AURORA—“This is an important day for the Diocese of Rockford,” said Michael Kagan, superintendent of schools, to a group of priests, principals and other lay school leaders the morning of Nov. 5. “For the first time in our 105-year history, we are going to be embarking on … a plan, a blueprint for (diocesan) schools for at least the next 10 years,” Kagan said.

The meeting at Aurora Central Catholic High School for Catholic school leaders in the Aurora, DeKalb and Elgin deaneries Nov. 5 was similar to a kickoff meeting in Rockford the day before for the Freeport, McHenry, Rockford and Sterling deaneries.

Both meetings introduced a diocesan-wide strategic planning process for schools.

One reason for the planning process, Kagan told the group, was because “you asked for it” in meetings and visits with school leaders that he has had over the past several years.

At every meeting, he said, school leaders “expressed concerns” about their schools for a variety of reasons.

Like Kagan, Bishop David Malloy attended both strategic plan meetings.

The bishop explained that the process is being conducted because history has shown that Catholic schools are important. They are great tools of evangelization, strengthen parishes and can be great sources of vocations — to the priesthood, religious life and sacramental marriage, the latter of which Bishop Malloy noted has taken on new importance in today’s society.

“I don’t want to call this a study,” he said. “I would rather call this a plan … I don’t want (the final product) left on a shelf. (It) has to have very concrete expectations (as it) looks globally at Catholic schools throughout the diocese.”

The bishop also addressed what he thought would be a question foremost in many minds: Is this a plan to close schools? His answer: “No. The effort here (is designed) to strengthen the system.” He noted that the response from both the Presbyteral Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council to the idea has been,

“Oh, thank God, it’s about time.”

“This room is united by two things,” Bishop Malloy said, naming faith and expertise as what would come together in the planning process.

“We pursue the development of the whole child through spiritual, academic and physical formation; working together with parents, clergy and parish communities …”

Lead Project Manager Alan Meitler, of the Meitler consulting group, began his talk by pointing to the Meitler group’s 44 years of assisting over 1,800 Catholic elementary and over 265 Catholic high schools to develop long term planning, serving in more than 120 dioceses, including with diocesan-wide strategic planning.

He asked those gathered to “think about the story of your schools … What story do you want (your schools to be telling) five to 10 years from now?” and reminded them that what’s important is “not only what we want (that story to be), but what story God wants (and how we) fit in the context of where God is going.”

Meitler went through an overview of the upcoming process. He noted that his own 25 years of experience have shown that no one should start with assumptions but instead “learn from others and figure out what is here.”

“This plan will build on our strengths, our faith, our talent, our committed parents,” Meitler said. Speaking of the around 12,888 students in the Rockford Diocesan schools, he added, “we work for them.”

The challenges, objectives and process steps all were listed in the Nov. 6 issue of The Observer. School visits will be held from December to February, Meitler said. In April, key findings will be presented and new directions will be considered. In fall of 2016, proposed outline drafts will be shared so that additional input and rounds of revisions can be conducted.

At the end of 2016, a final product should be ready for approval and the first steps of implementation – which Meitler said might be done over a three to five year period of time.

“What is asked of you?” Meitler asked. He encouraged those gathered to participate, to listen, to pray, to contribute to conversations and to communicate their thoughts, ideas and knowledge. He asked also for each school leader to approach the process with an open mind and long-term perspective and to “send forth a lot of hope” to others for the future of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Rockford.

There are two ways of looking at the process, Bishop Malloy said in his concluding remarks: the first is simply to say, “What we are doing is avoiding doing nothing” as waves of change impact the Catholic school system; the other approach is to recognize that Catholic schools all along have looked at and addressed the challenges and possibilities of their time, whether it was in 1884 or 1950.

“We can build on all of it,” Bishop Malloy said as he expressed his gratitude for all these leaders’ experience, and called them to offer positive leadership throughout the process.