It's a little unrealistic, in that I haven't heard of parishes having plans stating measurable results. If you have, feel free to elaborate in the comments.
And if there are such plans, does the parish compare them to results at the end of each year?
"'This settlement represents for us in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee a new Pentecost, a day of rebirth that renews our focus on word, worship and service,' [Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome] Listeki said."At the Archdiocese's website we can still view the video from the 2014 Synod: A New Pentecost.
Looks like there's bound to be another one before long.
"The request for the new logo was made by Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki in his post-Archdiocesan Synod declaration on Sept. 14, 2014.I'm not seeing the distinctiveness; the symbolism our Archdiocese suggests in the article would equally apply to any diocese.
"Noting that a logo was developed to give the synod 'a distinctive mark,' ...I would ask that this synod logo be adapted to become the archdiocesanlogo ... .'"
"The archbishop hopes people who see the logo will be curious and ask, 'What is this?'"That's the opposite of the reaction you want from people who see a logo, if Wikipedia is to be believed,
"A logo ... is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition."The old logo, with a cross superimposed on a map of Wisconsin showing the ten counties of our Archdiocese, at least indicated a specific place. Further,
"Because logos are meant to represent companies' brands or corporate identities and foster their immediate customer recognition, it is counterproductive to frequently redesign logos."Our Archdiocese must think differently, since a sidebar item in the print edition of the Catholic Herald shows three previous logos.
"The most current logo of the archdiocese is the outline of the State of Wisconsin with a cross superimposed and an outline of the 10 counties that make up southeastern Wisconsin, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Because the Synod created a new moment in the history of the archdiocese, it is now time for a new logo, a new sign which will reflect the importance of this moment in our history. This new archdiocesan logo is an adaptation of the 2014 Synod logo with only a slight modification."
"The declaration envisions a local church in which a growing number of Catholics return to weekly Mass and the Eucharist. They would go to confession regularly; enroll their children in Catholic schools; encourage them to become priests, nuns and lay leaders; and reconnect with ancient devotional practices, such as praying the rosary and Eucharistic adoration. The driving force for it all would be local parishes."For comparison, here are "the Top Seven Recommendations...from Synod 1987".
[...]
"Such evangelization is a major focus of the declaration, along with enhancing Catholic identity and stewardship.
"To further those goals, the church would:
"Place a renewed emphasis on Mass and devotions, and develop instructional materials that explain their structure, symbolism and purpose.
"Embrace the church's cultural diversity by encouraging parishes to collaborate across racial and ethnic divides, as well as by studying and addressing the pastoral needs of the archdiocese's Latino, African-American and Asian-Pacific communities.
"Bolster service opportunities that promote Catholic social teaching on care for the poor and marginalized.
"Provide training across the archdiocese — in parishes, schools and homes — on how to teach and form Catholics in their faith.
"Expand pastoral programs and resources for couples and families, 'especially troubled marriages, single-parent families, those who've experienced divorce, families with mixed religious traditions, and couples dealing with infertility.'"
Over the next few months, I will be praying, reviewing and analyzing the results of the votes and suggestions shared at the Synod. Then, on September 14, the feast of the Holy Cross, as Archbishop of Milwaukee, I will issue a Synodal Declaration. This document will integrate all the priorities established by the Synod. It will give us our blueprint for the next 10-15 years. So, there is much work yet to be accomplished in forming the Declaration and implementing it.Arch Mil
continue at The Provincial Emails"Please complete this survey by January 1, 2014."it says at the Archdiocese of Milwaukee website. It goes on,"You are invited to take a very brief survey that includes watching a 3 minute video. The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is holding a 'Synod' in June 2014. Your input on this survey will help in our planning. Please view the follow [sic] video and answer the questions below."You might have seen the video at your parish."The Beauty of the Catholic Church is a video produced as a part of the planning that is being held across the Archdiocese in preparation for the Archdiocesan Synod, which will take place in June 2014."The video is also available at YouTube, where a more extensive explanation of the Synod is provided. There is this brief explanation at the Archdiocese's survey page.
In preparation for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee’s 2014 Synod, the Church of the Gesu held its first of two parish reflection sessions Sunday. Gesu parishioners and church-goers were invited to discuss reform in the Archdiocese.continue at Marquette Tribune
The synod, the first held by the archdiocese since 1987, will be “an assembly where the faithful deliberate on the pastoral needs of the diocese,” according to the Archdiocese’s website. Upon completion, it will map out Archdiocese reform that is set to occur over the next 10 to 15 years.
An estimated 25 participants at Sunday’s reflection session discussed Catholic identity and evangelization. The subdued role of Catholic women and low church approachability were some of the congregational issues identified by participants. [Yep, the Synod is taking up the topic of womenpriests. Youbetcha!]
Mike Heimbach, facilitator of Sunday’s proceedings and Gesu parishioner, emphasized evangelization since the average age of departing Catholics is 23 years old.
“Evangelization is about reaching out to those who may have abandoned their faith and conversion within one’s own life, which is an ongoing process,” Heimbach said. “My prayer is that these meetings will inspire a greater fire within each and every one of you.”
