Catholic Trends
December Catholic Trends

"How do you experience the changing character of rural life?"

"What are your personal and family concerns?"

"How would you like to see the church respond to the present situation?"

This fall’s Pastoral Leader Days, a biannual gathering including Bishop Nienstedt, diocesan staff members, pastors and pastoral administrators, was held at the Willmar Conference Center. Leaders discussed these three questions with a few of their parishioners as they prepared for a two-and-a-half day meeting of prayer, camaraderie, and study October 22-24, 2001.

In addition, they were asked to ponder how their ministry in the New Ulm diocese has been affected by the dynamics of rural life.

Brother David Andrews, CSC, the Executive Director of the U.S. Bishops’ National Catholic Rural Life Conference presented statistical data from the 15 counties that make up the New Ulm diocese. While the figures vary from county to county, they do demonstrate a general decline in population - especially in the western counties of the diocese - and a loss of individual farms. In addition, the figures show that the diocese is becoming more ethnically diverse. Brother David also discussed the effect that the globalization of economic markets has had on agriculture and the rural community.

Dr. Bernie Evans, who holds the Virgil Michel Ecumenical Chair in Rural Social Ministries at St John’s University in Collegeville, MN, led the group in analyzing changes in agriculture from the perspective of Catholic social teaching and encouraged the participants to help their parishioners apply these principles as they evaluate the trends.

In addition to the presenters, a panel facilitating a study of pastoral ministry in the rural church, used personal experience and role-playing to help participants understand the stresses and challenges their parishioners are facing. The group also learned about resources that are available from the diocese and other agencies in their local communities.

Panel presenters were: Dorothy Rosemeyer, the Director of the West Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships of the University of Minnesota and a member of Sacred Heart parish in Murdock; Nancy O’Leary, a farmer and member of Visitation parish in Danvers who also serves on the Diocesan Finance Council; and Sister Clara Stang, formerly a pastoral team member of the Catholic Area Parishes and now Vice-President of the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls, MN,

Other topics addressed were:

"Addressing Rural Social Issues on Preaching," presented by Brother Bernie Evans; "Churches as Conveners for Hope and Action," led by Margaret Yackel-Juleen, Associate Director of Shalom Hill Farm, a rural education and retreat center near Windom; "Hispanic Presence in the Diocese of New Ulm: Division or Inclusion? Assimilation or Generation?" by Father Tony Stubeda, Director of Hispanic Ministry for the diocese; "Rural Images in Scripture and Liturgy," by Brother David Andrews; "Trauma and the Spiritual Life," offered by Sister Anne Marie Diedrich, OSU, Co-director of the Center for Spiritual Development in Bird Island; and "Women’s Farm Network," by Dorothy Rosemeyer, Nancy O’Leary, and Sister Clara Stang.

On Wednesday, our meeting place shifted to nearby Kandiyohi and St. Patrick’s Church. After Eucharist, three pastoral leaders shared their experiences of rural ministry from different perspectives.

Sister Jeanette Homan, OSF, Pastoral Administrator at St. Thomas in Sanborn and Director of Religious Education for the Sanborn-Springfield cluster, offered creative programming ideas for religious education.

Father Phil Schotzko, Pastor of St Mary’s in Bird Island and Sacramental Minister for St John’s in Hector, reflected on his difficult experience during a time of change in hog farming that created deep divisions among his parishioners.

Tom Johnson, Pastoral Administrator of St Gertrude’s in Forest City and Pastoral Minister for St John’s in Darwin-Dassel-Cokato, spoke about his ministry in helping to organize a Litchfield-based group that works to sustain rural communities and family-scale agriculture.

Following those presentations, participants gathered in small groups to develop pastoral action plans that flowed from what they had learned over the previous days.

To top off the conference, there was the piece de resistance, a "little light lunch" of foods, all of which were grown or raised within the New Ulm diocese, some by parish members.

Pastoral Leader Days are hosted by the diocesan Continuing Education Committee and the Office of Continuing Education of Clergy.

Tom Johnson is Pastoral Administrator of St. Gertrude parish, Forest City.