| ST.
FRANCIS — A commission appointed recently by
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan has begun studying the way
the archdiocese prepares and forms men for the priesthood
and diaconate, and lay men and women for lay ministries.
The focus of the commission’s work will be on Saint
Francis Seminary, where the formation of clergy and lay
ministers takes place.
The commission plans to present its findings to the archbishop
by Jan. 1, 2005.
Fr. Daniel Pakenham, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Elm
Grove and rector of Saint Francis Seminary from 1979-1992,
is chair of the eight-person Commission for Ministerial
Formation.
“First of all, we will gather information ... on what
are the best ways we can have preparation and formation” of
clergy and lay ministers, said Fr. Pakenham. “Secondly,
how do we really assess the resources available to us,
which are personnel, financial, and physical. And consequently,
how will that affect Saint Francis Seminary, which has
been our diocesan center for formation for church ministries.”
The commission’s study was not prompted by financial
or enrollment concerns at Saint Francis Seminary, said
Kathleen Hohl, communications director for the archdiocese. “It
was an offshoot of the (archdiocesan) strategic planning
task force.”
Results of a year-long strategic planning effort were
announced in the May 20 Catholic Herald.
Hohl said that as part of the task force’s overall
recommendations, “they felt that it was probably
an appropriate time, in light of all of the planning
that was going on, for a broader study to look at how
men and women are trained” for ministry.
Among the task force recommendations for the Archbishop
Cousins Center was more emphasis on regional delivery
of services, said Hohl. “That might be incorporated
into this commission as well, with accessible training
of people throughout all of the 10 counties.”
In addition to Fr. Pakenham, the commission includes:
• Jesuit Fr. Ed Mathie, director of university ministry
at Marquette. He has also served as provincial of the
Wisconsin Province of Jesuits and worked in formation
of new Jesuit members. “Jesuit schools of theology
in the United States have a large commitment to formation
of laity in church ministry at their theological centers,” said
Fr. Pakenham.
• Marna Boyle, academic vice president at Cardinal Stritch
University. “She has been involved in education
for a number of years and is a former board of trustees
member of Saint Francis Seminary.”
• Vincentian Fr. David Windsor, vice rector of Saint
Francis Seminary and former rector of the American College
of the Immaculate Conception at Louvain, Belgium.
• Robert Lueger, associate dean of arts and sciences
at Marquette and former chair of the Marquette psychology
department. He also serves as adjunct professor at the
seminary.
• Joseph Wenzler, a permanent deacon and retired chief
financial officer for WE Energies. He currently is a
member of the seminary’s board of trustees.
• Fr. Dave Filut, pastor of Holy Apostles Parish in New
Berlin.
• Sr. Frances Cunningham, director of the archdiocesan
World Mission Office and former president of the School
Sisters of St. Francis.
In announcing the commission’s formation, Archbishop
Dolan said now “is an opportune time to study the
many questions affecting the formation of ministerial
leaders for our church.”
“Through Saint Francis Seminary, the archdiocese has worked
diligently to form and train pastoral ministers, deacons
and laity for our local church, in addition to men for
the priesthood,” he continued. “At this point
in time, we now need a thorough examination of formational
needs and subsequent methods for providing that formation.”
While the formation of priests has always been central
to the seminary’s mission, it expanded its service
to lay formation in 1972. In 1973, a program for training
permanent deacons began at the seminary. Today, according
to the seminary, over 170 permanent deacons and 195 lay
graduates serve the church throughout southeastern Wisconsin
and beyond.
Fr. Pakenham said the commission has already met with
Archbishop Dolan, Bishop Richard J. Sklba, the seminary’s
board of trustees, faculty and administration.
“We have started to define the individuals and groups
that we will begin a consultation process with, both
within and outside of the archdiocese,” said Fr.
Pakenham. “There are a number of groups outside
of the archdiocese we want to talk to, such as the Committee
on Priestly Formation and the Committee on the Laity
at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops; the National
Catholic Education Association, and seminary and ministerial
formation programs in similar size dioceses.”
Although he calls the study “a daunting task,” Fr.
Pakenham said commission members understand its importance.
“We have an opportunity to shape what we’re going
to be doing for the future. Because of that it’s
a graced moment,” he said. “We hope that
people of the archdiocese will lend us their ideas, and
hopes as we go through this process so that it becomes
a highly participative process — as much as we
can make it — and so that the ultimate recommendations
we give to the archbishop will be placed on a solid footing.” |
