The sessions were facilitated by Dominic Perri of Management Design Institute. MDI is a consulting firm specializing in helping religious organizations deal with change. Mr. Perri and his associates have worked successfully with numerous dioceses, parishes, and Catholic religious communities of men and women in the United States and Canada.
After a brief prayer service to begin the afternoon, the participants were welcomed by the Midland pastors, Fr. Jim Bessert of Saint Brigid, Fr. Rick Filary of Assumption, and Fr. Pete Gaspeny of Blessed Sacrament.
Fr. Tom Sutton, Administrator of the Diocese of Saginaw also spoke a few words of welcome and encouragement.
Mr. Perri gave a brief presentation on the shortage of priests in the Diocese of Saginaw. Included were descriptions of where parishes in our diocese are already clustering as well as current projections for future numbers of priests.
Mr. Perri then outlined the roles of the facilitator with the process committee and participants for the overall clustering project and fall assemblies.
The activities of the two Fall gatherings were then centered around four exercises:
Timelines of Significant Events in the History of each Parish
Cloud Exercise
Futurizing Exercise
Table Discussion of Dreams
Data from both assemblies were tabulated and sorted and separate task forces will be established to look further into the highest priority issues as determined by the data.
Participants were asked to complete a brief evaluation form for the assembly session they attended by commenting on their experience of the meeting and by indicating on a scale of 1-10 the extent to which the meeting achieved four objectives.