All Things New

Planning Committee Members     Current Reality          Guidelines & Parameters

Dear Parishioners,
Below, please find a reflection by Brenda Kresky on the healthy collaboration needed between clergy and laity in our current diocesan
planning process with the Haven of Mercy Area Catholic Community.

I agree, personally, that it is particularly important that we have this healthy collaboration and am committed to doing so as we move
forward in the months ahead. We’ve already begun this collaboration with forming our ACC Planning Committee with the current members of our ACC Pastoral Council. This includes two members of each of our parishes (including one parish trustee) and one member of the Latin Mass community. We are also including one member of the parish staff. The ACC Planning Committee and I have attended two very recent deanery meetings. The first meeting was before Holy Week and the second one was this Saturday, May 10. We were able receive more details of what the diocese is asking for our planning process. They have asked that our ACC Planning Committee now roll out the information to rest of the ACC community.

Per the request of the diocese, we are now going to provide more detailed information with parish leaders and parishioners this week. We will be
planning townhalls in the very near-future for parishioners to share their questions, thoughts, and concerns. 

Up to this point, we have been including bits and pieces in the weekly bulletins for the last few months to be keep you informed of the latest. I hope that you’ve been able to access the information provided by the Diocese of St. Cloud website for the current planning process.

Throughout this process, we have been following closely the advice and timeline of the diocese. A plan will need to be made by January 1, 2026. No decisions have been made.

This will be a close collaboration with clergy and laity as we move forward. It is also very clear that the Bishop will have the final say of any plan after listening to clergy and laity.
God bless, Fr. Ben

Brenda Kresky

All Things New Planning Update: A co-responsible Church means that clergy and laity share in the planning, leadership and implementation of parish life

The engagement of the laity is essential to a thriving and spiritually vibrant Christian community. Historically,
laypeople have evolved from passive recipients of clerical instruction to active participants in ministry, evangelization
and service. Encouraging their involvement not only strengthens the Church but also enriches parish life and
fosters a deeper, more personal relationship with God.

We must inspire laypeople to see themselves as essential to the Church’s mission — not just helpers, but coresponsible
partners in ministry. This means embracing roles in liturgy, faith formation, outreach, governance and
evangelization. The future of our parishes depends on it. 

Engaging the laity is not just a recommendation — it is a foundational principle of the All Things New planning
process. Shared responsibility and communal discernment are at the heart of this effort to build sustainable, faith-filled
communities for the future.

I find myself, a laywoman who has ministered in the Catholic Church for over 30 years, at the helm of this process. Like a
conductor guiding an orchestra, it is my responsibility and call to bring together the many different voices to help
shape the process, guiding principles, design parameters and resource materials.

As a lay leader, the vital importance of lay involvement does not for one moment escape me. None of us can do this
alone. Supporting this effort are the Planning Facilitator Teams, comprised of three to four individuals — primarily
lay members of the diocesan staff and other experienced leaders. These teams assist Area Catholic Community All
Things New Planning Committees by facilitating conversations, offering guidance and ensuring consistency
throughout the diocese. Their monthly meetings provide opportunities for reflection, feedback and mutual support,
keeping the process rooted in prayer and shared wisdom.

Each pastor has been asked to appoint an All Things New Planning Committee made up of eight to 12 lay people.
These committees work closely with their pastors to discern the next steps for their ACCs. Together, using data, prayerful
discernment and communal consensus, they will propose recommendations for Bishop Neary’s consideration. This
model ensures that real voices from each community are shaping the future of the Church — not from the top down,
but from within.

Many parishioners have voiced concerns about overly hierarchical decision-making. They long for a model that
values and incorporates lay voices at every level. A clergy dominated approach is neither sustainable nor desirable. A
co-responsible Church means that clergy and laity share in the planning, leadership and implementation of parish life.

While much of the work happens within smaller planning groups, broader community engagement is built into the
process. Opportunities for feedback and dialogue are essential. Every generation of Catholics must wrestle with
the “signs of the times,” and this requires a collective effort. The All Things New process invites the entire Church to
walk together — in prayer, in data analysis and in honest, Spirit-led conversation.

While the final decisions in the All Things New process will be made by the bishop, each ACC’s proposal ensures those
decisions are deeply informed by local prayer, discussion and consensus. Some suggest that only authoritative
direction can bring about change, fearing parishioners may avoid making difficult choices.

But this undermines the gifts, wisdom and stewardship of the laity. Avoiding hard decisions weakens our ability to
move forward. Embracing them together builds trust, resilience and hope. Every parishioner has a vital role to play
in ensuring that the Church doesn’t just survive but thrive. 

Engaging the laity is not optional — it is necessary for the Church’s mission in the modern world. By inviting and
empowering laypeople to use their talents, we can build vibrant, faith-filled communities that are creative, responsive
and ready for the challenges ahead. In a spirit of togetherness — and with the help of the Holy Spirit — the All
Things New process will help the Church in the Diocese of St. Cloud not only adapt but flourish.

By Brenda Kresky, the director of planning for the
Diocese of St. Cloud.

Dear Parishioners,

Below, Brenda Kresky, the director of diocesan planning, shares one of the key guiding principles for the diocesan pastoral planning process which is missionary discipleship. She challenges us to go beyond a “passive belief system” and embrace an “active relationship with Christ.”  
 
In our Haven of Mercy Area Catholic community, the pastoral council and I have discussed with great length about “creating a clear path to discipleship.” As a parish community, we want it to become normal that people are progressing through thresholds of conversion to be missionary disciples. We also want all our parish events and ministries to intentionally foster this growth. We have been reading the book: A Clear Path: How to Make Missionary Disciples in Your Parish by Jim Jansen. As outlined in Jansen’s book there are the following thresholds:  
 
The first four are “conversion thresholds.” These are trust, openness, seeking and decision. Trust is when a person has a positive association with Jesus or an individual Catholic and may begin asking questions out of passive curiosity. Openness is when a person admits to a general need or desire for personal spiritual change. Seeking is when a person moves from being passive to actively seeking to know the God who is calling him or her. Decision is the decision in faith to follow Jesus as an obedient disciple amid the Church. 
 
The second three are “disciple thresholds.” These are beginning, missionary, and fruitful. Beginning discipleship is when a person commits to follow Jesus by turning away from sin, and makes any sacrifice to personally grow, and lives habits of the Christian life. Missionary discipleship is when a person has decided to personally answer the call to take part in the mission of the Church by sharing the Good News. Fruitful discipleship is a person fully equipped for lifelong Catholic mission and makes any sacrifice to help another person to grow spiritually.  
 
The idea is that any person who has gone from not living their faith or practicing it to that of one completely being on fire for Christ and actively living it out progresses through these thresholds. For some, this takes years or decades. For others, it may happen quickly. It is up to the Holy Spirit and the individual but also it has to do with how we as a parish community intentionally encourage and create the space for this conversion process. This involves intentionality with prayer, celebration of the sacraments, formation, and life in the community. This also involves the challenging task of re-evaluating all the activities and ministries we are currently doing and asking whether they are truly leading people through these thresholds. If not, we may have to purge or repurpose them because we only have so much time and energy as individuals and as a faith community. 
  
Blessings, Fr. Ben


Brenda Kresky
Missionary discipleship:   Growing closer to Christ and one another “Rooted in the Great Commission, where Jesus commanded his followers to “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), all believers are called to actively live out their faith in ways that transform both themselves and the world around them. As a way of life, missionary discipleship provides a framework that combines faith, service and community, making it an essential principle for personal and collective spiritual growth.” 

This is one of our key guiding principles for the pastoral planning process because it is foundational as a follower of Christ.

Missionary discipleship challenges individuals to move beyond a passive belief system and embrace an active relationship with Christ. This principle fosters a dynamic faith that is not confined to Sunday worship or private prayer but extends to every encounter and decision. By prioritizing missionary discipleship, believers are encouraged to embody Christ’s teachings through their actions, demonstrating love, humility and compassion in tangible ways.

When believers live as missionary disciples, they continually seek to deepen their relationship with God through prayer, Scripture and participation in the sacraments. This inner transformation inspires outward action, creating a ripple effect that touches families, communities and the broader society.

In a world often marked by materialism and individualism, missionary discipleship provides a countercultural vision. It reminds believers that personal success is participation in God’s mission. It emphasizes the importance of journeying together in faith, learning from one another and supporting each other in living out the Gospel in the world. This commitment to building relationships fosters a sense of belonging and helps break down barriers that often divide. As these communities grow in love and understanding, they become powerful witnesses to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Missionary discipleship, then, is a guiding principle that empowers believers to live out their faith in meaningful and transformative ways. By integrating this principle into our pastoral planning process, we reflect the essence of the Christian mission first and foremost. As believers embrace missionary discipleship, both individuals and communities not only grow closer to Christ but also become agents of his love and light in the world. As such, it remains a timeless and effective guide for anyone seeking to live a life of faith, service and impact.

Author - Brenda Kresky, who is the director of planning for the Diocese of St. Cloud.