Guiding Principles

1. We will openly communicate our efforts to the people of the diocese and strive to ensure that all the work of this commission will be characterized by mutual respect and honesty.

2. Full Sacramental ministry will be available to all our 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. We will have a special concern to meet the needs of the poor and marginalized.

5. We will engage all of our 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. We will seek to be creative in our efforts to re-configure our diocese for an era with fewer priests and shifting population.

7. Any re-configuration of the diocese will respect the needs of both the people and the individual minister.