: Ministry 2025 – Holy Trinity is reduced to two priests effective August 1, 2016; three worship sites will move to oratory status

  4. How is it That We Find Ourselves Here? • Reduced number of priests available for full time ministry is the primary reason for the Diocese of Sioux City’s restructure of parishes • Other Dioceses are also affected by geographic movement of Catholics from rural to urban sites

  5. Active Priests as of August 2016 Of the 56 priests in active service, 20 are eligible for retirement by 2025. Five of the 20 could retire in 2017. Another 13 could retire by 2030, which could mean that 33 of the current 56 priests could retire within 15 years.

  6. Diocese of Sioux City Seminarians Theology Theology Theology Theology Theology IV III III II I Theology Theology Spirituality College III English as a I I Year 2nd Language

  7. What about recruiting priests from a foreign country? • The Diocese of Sioux City does have some priests serving here from other countries, including India and Mexico • Complex and more difficult than one might initially consider • Not a long term practical way to deal with our priest shortage • Necessary for a diocese to foster native clergy for its own health and vitality • What about retired priests? • Age • Health • Wintering/Vacations • It’s time to rest!

  8. Hispanic Ministry • Increase in Hispanic speaking population • By 2020, the total Hispanic population is expected to grow another 23% where they will comprise 4.8% of the total population • In our multi-county area, we are the only Parish with a Mass in Spanish • Many youth attending

  9. What Does Oratory Status Mean? • An oratory is a place set aside by permission of the bishop for divine worship for the benefit of some community or assembly of the faithful who gather there. All sacred celebrations may take place in an oratory unless otherwise excluded by the law, by particular provision of the bishop or by liturgical norms.

  10. What Does Oratory Status Mean For Us? • How does our situation differ from others moving to oratory status? • We became Holy Trinity Parish on November 10th, 2006, thus we are moving a worship site and not a parish to oratory status. Whereas most all in the diocese are moving from a parish to oratory and are assumed by another parish

  11. How Will The Oratory Site Be Utilized? • Blessed Sacrament is not to be reserved in the oratory • Sacraments of Initiation are to occur in the principal worship sites, they are not permitted to occur in an oratory • What can occur at oratories? • Weddings with or without a Mass • Funerals with or without a Mass

  12. What Happens to the Contents of the Oratory? • Ownership of sacred vessels, vestments, relics and objects of artistic or historic value are the property of the parish. • The above items may remain in the oratory or be utilized elsewhere in the parish • The above items may not be sold or given to individuals for personal use • If the oratory is closed, the Policy on Sacred Patrimony for the Diocese of Sioux City is to be followed • An inventory and cataloguing of items will occur at each site set to go to oratory

  13. Patrimony • This policy is to be utilized if a church building is to be closed • All items of a sacred nature are to be inventoried, labeled and archived • Sacred items are not to be dispersed to members of the lay faithful • Sacred items are not to be sold or allowed to fall into secular, profane or sordid use • Once an item is donated to a parish for sacred use, the item belongs to the service of the Lord, it is not to be returned to the donors or their heirs

  14. Administration, Finance and Cemetery • On November 10th, 2006 all administration, finance and cemetery oversight was assumed by Holy Trinity Parish • Sites going to oratory have been, and will continue to be, included in the Holy Trinity Parish budget for basic and regular maintenance • It is not permissible to turn over governance or ownership of an oratory to lay associations, museums, or other such organizations

  15. We Are Closer to Another Parish – How Do We Transfer? • Please contact Rhonda at our parish office so that she may • 1) inform the receiving parish of your intentions • 2) assist you with any sacramental records you may wish to have sent to the receiving parish

  16. Mass Intentions • Mass intentions that were scheduled past July 31st, 2016 at sites going to oratory, will be moved to other Mass times in the parish. • If you would like to know more, please contact Rhonda at the parish office.

  17. Liturgical Ministers • Liturgical ministers are most welcome to continue their ministries at another site and Mass time. • Once you have made a decision you may simply call the office and speak to Joyce or Rhonda about what you would like to do. • If you need time to consider what to do or where to serve, please take time to discern. There is no rush.

  18. Are There Any Positives? • We’ve been working on our own Long Range Plan for over ten years, many parishes are just beginning the long journey • Ministry 2025 states that once we are reduced to two priests we will not lose another prior to 2025 • We have four Deacons • Large volunteer base of laity to lead and assist with ministries in the parish

  19. Needing Feedback….. • Are there any traditions, routines, items that you would like utilized in the parish life as we move forward? • How do we care for the elderly and homebound? • What can the parish do to help with this difficult transition? • Would you like to be a part of the planning for a Eucharistic celebration and dinner to be held in the fall? • Other items?

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