Kaukauna Catholic Parishes

This past May, I had the opportunity to attend a conference called Amazing Parish with four members of our joint parish staff. The conference was training for a core team from a parish or parishes to discover how together they can better serve the people of their parishes. By doing so, it enables them to become the amazing parishes God meant for them to be for the people of their city, town or community. 

The purpose of establishing a core team is to put together a leadership team to help the pastor energize, serve and empower their parishes. So often, the pastor of a parish is pulled in so many directions that key elements of parish life and ministry do not get the time and attention they deserve. 

The conference was enlightening.  It offered practical steps to developing a core team of leaders whose purpose is to work with the pastor to build three important and necessary cultures within their parishes. As a team, we are asked to build within our parishes a Culture of Prayer, a Culture of Healthy Teamwork and a Culture of Active Discipleship. The development and growth of  these three cultures are essential to healthy, vibrant, growing parishes that serve and build the kingdom of God. 

Each week, the core team meets to discuss and develop these cultures (first within the core team itself) and then, as they witness and live these three elements, it flows out into the parish staff and the community itself. 

At this time, we are being mentored by members of the Amazing Parish conference. They continue to work with us in taking the steps necessary to build these three cultures within our parishes. 

It is difficult to believe that it is already a year since I moved to Kaukauna.  I have been blessed to serve here as pastor for Holy Cross and St. Katharine Drexel. I have discovered that the people of Kaukauna and Hollandtown are amazing in so many ways. Our parish communities have so much to offer. It is my prayer and my hope that, through the ministry of our communities, we can simply share how amazing we are when we journey together as a family of believers. Together, we seek to Discover, Live and Share Jesus.

Peace and Joy!     Fr. Don