Diocesan Coordinating Commission

A Coordinating Commission was appointed by Bishop Mengeling to assess the information presented during the Diocesan Study Days held in the fall of 2005. Along with the statistics, demographics and projections, the commission considered the feedback from priests, pastoral coordinators, deacons, ecclesial lay ministers and diocesan central office staff who discussed the issues and offered solutions during the study days. Based on their extensive in-depth study, the commission made the necessary recommendations to satisfy the pastoral and sacramental needs of the diocese.

Appointed members include: Reverend John Byers – pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Lansing | Michael D. Diebold - Diocese of Lansing, Director of Communications | Patrick Gribben – member of St Jude Parish, DeWitt; Diocesan Pastoral Council member | Deacon Vincent Guarnaccia – pastoral ministry at St Martha Parish, Okemos | Marinell High – DRE at St Joseph Parish, Dexter; Diocesan Pastoral Council member | Reverend David Howell – pastor of St Mary Magdalen Parish, Brighton | Reverend Charles Irvin – founding editor of FAITH Magazine | Vern Johnson – member St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, East Lansing; Diocesan Finance Council member | Reverend Timothy MacDonald – pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish, Burton | Sister Joan May, SSJ – pastoral coordinator of St Mark, Goodrich | Reverend Robert McGraw – pastor of Queen of the Miraculous Medal Parish, Jackson; Diocesan Presbyteral Council chair | Pattie Scherer – former RCIA and adult formation director at St Francis of Assisi Parish, Ann Arbor | Sister Rita Wenzlick, OP – director, Diocesan Office of Pastoral Planning | Sharon Wimple – Diocesan Pastoral Council member | Melinda Ziegler – member of St. Catherine Laboure Parish, Concord

EX-OFFICIO: Monsignor Richard Groshek – vicar general and retired pastor of St. Pius X Parish, Flint | Monsignor Michael Murphy – moderator of the curia | Monsignor Steven Raica – chancellor

Diocesan Coordinating Commission mission statement
Seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit and input of the faithful, the bishop’s coordinating commission of the Diocese of Lansing will design a plan to address the sacramental, pastoral, leadership and formational challenges and opportunities of each diocesan faith community.

The commission will monitor the timely implementation of the approved plan, assuring that the process is carried out with great sensitivity for each individual faith family and its unique culture.

Guiding principles for the work of the Coordinating Commission
1. The commission will openly communicate its efforts to the people of the diocese and strive to ensure that all of the work of the commission is characterized by mutual respect and honesty.

2. Full sacramental ministry will be available to all Catholic people in every geographic area of the diocese.

3. Competent pastoral ministers (lay, religious or ordained) will serve in every geographic area of the diocese.

4. The commission will have a special concern to meet the needs of the poor and marginalized.

5. The commission will engage all of its individual faith communities in planning for their future. Every faith community will evaluate its communal, spiritual and sacramental life, its faith formation programs and its financial stability.

6. The commission will seek to be creative in its efforts to reconfigure the diocese for an era with fewer priests and shifting population.

7. Any reconfiguration of the diocese will respect the needs of both the people and the individual minister.