 |
April 13, 2006
|
 |
Seminary changes present challenges, opportunities
|
|
Immediate decisions being made;
long-term planning under way
|
|
|
|
MILWAUKEE —“I want to be upfront about the challenges the archdiocese confronts.”
With those words, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan began his explanation April 5 to people who work in the Archbishop Cousins Catholic Center regarding the changes coming to Saint Francis Seminary and their impact upon the Cousins Center.
The primary change is that the academic formation of seminarians will take place at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, while seminarians will continue to live at Saint Francis where they will receive human, spiritual and pastoral formation.
“Is it (the seminary decision) financially driven? Yes,” the archbishop said. “Is it only financially driven? No.”
The numbers include the $850,000 annually needed to operate the Cousins Center, and $1.8 million “to open the doors and turn on the lights” at the seminary, according to the archbishop.
Thomas VanHimbergen, director of finance and administration for the seminary, told your Catholic Herald that the seminary lost $1.6 million in fiscal year 2004-2005.
“In about three years our reserves would be gone,” he said.
VanHimbergen said the archbishop was taking a “longer view” of the seminary, which was a positive thing.
“What does this mean today? How does it affect the future?” he said. “You may know what you want to do, but how do you want to do it?”
Consultation continues
With the academic component moving to Sacred Heart, two floors of Henni Hall will be available for new tenants, e.g., some of the central offices of the archdiocese that are currently located in the Cousins Center. In what he termed “phase two” of the process involving changes at the seminary, Archbishop Dolan said there would be a “slow, thoughtful transition elsewhere” for central offices.
He said which offices would move to Henni Hall and possibly other buildings on the seminary campus would be determined after a study of the facilities.
Noting that questions regarding how, when and where offices would migrate have yet to be answered.
“There will be immense consultation. We will take it prudently and professionally,” he said, adding that the moves might start “next year.”
Before the Cousins Center could be put up for sale, other matters that have to be addressed are the archdiocese’s contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, whose practice facility is located in the center, and residences for the 24 retired priests who live in the building.
The archbishop announced that he had named Jerry Topczewski, his chief of staff, to lead the transition team that will work out the details and the timelines in seven areas: Academic collaboration with Sacred Heart School of Theology; Saint Francis de Sales Seminary; diaconate program; transition of lay graduate students; new lay formation program through the “Pope John Paul II Center for the New Evangelization”; Saint Francis Seminary facility assessment; and financial resources.
Immediate concerns
In an interview with your Catholic Herald, Topczewski said there are matters that need to be immediately addressed.
“Will there be any academic classes at Saint Francis Seminary in 2006? Of the urgent questions, that’s one of them,” he said.
While it is likely that the archdiocese’s 23 seminarians will do their coursework at Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Topczewski said formation for the 60 lay graduate students is a consideration.
“Where do they continue to receive human, pastoral and spiritual formation that were part of the program when they chose Saint Francis Seminary? How do they get holistic formation?” he said.
Topczewski said another immediate concern was to look at the needs of those enrolled in the diaconate program.
“How do you keep people who have answered the call to the diaconate engaged? How do we nurture that vocation?” he said.
One of the advantages to the changes at Saint Francis Seminary, according to Topczewski, is that it will allow the archdiocese to develop a comprehensive plan for lay formation and to look at how it forms men for the diaconate.
“There are lots of opportunities there,” he said. “We can address a broad segment of the population.”
Topczewski said a recent document written by the U.S. bishops regarding formation of deacons and lay ecclesial ministers would guide the discussion.
“We can ask, ‘What would you like the program to look like?’” he said. “We can engage people in all aspects of it.”
Beyond the programs for those called to priesthood, diaconate and lay ecclesial ministry, Topczewski sees the changes as an opportunity to study another area.
“We can re-examine how we address life-long faith formation in this diocese,” he said. “This is a chance to look at the entire issue of adult formation on a variety of levels.”
The last 10 months
Sacred Heart Fr. James Brackin, who oversaw the commission that advised the archbishop for the last 10 months in the areas of priestly formation, finances, enrollment, collaboration and the certificate division, said that when the committees in each of those areas began meeting last year “there was no awareness where it was going.”
By January, the priest said, the commission told Archbishop Dolan that there were decisions he needed to make – decisions he made in March after receiving further input from the group.
Fr. Brackin, who served as rector of Sacred Heart School of Theology from 1993 to 2004, emphasized that the idea of partnering with Sacred Heart School of Theology “came totally independent of me” and was a result of the committees wanting to maintain Saint Francis Seminary and reduce costs.
“How does the archdiocese best prepare people for ordained and lay ministry? How do we keep the seminary open in light of good stewardship?” he said.
Fr. Brackin expressed enthusiasm for the plan.
“Partnering is beneficial to both institutions. We’re bringing 225 years (150 at Saint Francis; 75 at Sacred Heart) together. It’s a win-win situation for both institutions,” he said. |
|
|
|
