Courier Post
Planning committees to receive more data from diocese
Courier-Post file
http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007702100355
Saturday, February 10, 2007
By KIM MULFORD
Courier-Post Staff
CHERRY HILL
Bishop Joseph A. Galante said Friday he has learned some lessons from working with parishioners during the recent school planning process. More information will be given to the school and parish planning committees now meeting throughout the Camden Diocese.
Pressed by dropping numbers of priests, changing demographics and declining enrollment, the diocese is working to reduce the number of its schools and parishes.
Though Catholic bishops have the authority to close schools and parishes, Galante is asking parishioners to help make the decisions.
The committees are studying data, evaluating facilities and weighing resources to make their recommendations.
Earlier this week, the diocese announced the first round of closings and mergers in four elementary school clusters. Galante rejected recommendations of one committee, and exceeded the recommendations of another.
"I've learned how important it is to have good facilitation in each of the planning groups," Galante said during an Editorial Board meeting with the Courier-Post. "The second thing I learned is, things which should be obvious, aren't."
The diocese will point out where problems are "and not just (expect) people to see the problems, when emotions get involved," Galante said.
Already, the planning process has improved, said Ernest Previte of Cherry Hill, a former bank president and one of the neutral mediators appointed by the diocese to assist the planning committees. "The refinement of information is far better than it was," said Previte.
