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Dear Friends, Welcome to my website! |
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January 29, 2006 Dear friends in life and in ministry, I'm sending this weekly update a day later than is my norm. Yesterday following Mass and some office work I drove to Rochester for the closing Mass of Woman's Cursillo #75. I've been involved with the Cursillo retreat movement since making Men's Cursillo #10 in 1971. For many, many people I know, their Cursillo has been an Epiphany experience of faith. Many, perhaps most of the deacons of our diocese credit this "Short Course in Christian Living" as an experience that brought them closer to Christ and led them into active ministry. Two of my parishioners, Barbara Perry and Rita Dwyer attended this Cursillo and Karen Grimmer our Coordinator of Parish Life and Social Ministry was part of the team. I took today off and Pat and I drove to the "Grand Canyon of the East" in Northern Pennsylvania. It was a relaxing ride and an enjoyable time together. My article this week continues the saga of reaching consensus on our five parish pastoral plan. Last week, I had hope that we would achieve consensus. This week I share the good news that our plan has been submitted to Bishop Clark for his approval. Ray
January 29, 2006 - Consensus Reached on CSCP Pastoral Plan II The Central Steuben Catholic Parishes Implementation Committee has reached consensus on a new Pastoral Plan II: 2006-2011. Consensus was reached at the Committee’s January 21, 2006 meeting at St. Catherine of Sienna Church Hall in Addison. At this meeting, the Committee addressed several concerns submitted by St. Mary’s Parish Council and added to the Pastoral Plan supporting documents submitted by St. Catherine’s and St. Joseph’s Campbell. The Plan was later affirmed by consensus at a special meeting of the St. Mary’s Council held following the 4:00 p.m. Mass at which Council members served as the liturgical Assembly. The plan will be now be submitted to Bishop Matthew Clark for approval. CSCP Planners Have Earned our Gratitude About eleven years ago, Bishop Matthew Clark had the foresight to begin a pastoral planning process to help the parishes of our diocese have a say in determining their own future. While many Bishops either put off the difficult job of planning for a future with fewer and fewer priests, or elected to merge and close parishes without local input, we in the Diocese of Rochester were given the chance to join with neighboring parishes in the planning process. The first mutually developed Pastoral Plan for the five parishes of our region was approved in 2001. On Saturday, our Central Steuben Implementation Committee met to discuss several concerns that our parish council had with a new plan which will guide us through 2011. Thankfully, the CSCP Committee was able to reach compromise and consensus on the concerns of our Council which then unanimously ratified the plan at a brief meeting following our Saturday afternoon Mass. I am very proud of the progress made by our CSCP Implementation Committee over the last five years in bringing our parish communities together. This progress has brought about a significant reduction in the fear and mistrust of the diocesan planning process itself. Much credit is due to the presence of our Diocesan Planning liaison Deb Housel. Deb, who was a pastoral administrator in Lyons before assuming the position vacated when Casey Lopata retired in 2004, has an acute understanding of the challenges faced by rural parishes in preserving their independence and identity. She and Diocesan Director of Pastoral Planning Dr. William Pickett, met early in the planning process with pastoral leaders to gain insight into the unique challenges facing our region. They then brought to the CSCP Implementation Committee the assurance of Bishop Clark’s intent to assign three priests to our region through 2011. This information allowed the Implementation Committee to craft a pastoral plan that preserves the integrity of all five parishes while fostering new collaborative initiatives in rural social ministry. The plan also continues regional adult education, communications and pulpit sharing and seeks to revitalize regional youth ministry initiatives. St. Mary’s is indebted to our CSCP representatives Al Hanning and Paul Wolfe, the Implementation Committee and our Parish Council who have worked to bring about and reach consensus on the Pastoral Plan which will now be submitted to Bishop Clark for his approval. I just feel so blessed to be a part of this dynamic parish and the Diocese of Rochester. God is so good! Have a good week. Serve one another well! Deacon Ray Defendorf |
Over the years, God has blessed me with many wonderful opportunites to minister. As a Roman Catholic permanent deacon of the Diocese of Rochester, New York, (ordained 1982), I have served in a wide variety of ministries. Whether I am ministering to my parish, hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, travel or retreat groups (e.g. Cursillo, Walk to Emmaus, Koiniania, Pre Cana, Youth) - music has played an important role in opening doors and hearts.
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This website is an extension of that ministry. Here you'll find the lyrics to many of my prayer-songs and, if you like, purchase from a collection of CDs I've recorded. There's also information about tours and pilgrimages that my wife Pat and I occasionally host and links to web sites I've found interesting. |
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I pray that you will enjoy this visit,
and if you like, . |
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