a mind for the mission - felician services...

A Mind for the MissionBuilding Communities of ActionFSLC 2017

Who is here?

• Name

• Where you work

• Types of Catholic institutional experience

• Characterize the ministry’s community and the community it serves

Tom Kiely, Director,

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

A Mind for the Mission – Basic Aims

• Identify issues that will develop your community strategically around the essentials of the ministry’s mission

• Envision your leadership role in this process: Whom will you lead?

• Become comfortable with articulating the faith as a leader in the community

A Mind for the Mission - Objectives

• Think about the nature of “mission”• Analyze Catholic institutions’ mission

& some mission statements• Dissect community dynamics • Apply some concepts &

“get strategic”• Find what components of the faith

fit your situation

What is “Mission”?a sending a messenger apostolos

What is Jesus’ Mission?He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophetIsaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,because he has anointed me

to bring glad tidings to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,to let the oppressed go free,

and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”

Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Luke 4: 16-21

What is the Church’s Mission?

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.

Matthew 28: 19-20

What is the Church’s Mission?

“The Mission has a Church.”Stephen Bevans, SVD

Example: What is the Mission of Catholic Schools?

from “To Teach As Jesus Did” (1972)

• Message – the Gospel• Community – church, local, nation• Service – “seeking solutions to a host

of complex problems”• Worship & Prayer

What is the Mission of Catholic Schools?

from the National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Schools(2012)

The Defining Characteristics of Catholic Schools

o Centered in the Person of Jesus Christo Contributing to the Evangelizing Mission of the Churcho Distinguished by Excellenceo Committed to Educate the Whole Childo Steeped in a Catholic Worldviewo Sustained by Gospel Witnesso Shaped by Communion and Communityo Accessible to all Studentso Established by the Expressed Authority of the Bishop

3 Theological Approaches to Mission

Type A Type B Type C

Culture of Origin Roman Hellenistic/Greek Near Eastern

Defining Concept Law Truth History

Idea of Church Institutional Model Mystical Communion; Sacrament

Herald; Servant

Salvation & the Last Things

Individual; Spiritual; in the Future

Individual; Holistic Now & Forever;

Historical; Holistic; It has begun…

Idea of the Person Sinful; hierarchical Blessed; hierarchical Blessed; Equality

Relation to Culture Counter-cultural in some aspects; cultural in others

God is at work in culture Culture is the place where we labor for God’s Kingdom

3 Theological Approaches to Mission

Type A Type B Type CMajor Figure St. Francis Xavier, SJ Matteo Ricci, SJ St. Francis of Assisi, OFM

Scriptural Idea “Go therefore…”Matthew 28

“And the Word became flesh…” John 1

“Today, this Scripture is fulfilled…” Luke 4

Purpose of a Catholic Organization• Religious Life• Learning• Community Life• Relation to local

community• What students should

leave being/being able to do

• What clients receiveSource: Bevans & Schroeder.

3 Theological Approaches to Mission: Practical Issues

Type A Type B Type C

Purpose of a Catholic School• Religious Life

• Learning

• Community Life

• Relation to local community

• What students should leave being/being able to do

Individual

Vs.

The Community

Voice of Culture Vs.

Voice of Faith

Spirit of Groups Vs.

Spirit of the Whole School

A Mind for the Mission – Some Research

Strengths of Catholic schools have been found in the following areas:• the positive effects of voluntary

association• the common curriculum• shared goals• social relationships vs. individualistic

policies• commitment among the adults in

the building--Anthony Bryk

A Mind for the Mission – Summary Exercise

From your vantage point what does your school/institution do on a daily basis?

How does it fulfill it’s mission?

Mission Statements, Etc.

Who are you?Whom do you serve?

What will students/clients be when they are finished?

What will you do with them while they are students/clients at your school/institution?

Mission

Vision

PhilosophyValues, etc.

Mission Statement Postures

Followers

Drivers

Passengers

Spectators

Mission Statements vs. Brands

What are you known for?

Do you have a motto?

Do you have a tag line?

Brand

A guiding principle

Tied to the Brand

Mission Statement Exercise

Guiding Questions: 1. Are the authentic roots of the organization represented?2. Is the community being served identified” 3. Is the service being provided clear to both the provider and the consumer?4. What is the bridge from rhetoric to reality?5. Is the statement more inspirational or practical?

Mission Statements

______Catholic High School is a suburban, college preparatory school. It educates young men and women spiritually,

academically, socially and physically in a faith community to develop as life long learners and leaders in a global society in

the Catholic tradition..

At ------, a Catholic high school sponsored by the ------, we inspire our students to excel, serve, and love.

Mission Statements------School is a Catholic, -----, urban, college-preparatory school for young men. ------strives to form leaders who are:religious, loving, seeking intellectual excellence, committed to justice and open to growth.

------Regional School is a Catholic learning community with a long standing tradition of rigorous academic standards and spiritually relevant teachings. Embracing community involvement, our parishes, faculty, parents, and alumni build an environment for our students where faith and knowledge meet. We empower learners to be motivated, intellectual, and responsible citizens with a lifelong commitment to serving God and others.

Mission Statements

St. ------ Catholic School is dedicated to the sacred ministry of providing quality education, anchored in the Roman Catholic tradition, which nurtures children in Catholic values and promotes excellence in education and a life of service.

Saint -----School, in partnership with the home and parish, commits itself to nurturing students’ life-long faith formation, spirituality, compassionate service, and intellectual growth by promoting Gospel values and by fostering an environment of academic excellence comprised of rich, rigorous curricula and opportunities for immersion in school and parish life, in preparation for their future roles as global citizens.Recognizing that everyone is a child of God, we strive to be an inclusive community where all are treated with respect and dignity.

Mission Statements

Our Lady ------School exists out of the conviction that: religious commitment is the central and integrative reality of life learning and living must be illumined by the light of Faith human, secular and scientific knowledge derives its most profound and most significant meaning only when seen in the context of God’s providential plan of creation religious truths and moral values are the underlying realities from which the student’s experiences of learning and living achieve coherence and derive its deepest meaning.

St. ------ Parish School, in partnership with parents and the parish community, believes in providing quality Catholic Christian education of the whole child within an environment which fosters a positive self image.

Mission Statements

At ------Catholic School, our mission is to serve a diverse urban community through strong academics and service rooted in the Catholic tradition. We form productive citizens who live the message of Jesus Christ.

-----Catholic School is a K3 - 8th grade school dedicated to serving a diverse urban community, providing students with a quality education rooted in the Catholic faith ad the teachings of Gospel values

St. ----- School is a Catholic, urban school preparing students for post-secondary education.

Mission Statements


St. ----- School is a Catholic, urban school preparing students for post-secondary

education.

Analyze:

Who/What is the school?

Whom does it serve?

What will students be/be able to do?

How will the school get them to this destination?

Ex. AEx. B

Mission Statements



education.

Analyze:

What do the verbs indicate?

What type of claims are being made?

How can progress or effectiveness be measured?

Ex. AEx. B

Mission Statements



education.

Analyze:

What assumptions are being made?

What components of the community are being addressed?

Can the mission drive ongoing work?

Ex. AEx. B

Mission Statements



education.

Analyze:In your case….

Does the mission need to be changed?

How does the vision hold up?

Are your documents aligned with the school’s functioning?

Ex. AEx. B

What will your school/institution be known for?

• Community diagnosis : NSBECS +• What emerging topics require

complex collaboration?• Prioritize community needs:

• Internal – faculty/staff• Internal – families/clients• External – What can be your

school’s radius of outreach?

CI-Defining-Characteristics-Survey-Set.pdf

Guided-Process-Rubric-Scoring-Worksheet.pdf

Community DynamicsHow is your community suited to growth and change?

What is your community’s social capital?

“social capital” refers to features

of social organization such as

networks, norms, and social trust

that facilitate coordination and

cooperation for mutual benefit.

R. Putnam

Community DynamicsBefore October 29, 1997, John Lambert and Andy Boschma knew each other only through their local bowling league at the Ypsi-Arbor Lanes in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Lambert, a sixty-four-year-old retired employee of the University of Michigan hospital, had been on a kidney transplant waiting list for three years when Boschma, a thirty-three-year-old accountant, learned casually of Lambert's need and unexpectedly approached him to offer to donate one of his own kidneys. "Andy saw something in me that others didn't," said Lambert. "When we were in the hospital Andy said to me, 'John, I really like you and have a lot of respect for you. I wouldn't hesitate to do this all over again.' I got choked up." Boschma returned the feeling: "I obviously feel a kinship [with Lambert]. I cared about him before, but now I'm really rooting for him." This moving story speaks for itself, but the photograph that accompanied this report in the Ann Arbor News reveals that in addition to their differences in profession and generation, Boschma is white and Lambert is African American. That they bowled together made all the difference. In small ways like this — and in larger ways, too — we Americans need to reconnect with one another. That is the simple argument of this book.

R. Putnam

Community Dynamics

Community Dynamics

What serves as the bowling league for your school or community today?

Community DynamicsShaped by Communion and

CommunityCatholic school education places an emphasis on the

school as community—an educational community of

persons and a genuine community of faith. Catholic

schools should do everything they can to promote

genuine trust and collaboration among teachers, with

parents as the primary educators of their children, and

with governing body members to foster appreciation of

different gifts that build up a learning and faith

community and strengthen academic excellence. The

Catholic school should pay especially close attention to

the quality of interpersonal relations between teachers

and students, ensuring that the student is seen as a

person whose intellectual growth is harmonized with

spiritual, religious, emotional, and social growth.

Strategic Areas to Examine

“A little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough.”

Galatians 5:9

Where to begin?

Use the tools of ethnography

▪ Community meetings▪ Surveys (beyond the NSBECS)▪ Interviews & Oral histories▪ Focus Groups▪ Asset inventory▪ Community mapping

rotary.pdf

Strategic Activities to Examine

• Listening sessions/What does data say?• Communal prayer• Service Experiences (Identification; analysis; action;

reflection; evaluation)• Creative activities • Church attendance & how to address it• Athletics (beyond competition)• Community activities with those from outside the

school/church• Advocacy and Service• Partnerships between faculty and administrators

and the community• Exploration on how the community can reach out• Partnerships with other Catholic organizations


Galatians 5:9

o Messageo Communityo Service

Setting a Strategy


Galatians 5:9

▪ What is needed? ▪ What is your theory of action?

(If we do ---; --- will happen)▪ What do people not know they need and that

the school can become the provider?▪ How multi-generational is your approach?▪ What are the lines of division in the community?▪ Who is in which clique?▪ How well do you know the history behind the

current state of affairs?

Focus on 1 Project: *Tie it to school improvement!


Galatians 5:9

▪ What is the desired outcome?▪ Who needs to be engaged?▪ How do you reach out?▪ Who will coordinate the effort?▪ What is the timeline and is there a budget?▪ What are the moments of real community

interaction?▪ Celebrate the result▪ Measure the reactions (Diagram)

LM_WorksheetFlowchart.doc

Who is involved?: Strategic Groupings


Galatians 5:9

▪ Towards what groups does the data lead?ex. Faculty; PLCs; PTA; Boards; special interests?

▪ Lead these groups towards collective ownership of the problem

▪ Tie all work to the mission: how does the content of the mission affect planning, debate, and the outcome.

Faith & Community: What is your strength?Where will you need assistance?

▪ Dimensions of Scripture, Prayer and Worship▪ Sharing the Message: How is this part of your school’s

mission? ▪ Family & Discipleship: What kind of people are we? ▪ Serving the “least of these”- the margins of your

community - Outreach, Charity, & Justice▪ Creating Community & Building Solidarity▪ Respecting Diversity & not alienating people

Faith & Community: What is your strength? Your Charism?Where will you need growth or assistance?

Creed & Doctrine

Liturgy & Worship

Morality & Ethics

Prayer

Believing & Teaching

Celebrating & Gathering

Acting & Serving

Relating & Discerning

Religious Category Individual Activity

A Mind for the Mission - Objectives

✓ Think about the nature of “mission”✓ Analyze Catholic institutions’ mission

& some mission statements✓ Dissect community dynamics ✓ Apply some concepts & “get

strategic”✓ Find what components of the faith

fit your situation

A Mind for the Mission – Basic Aims

• Identify issues that will develop your school community strategically –around the essentials of the school’s mission

START SMALL, TARGETED, PARTNERSHIPS• Envision your leadership role in this

process - BUILD A CONCRETE TO DO LIST• Become comfortable with articulating the faith as a leader in the community –

BEGIN WITH A FEW CLEAR CONCEPTS

A Mind for the Mission – Selected Sources

Bevans, Stephen B & Schroeder, Roger P. Constants in Context: A Theology of Mission for Today, Orbis Books, 2004

Bryk, A. (2008). Catholic Schools, Catholic Education, and Catholic Educational Research: A Conversation with Anthony Bryk. Journal of Catholic Education, 12 (2). retrieved from http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/ce/vol12/iss2/11

Community Assessment Tools: A Resource for Rotary Projects available at www.rotary.org

National Standards and Benchmarks for Effective Catholic Schools, Loyola University Chicago & Boston College, 2012 available at www.catholicschoolstandards.org

Program Development and Evaluation, University of Wisconsin-Extension available at http://fyi.uwex.edu/programdevelopment/logic-models/bibliography/

Putnam, Robert, Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American CommunitySimon & Schuster, 2000

To Teach As Jesus Did: A Pastoral Message on Catholic EducationNational Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1972

U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Communities of Salt and Light: Reflections on the Social Mission of the Parish available at usccb.org

http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/ce/vol12/iss2/11

http://www.rotary.org/

http://www.catholicschoolstandards.org/

http://fyi.uwex.edu/programdevelopment/

http://fyi.uwex.edu/programdevelopment/

http://fyi.uwex.edu/programdevelopment/logic-models/bibliography/

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