ࡱ> U@ bjbj ^dddvT...WWWXJY$H2zZ.\D\^^^^^kmmmD=ɷ$zR̼x.[^^[[..^^[ .^.^k[k@..^nZ $x{W3740HDdD....D.D^wr m, ^^^SWW\WPlanning For The Christian Community: A Case Study of the 1991-1995 Pastoral Plan for the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa Spirituality is a community enterprise. It is the passage of a people through the solitude and dangers of the desert, as it carves out its own way in the following of Jesus Christ. This spiritual experience is the well from which we must drink. From it we draw the promise of resurrection (Gutierrez,1984;137). IntroductionIntroduction tc \l1 "Introduction  Monsignor Tomas A. Camacho, Episcopal Vicar for the Northern Mariana Islands, received a phone call on 8 November 1984 from Archbishop Felixberto Flores. He was asked to visit the Archbishop at the Chancery the next day. At the meeting he was informed that the Holy See decided to establish the Northern Mariana Islands as a separate Diocese. Following this announcement, he was informed that the Holy See named him to serve as the first bishop of the new Diocese. He was asked if he accepted the appointment. After a moment's hesitation, he responded in the affirmative. The formal erection of the Diocese and the consecration and installation of its first bishop was set for 13 January 1985. The next two months were hectic with preparations for the installation. In true island style, all seemed chaotic right up to the last moment, when everything fell into place. It was the biggest celebration the islands had seen. As the euphoria settled, the immensity of the work which lay ahead impressed itself on every one involved with the new Diocese. A Diocesan administrative structure needed to be established. A wide range of support services needed to be put into place. The Diocese needed a sense of direction. By March of 1985 it was decided that a top priority of the Diocese during its first year of existence would be to develop a pastoral plan. The plan would cover a five year period, from 1986 through 1990. Work on the plan would be coordinated by the vice-Chancellor, as he had extensive experience as a social planner. The primary planning body would be the Diocesan Pastoral Council; comprised of the chairpersons of the parish councils and representatives of the various religious associations, organizations, and religious orders in the Diocese. This body would produce a draft plan for review by the Diocesan Board of Consultors. Since Chalan Kanoa is a small diocese, the Board of Consultors at the time was comprised of all the presbyters in the Diocese. The draft plan would then be submitted to the Bishop for formal review and promulgation. Bishop Camacho promulgated the pastoral plan on 13 January 1986. The plan offered a vision and direction to the Diocese. It identified priorities to be used in allocating resources, obtaining grants, determining projects to be undertaken, and seeking personnel to implement the various plan objectives. While the planning process was similar, the second Diocesan Pastoral Plan, undertaken during 1990, turned out to be different in many respects. The Diocese developed as an institution in the years since work on the first plan was undertaken. There were significant changes in the make up of the community during the intervening years. The Second Pastoral Plan had to reflect these differences. This paper presents a model for pastoral planning at the Diocesan level. This model is attentive to the cultural meanings and values of the people. It attends to the tradition and beliefs of the Church, as well. The model is illustrated with a case study. The case study documents the process which produced the second Pastoral Plan for the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa. The paper is divided into six chapters. The first chapter discusses the pastoral planning model, examining its theoretical and theological basis. The second chapter discusses the issue of culture as it relates to the pastoral plan. Chapters three, four, and five comprise the case study. This structure reflects the steps of attending, assertion, and decision proposed by Whitehead as a method of pastoral reflection (1980;9-29). The final chapter includes personal reflections on the planning process. All Scripture quotations are from the New American Bible (NAB). Chapter One: A Model For Pastoral PlanningChapter One: A Model For Pastoral Planning tc \l1 "Chapter One: A Model For Pastoral Planning  Who Plans?Who Plans? tc \l1 "Who Plans?  Scripture tells us, "God created man in His image; in the divine image He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:27)" Theologians have been prolific in their attempts to explain what it means to be created in the divine image. The Hebrew words used to express image and likeness imply a certain, if qualified, physical similarity. The word used for "image" is selem. This is an uncommon word and implies an exact reproduction of the original, much like a statue. The word "likeness" is from the Hebrew word demut, which is more abstract and vague. The use of both words is seen as a qualification of selem, implying that humans have no more than a resemblance to God (Fischtner, 1978; 34-35). Aquinas sees the resemblance with God as intangible qualities. He identifies several distinctions. The first set of distinctions for Aquinas is between image as likeness and image as sign. He views likeness as referring to physical qualities, whereas sign has more subtle functions. Humanity can be an instrumental sign. That is, it confers knowledge of the subject. Thus, in some sense, humanity confers knowledge of God. Humanity is also a formal sign. That is, humanity embodies something of God. Aquinas develops this understanding by explaining how Jesus Christ is the perfect image of God. He does this with reference to the Trinity, arguing that the fundamental dynamic of the Trinitarian relationship is knowing and loving. Within the Trinity this is the self-knowing and self-loving that occurs in the relationship of Father with Spirit, Father with Son, Son with Spirit. The perfect image of the Trinitarian dynamic is found in Jesus Christ, who is truly God and truly human. The divine image is found in humanity in the dynamic of knowing and loving. The word dynamic is important as it stresses that this imaging of God is not static. Aquinas sees this as the basis of a desire for God, who is the fullness and the perfection of our capacity to know and to love. This desire for God is natural, a component of what we are (1960;189-190).ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 More recent Scripture analysis suggests that the verses, which follow the description of our creation, describe humanity's responsibility for the rest of creation, imply that the primary aspect of the human imaging of God is found in dominion. As God is the creator, God has ultimate dominion over creation. Since humanity is the image of God, it is humanity which has dominion over creation as God's vicegerent. Humanity is to manifest the same qualities on earth that God manifested in creation. Such dominion is not that of a tyrant. Rather it is manifest in mercy and fidelity (Ps. 136: 3-9). As the Genesis quote implies, we may be fallen creatures but the capacity for true dominion remains. Grace allows us to exercise that capacity (O'Grady, 1976, 13-14). Humanity is described by Karl Rahner as transcendent. That is all of our knowledge and conscious activity is grounded in a pre-apprehension of "being". This pre-apprehension finds us in relationship with the ground of being. This relationship is perceived as grace. That is, it is perceived as the freedom of the ground of being which gives being to humanity and which humanity experiences in finiteness and contingency. Our transcendence is an openness to being as such. It is the experience which is the background for all our activities. Rahner describes us as, "that existent to whom the silent and uncontrollable infinity of reality is always present as mystery.(Rahner, 1978; 34)" Integral with transcendence is freedom. Freedom is experienced, in our self-consciousness, as a subject with the knowledge that each of us has ultimate responsibility for himself or herself. Transcendental freedom is mediated in the concrete circumstances of our lives. Freedom is not the power to be able to do this or that. Rather, it is the power to decide about oneself and to actualize oneself (1978; 38). However one may explain the human image and likeness of God, two elements are consistent. First, humanity is transcendent, in that something in our nature draws us to be more than we are. Second, our transcendence requires responsible freedom, whether we see such responsibility in terms of dominion over creation or in self-actualization. Thus, we find in humanity's imaging of God, those elements which characterize the subject of the planning process. What is Pastoral Planning?What is Pastoral Planning? tc \l2 "What is Pastoral Planning?  Planning is anticipation of a preferred future and identification of interventions that will facilitate the realization of that future (Dreher,1976;21-22). Killackey explains that planning is anticipatory decision making, a system of integrated decisions, and a phased process. It may be a leadership activity or involve the full community. It may attempt to build on internal strengths or face external conditions. It may be long range or short range. It may emphasize strategic or tactical concerns (1975;3-4). Pastoral planning is a species of the genus planning. Its focus is a particular faith community. It provides a method for scrutinizing the reality of Gospel truth lived in a community. It is a process of discernment for testing the sensus fidelium, the action of the Holy Spirit in the midst of a particular people. It is an opportunity for metanoia. Pastoral planning, through dialogue, subsequent kenosis, decision making and implementation, gives the inner metanoia outward expression. Thus, it is also a form of witness. Planning is pastoral in that it provides a framework within which to respond to the demands of the Church in the Modern World that are presented in the Documents of Vatican II. Planning is pastoral when it provides a medium for a decision making process that leads to a consensus in the faith community. Planning is pastoral when it provides a context for Church leadership to emerge. Planning is pastoral when theological reflection is an integral part of the process (Killackey,1975;16-26). Kennedy describes the process of pastoral planning as a form of shared responsibility within the Church, where in the laity exercise their part in the Church's decision making function. A role that belongs to them by right, flowing from the sacrament of baptism and which is affirmed both in Vatican II (AA21) and in the Code of Canon Law (c.129.2) (1980;5-23). Kinast stresses that pastoral planning, like all planning, must deal with identification of ideals and broad goals. However, he says it is not true pastoral planning unless it is rooted in theology. Theology must be an essential element of its self-definition and praxis (1982;449). Stephen Klasek combines the technical concern of a professional planner with the ministerial concerns appropriate to pastoral planning. He defines general planning as, "an activity which is comprised primarily of mental activity, but is based on a firm grasp of the historical context of the exercise of planning and the internal logic of a variety of disciplines which have important stories to contribute to a particular situation.(1983;31)" He develops this idea with a quote. Whatever else planning may mean, it signifies an anticipation of some future state of affairs and the confirmation of a vision of that future in the present in order to motivate, guide, and direct present action. A planner's present situation always includes a time perspective forward - a future different from the present, yet populated with more or less clearly delineated agents and counter agents, objects to be avoided, objects to be embraced, means to empower avoidance or embracing, and some context of interrelated factors and forces, human and nonhuman, benign, hostile, or neutral. (Bennis et al,1976;427) Klasek builds on this technical understanding, explaining that pastoral planning is the application of the activity of planning when directed toward the mission of the Church. It is tied closely with pastoral theology as the realization in praxis of the religious understanding of Church. This concreteness forms the identity of pastoral planning. Pastoral planning is rooted as well in the eschatological nature of the Christian community. It is a form of discernment directed toward the Kingdom and sharing in the sacramental character of Church as described in the opening section of Lumen Gentium (Klasek,1983;35-36). According to Rahner, pastoral planning, as part of pastoral theology, ...exercises a critical function to the other theological disciplines since it is always questioning whether they are adequately making the particular local contribution required of them (and of which they are capable) toward the Church's self-realization in committal (TI,IX;104). This critical challenge may be presented in the form of questions to be answered, experience to be interpreted, possibilities to be tested, or history to be analyzed. Whatever form it may take, this challenge is a distinct and valid moment in the theological enterprise. Pastoral theology, including pastoral planning, is an integral phase of theology itself (Kinast,1982;451). Planning presupposes an underlying concept of development. One plans for a purpose, to achieve some goal. That goal may be Aquinas' ultimate happiness in the Beatific Vision, Rahner's self-actualization, the truth of the philosopher, the beauty of the artist, or some lesser end. To the extent that the goal draws the subject to move beyond himself or herself, through the use of responsible freedom, such development can be described as humanization. There is movement from being less human to being more human when: (1) we more fully reflect the knowledge and love of the divine; (2) we demonstrate mercy and fidelity more effectively in our exercise of dominion; and (3) when we actualize the potential inherent in us. Dominican L.J. Lebret defines development as, "...the series of transitions, for a given population ...from a less human to a more human phase, at the speediest rhythm possible, at the lowest possible cost, taking into account the bonds of solidarity which exists among these populations (Goulet, 1974; 43). Another way to understand the process of humanization, of which Lebret speaks, is with reference to the ability to perform moral acts. Aquinas explains that for a moral act to occur two elements are necessary. These elements are knowledge of the act and its nature, as well as the freedom to choose for or against performing the act (Summa, I-II, 6, 1, c. in Bourke, 1960; 187). A person performs a moral act when that act is done with knowledge and volition. To the extent that people act without knowledge and volition, their moral responsibility for those acts is mitigated. When freedom is curtailed, the person is dehumanized. He or she is prevented from acting in a human, that is, moral manner. This is especially dehumanizing when one is prevented from acting freely in the fundamental choices that affect one's life. One becomes more human, on the other hand, to the extent that one can freely commit oneself, in self-knowledge, to a particular way of being in the world. The human subject acts in freedom and responsibility. This is fundamentally freedom to choose an identity, to become a certain type of person. It is an act of self-determination (Gula, 1989;75-98). One also accepts responsibility for the consequences of that choice. Thus, freedom can be used to build community or to oppress others, either to transcend oneself and make history or to function as a mere consumer of civilization (Goulet, 1974; 41). While governments, corporations, or other social institutions may undertake planning from a conceptual foundation other than humanization, pastoral planning is self-contradictory if undertaken from any other basis than humanization. Thus, a fundamental goal of pastoral planning is to facilitate humanization in the concrete situation of a particular community. To facilitate humanization is to both extend the possibility of acting in the community in freedom and with responsibility, as well as oppose those conditions that dehumanize. This requires that those who act as planners freely exercise their own humanity in the process. Their personal humanization is integral with the broader process of humanizing the community (Freire, 1982;28, 52). Praxis is integral with humanization. It is the reflection and action of people upon their world in order to transform it. It begins with discovering reality; that is, the actual conditions in which one lives. Authentic reflection considers neither abstract humanity nor the world apart from humanity, but people in their relations with the world. It requires critical self-perception of the way a people exists in the world. Authentic reflection brings a people to see the world not as a static reality, but as a reality in process, in transformation (Freire, 1982; 71-72). Dialogue provides a setting where praxis is possible. It assumes a free sharing of thoughts and a valuing of the thoughts shared. Dialogue encourages "critical thinking", allowing analytical interaction during which ideas are brought into sharper focus. Through dialogue contradictions between human dignity and social reality become apparent. Once the contradictions are acknowledged, problems are identified. The community can then work together to transform the contradictory conditions. Dialogue begins with thought and critical reflection. It ends in a more integrated and directed community working on its common problems. Humanization and praxis require that planning be undertaken (1) from the perspective of a people's values and (2) in a permanent association between decision makers at the summit and communities at the grassroots. A people's values are a constitutive component of their social context. Thus, reflection that does not include conscious examination of the values of the community misses an essential component of the situation in which the people find themselves. This is especially important in multi-cultural and non-Western settings, where there are differing value systems operating within the community or where the value assumptions of decision makers may vary from those of the grass roots members of the community. Further, without a permanent association between decision makers and the grass roots, the planning process becomes an abstract exercise, or worse, an act of oppression. Planning for humanization is not an activity done for any one. It is an activity done by and with those who will be affected by the product of the planning. Praxis involves reflection and action over time. It is an on-going process because humanization, its goal, is an on-going process. Thus, the association of persons that undertakes planning should not be ad hoc but continue in existence to maintain an ongoing humanization process. A distinction can be made between the body of people who undertake the task of planning and the technician who has traditionally been called a planner. In a broad sense, all people involved in the effort are planners. This is not to say that someone in the role of planner, in the restrictive technical sense, is not necessary. The professional planner has a role in supporting the work of the community; facilitating goal setting, ensuring accountability and evaluation, as well as documenting the planning effort. The planner is an advocate and a resource to those who plan and those who implement. The planner assists in bringing order and priority to what might otherwise be a chaotic process (Howes,1982;523). Yet, the pastoral planner, whether lay or cleric, must remain only a support to the members of the community, or its deliberative body, who are the primary subjects of the planning process. Why Pastoral Planning?Why Pastoral Planning? tc \l2 "Why Pastoral Planning?  Planning in any form assumes an orientation toward the future. Such an orientation is a characteristic of the Christian. Our faith proclaims that we have a double destiny: to live deeply and richly in this life through personal and social structures of love, and to participate everlastingly in the life of God. The Biblical image used to denote both forms of this destiny is the "Reign of God." Through this symbol there is an intuition or announcement that an everlasting destiny informs historical time and that historical time itself will culminate in an everlasting destiny. God is the chief actor in realizing his reign. However, God acts in such a way as to not eliminate the responsibility for human participation. To the contrary, the reign of God demands that humans shall know and therefore obey God, with the result that all participate in the life of the community (Suchocki, 1989; 183-185). Rahner sees pastoral theology, and thus pastoral planning, arising out of ecclesiology, eschatology, and anthropology. With regard to ecclesiology, he affirms a fundamental, divinely given essence of the Church but simultaneously affirms the necessity of the Church to realize its essence in the midst of concrete, existential life history. There is not an essential Church and an existential Church. There is an essential Church existing, actualizing its essence in the world and in history. It is necessary to determine what is required for the self-actualization of the Church in a given situation and how best these requirements may be met. There is a necessary connection between ecclesiology and practical theology because the Church does not always know a priori what it must do in every situation to be Church. Rather, this must be discovered and the discovery process is initiated, monitored, and guided toward eventual enactment by practical theology. This is the task of pastoral planning within the discipline of practical or pastoral theology (Kinast,1982;453-454). The future is seen by Rahner as the condition which makes possible the present moment. This condition fluctuates between the given of the actual situation and the potential of that situation for a transcendent future. Such an eschatology clarifies the reason why practical theology aims at planning for the enactment of the Church. The response to God's call is supposed to be a free response. It is a personal decision and therefore not automatic or compulsive. As a human act, it is reflective, deliberative, and contingent on the existential given. All this characterizes the essence of planning (Kinast,1982;455). Further, the Church must not just respond to God's call but must make an appropriate response, based on an accurate hearing of the word in the situation and enacted in a way that carries beyond the enactment to a readiness for the next hearing. The planning function of practical theology is guided by the desire to maintain in every enactment a transcendental openness to the Holy Mystery who speaks from the eschatological future to the existential present (Kinast,1982;456). Anthony De Mello relates an old Islamic tale in which a young man visits the home of a wise Sufi master. The young man wishes the master to admit him as a disciple. As an expression of his zeal, he tells the master, "I trust God so much that I have not tied my camel but leave his care to the will of God." The master immediately tells the young man, "Go out of this house and secure the animal. The true Moslem will trust in God and tie his camel." The point of the story is that while God is the chief actor in the realization of our destiny, we can not abandon that part of the work that God has given to us. This is made clear by Rahner, Kinast and Suchocki. We are necessary participants in the actualization of our destiny. Planning assumes that a certain course of action in a particular situation has more value or efficacy than another course of action. Thus, one of the practical reasons for pastoral planning is more effective and efficient ministry (Dreher,1976;17-18). Yet, efficiency is not enough. At a more fundamental level, humanization moves people towards a greater exercise of responsible freedom and opposes those social structures which dehumanize. Since acting freely and with responsibility is an element of the humanization process, only those courses of action which promote free and responsible decision making will result in humanization. Such courses of action are sought in the planning process. The Church must do its best to evangelize the world and foster conditions that promote the coming of the Kingdom. Pastoral planning is a method of "tieing the camel." Schillebeeckx conveys this idea in speaking of the mission of the Church. Mission spirituality is a matter of being grasped by the event and the value of the kingdom of God in order to realize the praxis of this kingdom in the steps of Jesus; inner metanoia and reform of society and one's own person in the direction of that kingdom, in the direction of greater humanity and universal liberation (1990; 183). The Planning ProcessThe Planning Process tc \l2 "The Planning Process  The practice of pastoral planning is largely influenced by the professional discipline of planning. The literature on pastoral planning in the seventies shows little variation in method from that of urban planning or social program planning. The focus is on data analysis, alternative solutions, goal setting, and implementation (Howes,1976;91). By the early eighties greater theological reflection on pastoral planning methodology had been undertaken. Methodology changed to accommodate greater attention to human experience, as a result of a deepened understanding of the role of anthropology in pastoral planning. A common characteristic of this change was greater attention to narrative. Narrative. Narrative was seen as a way to identify shared lived experience (Klasek,1983;38), an essential element of Christian community and sacramental life (Guzie,1981;14), as well as to engage the prophetic imagination. The prophetic imagination is important to planning because in its passion and poetry it keeps alive alternative images of the future. It animates the promise of newness found in shared lived experience and revitalizes the idea of future and hope (Brueggemann,1978;63). Stories of faith and the narratives of religious experience are the privileged ways we speak of the future. Narrative is the vehicle for the memory of Jesus Christ when the community is gathered as Church. Narrative is a vehicle for the remembering that constitutes identity (Klasek,1983;41-44). It is in remembering who we are that provides us with the foundation upon which we are capable to move into the future as a vital Christian community. Our stories are a primary source of remembering who we are (Shewman,1992;14). Two examples of the use of narrative in planning are provided by Klasek (1983) and Shewman (1984). Klasek used narrative in the planning process by asking the participants in a parish planning group to develop an autobiography of their parish. This autobiography included the individual faith stories of the participants. These narratives helped to define the context and nature of the faith community. He also asked the participants to present their dreams and hopes for the parish in narrative format (Klasek,1983;55-59). While there is much more to his methodology, narrative played a fundamental role in identifying the community and engaging it in the planning process. Shewman undertook a series of planning workshops among the islands of Micronesia from 1983 through 1985. These workshops relied on narrative to identify the dreams and primary values of the community, as well as to illustrate the problems that were identified. The use of narrative is similar to Klasek, except that the order of presentation is reversed. It is this second approach that was used in the case study described in this paper. The pastoral planning process described below is not complex. It bears many similarities to other models developed at the same time which make use of narrative. These include those offered by the Whiteheads (1980), Stephen Klasek (1983), Holland and Henriot (1983), as well as the model for developing local theologies offered by Robert Schreiter (1985). The process begins with convening. This is followed by valuing, analysis, strategy, commitment, pastoral action, and evaluation. ConveningConvening tc \l3 "Convening . A number of elements are included in convening. First, the need for planning must be perceived. Second, pastoral planning occurs in a particular context; that is, a community of faith. Thus, the faith community must organize itself to undertake planning. Such organization must be true to the nature of the Church and to the goal of humanization. Third, there must be a commitment to the planning process by both the institutional decision makers and the grassroots members of the faith community. The pastoral planning process begins when someone perceives that a pastoral need exists which the planning process might address. The structure of the Church in the last years of the 20th century requires that the "someone" perceiving the existence of a need be in a position to call together the participants and to commit resources to the pastoral planning process. Lacking this authority, the person must be capable of bringing the appropriate decision makers to perceive the need. A fact of Church organization today is that, while the woman or man in the pew may see the need for effective planning in a parish or Diocese, unless the pastor or Bishop is convinced of the need as well it will not happen. When organizing the division of labor in the planning process, the requirements of both humanization and canon law must be respected. Humanization requires a setting where dialogue is possible between every member of the community. In such a setting, the principle is equality, arising from common baptism and the royal priesthood. However, canon law places ultimate decision making authority in the hands of the bishop (c.381, c.514.1). Church law provides two structures that respect these conditions. At the Diocesan level, these structures are Synods and Pastoral Councils. The Diocesan Synod is discussed in canons 460 through 468 in the 1983 Code of Canon Law. It is an ad hoc body called by the bishop after consultation with the Presbyterial Council. The general function of a synod is the updating of Diocesan legislation. However, the synod is capable of addressing other questions put to it. The synod structure as required by canon 463, provides for participation from a cross section of the diocese; including clergy, representatives of religious orders and pious organizations, as well as the laity. The synod is a flexible mechanism for the pastoral planning process. There is no requirement in the current Code of Canon Law that a Bishop hold a synod according to any particular schedule, though the 1917 Code required a synod at least every ten years. Thus, scheduling a synod is up to the bishop. The participation is broad based and includes the entire faith community in one form or another. The proceedings of a synod have authority, in that they must be provided to the appropriate metropolitan and the Conference of Bishops. Having convened the synod to respond to particular questions, the Bishop is to respect the findings as an expression of the communal reflection of the faithful on the Synod topic. The Diocesan Pastoral Council is discussed in canons 511 through 514 of the Code. The Council's purpose "is to investigate under the authority of the bishop all those things which pertain to pastoral works, to ponder them and to propose practical conclusions about them." While the orientation of a synod is legislative, the pastoral council is executive, more action oriented. Its membership is more flexible than that of the Synod participants. Canon 463 provides a listing of ministries which must be represented in a synod, canon 512 only asks that the "entire portion of the people of God which constitutes the diocese is truly reflected..." The Diocesan Pastoral Council is established for a set term, to be determined by the bishop, thus providing for more continuity over time than the Synod which does its job and is dissolved. The decisions of the Pastoral Council are consultative, as are those of a Synod. However, once established, the Pastoral Council should meet at least once a year (c.514.2). Canonist Angel Marzoa (1986;80) sees the Diocesan Pastoral Council as a most useful mechanism for bringing a cross section of the local Church into a cooperative and collaborative relationship with the Bishop regarding his pastoral responsibilities. El Consejo Pastoral prodra prestar al obispo una ayuda muy util, haciendo propuestas y dando sugerencias con motivo de iniciativas misioneras, catequisticas y apostolicas en el marco de la diocese; para la promocion de la formacion doctrinal y de la vida sacramental de los fieles, sobre la ayuda que ha de prestarse a la actividad pastorla de los sacerdotes en los diversos ambientes sociales or in las regiones de la diocesis, atendiento a la forma de sensibilizar cada ves mas a la opinion publica sobre los problemas que afectan a la Iglesia...El consejo Pastoral puede tambien ser muy util para efectuar un intercambio reciproco de experienceas y para revelar con mayor claridad al obispo las necesidades concretas de la poblacion de la diocese y sugerirle la linea de accion pastoral que mas conviene.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 While both mechanisms can be used for pastoral planning, the Diocesan Pastoral Council is the more appropriate. Pastoral planning is inherent in the function it has been assigned by canon law. Further, its on-going nature provides a role for the pastoral council in implementation and evaluation. Whatever mechanism is used as a basis for pastoral planning, the work will be futile unless there is commitment to the planning process and its product. Commitment includes: (1) provision of the necessary resources to effectively undertake planning, (2) sufficient involvement in the planning process by a cross section of the faith community, so that a broad consensus on the content of the plan is possible, and (3) the intention to implement pastoral plan, subject to the concerns of the bishop over specific elements of the plan. Considerable resources are required to complete the Diocesan Pastoral Planning process. Knowledgeable personnel must be assigned to coordinate the process and to provide staff support. Meetings must be scheduled and related costs covered. In a diocese with multiple population centers, travel expenses must be met. There are material and supply, as well as publication costs. The analytic portion of the planning process may require an investment of time and money in specific research activities. Most Catholics are honored to serve on the Diocesan Pastoral Council. However, once meetings have begun, the level of work required may discourage continued participation. Thus, there needs to be a high level of commitment from the beginning and attention must be given to morale. As most members represent groups within the Diocese, their intermediary role can be stressed. The organization they represent can then be a resource for encouraging their full participation. The Bishop should not convene a Council or Synod unless he intends to implement the plan they produce. The entire exercise is done in the knowledge that the Bishop determines the final content of the pastoral plan which is promulgated. However, if he has been an active participant in the deliberations the draft which is given to him will be a document that he helped fashion. The clergy and laity will have heard his position on many of the elements of the plan and understand the position he has taken on each. If the process is completed and no plan is implemented, the hopes of the participants will be crushed, along with their sense of having a voice in the life of the Church. Whichever mechanism is employed, the actual planning process is undertaken in a series of one day meetings. At these meetings various planning exercises are accomplished. The exercises involve group discussion in response to questions. If the deliberative body is relatively large, so that the opportunity for each member to freely contribute his or her thoughts is significantly limited, the deliberative body breaks down into smaller discussion groups of about ten members each. These smaller discussion groups reflect on the assigned question. The spokesperson for each group then reports to the full body. After all groups have reported, the session coordinator facilitates the full body's analysis of the small group reports to allow a response which reflects a consensus of the entire body. This process is repeated. ValuingValuing tc \l3 "Valuing . Pastoral planning occurs in a particular setting. That setting is shaped by the physical environment, the history of that community, and the culture(s) operating in the community. Culture is the most important, as the influences of the first two are embodied in the third. Niebuhr borrows Malinowski's definition of culture in his discussion of the relationship of Christ with culture. Culture is the artificial, secondary environment which man superimposes on the natural. It comprises language, habits, ideas, beliefs, customs, social organization, inherited artifacts, technical processes, and values (1951;32). In qualifying the definition, Niebuhr notes that culture is always social and the work of human minds and hands. He explains that the world of culture is a world of values. These values direct the work of human minds and hands toward ends that are perceived as good for humanity. Indeed, human achievement can be understood as the realization of our values. The values a culture seeks to realize in any time or place are many in number (1951; 32-38). However, not all of these values are consistent with each other or any single concept of what is good for humanity. Values are not all of one type. Lonergan identifies five types of values which he scales in ascending order by the degree to which they evoke feelings on the part of the subject. He describes these values as vital, social, cultural, personal, and religious (1979; 31). Pastoral planning can not effectively address a specific, situation unless it is cognizant of the values operating in that situation and is able to respond from the perspective of Christian values. If those engaged in the pastoral planning process are not aware of the cultural values operating in a situation, they are incapable of reaching a sound judgement about the situation. A sound judgement is impossible, for they do not understand the presuppositions others bring into the situation, nor the feelings evoked in relation to the situation. The body that is undertaking pastoral planning is doing so as an expression of the Church. An integral part of the self-identity of the Church is the set of values it brings to bear on the specific situations in which it finds itself. Thus, unless it wishes to open itself to self-contradiction, the pastoral planning body must consciously express those Christian values and bring them to bare on the perceived pastoral need. Identifying the values of a group, their understanding of what is worthwhile striving after, is fundamental to pastoral planning, as it is from these values that a vision is fashioned of what the faith community is to become. As Lonergan explains, such values foster an ...openness to further achievement. Past gains are organized and consolidated but they are not rounded off into a closed system but remain incomplete and so open to still further discoveries and developments. The free thrust of the subject into new areas is recurrent and, as yet, there is no supreme value that entails all others. But at the summit of the ascent from the initial infantile bundle of needs and clamors and gratifications, there are to be found the deep-set joy and solid peace, the power and the vigor, of being in love with God. In the measure that the summit is reached, then the supreme value is God, and other values are God's expression of his love in this world, in its aspirations, and in its goal (1972; 39). Values serve as a driving force for the entire planning process, when planning is built upon those values and when planning is used as a servant of their fulfillment. The values of the group are brought out in the first session through questions that attempt to identify the group's sense of what an ideal community would look like. When applied to pastoral planning, the question is something like, "What is your idea of the best possible Diocese of Chalan Kanoa? Please describe what this perfect Diocese (or parish) would be like." This discussion often begins with hurts experienced in the faith community. The painful incident is presented in a brief narrative and discussion follows to determine the underlying value offended. In one case the value might be respect, in another case the value could be experience of the sacred which is not being satisfied due to poor liturgy. Values will also be presented that arise from visions of the Church already articulated in other fora. This type of value is usually presented by members of the deliberative body with exposure to such visions through theological training, experience in other faith communities, or the literature. In the end, there is a list of values that are considered important by the deliberative body and an awareness among the members of the body of the individual stories that lie behind the stated values. One might question the purpose in placing this examination of values at the beginning of the planning process. Lonergan explains that the human process of cognition follows a normative pattern. He calls this pattern the Transcendental Method. This method consists of heightening one's consciousness by objectifying. There are four operations involved in this method; experiencing, understanding, judging, and deciding. Simply put, the transcendental method is the concrete and dynamic unfolding of human attentiveness, intelligence, reasonableness, and responsibility (1972;14,18). The method begins with attention to what we experience. Thus our sense perceptions, intuition, and feeling states are the starting point for our comprehension of the world and our ability to act appropriately in the world. Shea, building on the work of William James and Eugene Glendin, argues that, ... feeling is primal and foundational in religion. Whatever conceptualizations take place, whatever philosophies or theologies develop, they are secondary processes, dependent upon the primary feeling for their existence. All intellectual operations are interpretive and inductive operations, operations after the fact, consequent upon religious feeling, not coordinate with it, not independent of what it ascertains (1987; 13). He also quotes James saying, "Instinct leads, intelligence does but follow (1987;12)." Feelings are the foundation upon which experience is built. One feels tired and then consciously experiences, tiredness. "Feelings can be intentional responses as well. They can respond to...values and do so with some scale of preference. We can distinguish vital, social, cultural, personal, and religious values in ascending order (Lonergan,1972;31)." Thus, in placing valuing as the first step in the pastoral planning process we make objective and conscious the feeling base that underlies the experience of life in the particular faith community. AnalysisAnalysis tc \l3 "Analysis . This phase of the planning process has four aspects. The first is a historical overview of the community. This is necessary to understand what has brought the community to its present situation. The second is a statistical analysis of the community. The third phase is a more existential analysis of the situation in which the community finds itself. The existential analysis is based on the shared stories of the members of the deliberative body. The fourth aspect is identification of the teachings and values of the Church which relate to the situation. The product of analysis is a list of perceived problems which the deliberative body wishes to address as part of the pastoral plan. The history of a community plays an important role in shaping the values of its people. A knowledge of a community's past gives the planner a sense of the existential currents that move the people in a particular direction. Further, it puts immediate concerns into a broader perspective. The statistical phase of analysis should be assigned to technically competent personnel. Normally, a sociologist or professional social planner has the skills for this task. If technically competent personnel are among the members of the deliberative body, this can be undertaken as a sub-committee task. However, this is time consuming and more easily done by staff or consultants. Economic and demographic profiles are readily available in most communities. Annual reporting requirements result in this type of information being available for each Diocese, with regard to the Catholic population. It is helpful to obtain statistics on education, and the impact of technologies on the community. The deliberative body should be aware of the nature and extent of the various ideologies in the community. The results of this analysis are presented to the deliberative body in writing and in advance of a meeting to allow reading and digestion of the material. A representative of the group compiling the technical analysis should be present at a meeting dedicated to social analysis. This representative provides an overview presentation of the analysis and is available to answer questions. Existential analysis follows the technical analysis. It is comprised of the members of the deliberative body sharing their concerns for the local Church. The particular stories giving rise to those concerns are sought. This provides a specific context for the concerns expressed. This phase of analysis follows the pattern established in the valuing process. Discussion groups are organized. The groups are asked to identify the gaps which exist between the ideal vision previously described and their lived experience. Following group discussion, spokespersons present the results to the full body. A list of problems facing the faith community is the product of this phase of the planning process. The participants are encouraged to make use of the statistical information provided to test the validity of their concerns and to suggest areas which could be causes of concern. Theologically trained personnel are available to present the teachings of the Church. If possible, each discussion group has members who have adequate theological training to ensure that theological reflection is an integral part of the discussion. Full group discussion allows the coordinator to ensure theological reflection on the issues raised. StrategyStrategy tc \l3 "Strategy . Following Lonergan's Transcendental Method, valuing allowed us to attend to our experience, particularly our values and feelings. Analysis helps us do the work of understanding the situation in which we find ourselves. The strategy phase of the pastoral planning process brings us to Lonergan's category of judging. The task of this phase is to determine reasonable ways to address the concerns identified in the preceding phase. Lonergan speaks of judgment involving the unity of three components. First, there is knowledge of reality and especially of human reality. Secondly, there are intentional responses to values. Thirdly, there is the thrust towards moral self-transcendence, constituted by the judgment (1972; 38). The first and second components require attention to the valuing and analysis phase of the planning process. This attention is not limited to just the findings. It includes reflection on the discussion and stories related during those phases. Any strategy developed which is not congruent with the sense of the lived experience of the community evoked in the earlier discussion is doomed to failure. All strategies suggested in response to the identified concerns are judged in relation to the criterion of their support for the self-transcendence of the subject. The subject in this case is the Christian community, which they represent as a deliberative body. The work of this phase can be organized as the needs of the local Church require. From experience, it has seemed best to organize the deliberative body into working groups. These groups meet apart from the main body over a period of time to develop strategies for groups of related concerns. These strategies are then presented at a meeting of the full body for discussion and refinement. The product of this phase of the pastoral planning process is a series of objectives which address the identified problems. Further, the objectives are consistent with the doctrine of the Catholic Church and cultural values of the community. CommitmentCommitment tc \l3 "Commitment . The most elegant plan ever developed is a waste of time, money, and effort if it is never implemented. Commitment is that phase of the planning process which identifies responsibility for implementation of the pastoral plan and in which responsibility is accepted. This is the fourth stage of Lonergan's transcendental method. Each of the objectives includes an identification of those offices which are responsible for the implementation of the objective. Each objective allows accountability, as a result of specific assignment of responsibility. The mission statement, the listing of pastoral problems, and the objectives are brought together by the plan coordinator in a draft pastoral plan. This draft is presented to the deliberative body for review and discussion. This provides an opportunity for further clarification and integration of the plan. The full body, when it is satisfied with the amendments to the draft, formally votes to approve the draft and to forward it for consideration to the Bishop and Board of Consultors. This expresses the Pastoral Council's support for the plan and its commitment to the plan's implementation. The Diocesan Board of Consultors, representing the clergy, reviews the plan. They discuss its contents and recommend modifications, if they feel there is a need. In the end, they either support the plan or recommend against its acceptance. Their acceptance of the plan signifies their commitment to its implementation. The final formal act of commitment is the promulgation of the plan. The Bishop accepts the document as the official pastoral plan of the diocese and commits the resources of the diocese to its achievement by his act of promulgation. Commitment to the plan by the entire Catholic community is encouraged through publication of the pastoral plan, in the Diocesan Newsletter and in booklet format. Also, talks are given to various Church groups to orient them to the pastoral plan and to obtain their support. Pastoral Action.Pastoral Action. tc \l3 "Pastoral Action.  Effective implementation of the plan requires the efforts of the full body of Christ in the particular faith community. An ordered division of labor is essential. Part of the logic behind the assignment of responsibility for each objective is to remove confusion, and thus obstacles, to speedy implementation of plan objectives. One person coordinates plan implementation. Assignment of this responsibility can vary from diocese to diocese, depending on the organizational structure. The assignment requires someone who has access to a systemic overview of the diocese. A Chancellor, vice-Chancellor, Vicar General Episcopal Vicar or Moderator Curia would be appropriate for this assignment. This assignment involves: (1) taking responsibility for those tasks assigned to the Chancery; (2) ensuring that all grant applications and program plans developed by diocesan offices reflect the objectives of the pastoral plan; and (3) ensuring that all pastors and office or program heads are aware of the plan objectives assigned to them. EvaluationEvaluation tc \l3 "Evaluation . The Diocesan Pastoral Council is required by Church law to meet at least once each year. If it develops the pastoral plan, this provides an annual progress report on plan implementation. Further, if it appears that interim revisions of the pastoral plan are necessary, recommendations can be voted upon by the Pastoral Council during the annual meeting. Assuming that a diocese regularly uses pastoral plans as a tool in organizing its efforts and the use of its resources, the completion of each planning cycle will include an overall evaluation of the implementation of the plan prior to undertaking work on the plan for the next cycle. Chapter Two: Cultural Transformation Pastoral Planning takes place in the context of a particular community. That community brings to the planning process its language, values, technology, means of artistic expression, myths, customs, hopes, fears, and shared experience. These elements of the community form combinations that are unique. While the Church is one, its incarnation in particular communities requires that it take on the flesh and blood of that community. That is, it must find expression in the community through the medium of the culture of that community. Robert Schreiter explains it as follows. Church is a complex of those cultural patterns in which the gospel has taken on flesh, at once enmeshed in the local situation, extending through communities in our own time and in the past, and reaching out to the eschatological realization of the fullness of God's reign. Thus, there is no local theology without the larger church, that concrete community of Christians, united through word and sacrament in the one Lord. Culture is the context in which this happens. It represents a way of life for a given time and place, replete with values, symbols, and meanings, reaching out with hopes and dreams, often struggling for a better world. Without a sensitivity to the cultural context, a church and its theology either become a vehicle for outside domination or lapse into docetism, as though its Lord never became flesh. (Schreiter, 1985; 21) The issue of culture is significant in the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa. It goes beyond the need to incarnate the Church in a particular social context. The institutional supports for the traditional culture of the Mariana Islands are disappearing rapidly. The people of these Islands have entered the netherworld, where their sense of cultural identity is evaporating. This is aggravated by the rapid influx of people from other communities and cultures, who, through force of numbers, are changing the cultural practices of the community. How can the Church take on the flesh of each of these communities? Is the Church to be a pastiche of cultural voices? Is it to speak with the voice of a Chamorro, Roman, Filipino, or American Church? Michael Warren offers insight to the problem based on his analysis of rapid culture change in the United States. He begins with a definition of culture. ...culture is that symbolic organization which socializes us and cultivates our fantasies about a world we do not experience directly. It is a system of stories and other artifacts increasingly mass produced that mediates between existence and our consciousness of existence and thereby helps shape both (1989;174). Warren argues that people cultivate their own meanings less and less, accepting packaged signification produced for their consumption by others. Culture is about the meanings and values produced to nourish a particular group of people. The quest for meaning has about it an urgency analogous to the urgency for food. You can not life without food; neither can you survive without human signification (1989;177). Warren focuses his attention on the impact of the media, with the commercial interests and values they promote, on the meaning systems of contemporary communities. The electronic media in the Diocese have had a profound effect on the meaning system of the people of the Mariana Islands. High school children copy the latest fashion styles shown on MTV. Parents build mansions copied after the sets of American soap operas. The old stories are being lost. Many youngsters find it difficult to communicate in Chamorro or Carolinian, as they have been raised with English. Much of the cultural meaning is encoded in the anecdotes, plays on words, and the stories that have been passed down through the traditional languages. The inflow of workers from Asia has only accelerated a process that was already well underway. The process of culture loss has become obvious. Gustavo Gutierrez provides a response to the loss of a community's meaning system. Gutierrez is concerned with culture death by which those in power seek to do away with everything that gives unity and strength to the dispossessed of the world. He counters culture death with gospel spirituality suited to a particular condition of life in a particular place, at a particular time in history. He tells us to drink from our own wells, echoing St. Bernard of Clairvaux, staying close to the waters of life and avoiding those wells poisoned with cultural pollution (1984;5). The Second Diocesan Pastoral Plan offers no easy answer to these questions. It attempts to meet the pastoral needs of each of the cultural communities, as voiced by members of those communities and perceived by the Diocesan Pastoral Council. It attempts to encourage us drink from our own wells of Marianas spirituality, preserving those elements of the local cultures that harmonize with the Gospel, while countering trends, ingrained and introduced, which undermine both the Church and the community. The approach to culture that is taken by the Second Diocesan Pastoral Plan is similar to that described by Niebuhr (1951) as "Christ the transformer of culture." That is, the cultural questions are taken seriously, with the understanding that no culture is truly Christian but that Christ can incarnate in any culture and transform it. Thus, a respectful attempt to better facilitate the incarnation of Christ underlies much of the plan. The Christian transformation of a culture is primarily a matter of transformational change in the world view, the sense of meaning, of that culture. It is impossible to return to a system of signification more appropriate to a previous generation. Transformations that Christians seek to bring about in a culture are extensions of processes that are already underway, rather than a retreat into nostalgia or the initiation of completely new processes. Such change works with the culture, partially redirecting the process of change. Building on existing institutions and cultural patterns which introduce the least disequilibrium. People can not live without values and when values are called into question people will make every effort to find new meaning and integrate that meaning into a more satisfying world view. Hunger for meaning introduces a degree of control over the process of cultural change. It reminds us that we are the actors in the process. We do not have to be pushed blindly by fate. We can exert some control over the direction of change. Further, the direction of change must be to increase consistency between the social reality the Gospel (Kraft, ;345-354). While not an intentional strategy of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, great emphasis in the plan was placed on the importance of worship. This was a strongly felt need on the part of the members of the Council. It is here that the most powerful cultural and religious symbols are engaged to draw people into community and to help them discover the meaning of their lives. It is an aspect of the cultural life of the community that involves a high degree of continuity over time. In the midst of the social confusion plaguing the Northern Mariana Islands, the people instinctively understand the importance of worship to their individual meaning and stability, as well as to the stability of the community (Lore-Kelly, 1983; 159). Juan Segundo reminds us that it is worship which is the means to form and set in motion an ecclesial community, since its liberative influence constitutes its true end (Segundo, 1974; 108). That is, the social ills which express the presence of oppression and sin in the community, are ultimately overcome through the liberative influence of worship. As the objectives dealing with worship have been implemented, forms of worship especially meaningful to particular cultures have been promoted within those ethnic communities. Additional devotional activities, such as missions, have been introduced to supplement the devotions and liturgical practices favored by particular communities. The Mass is increasingly available in the languages of the various ethnic communities and celebrated in a manner consistent with their cultural symbols and meanings, yet remains an act of Christian unity. Small Christian communities (communidades de base) were promoted in the first Diocesan Pastoral Plan as a way to foster a richer devotional life among the faithful, as well as provide more opportunity to tell stories and experience fellowship. Aside from a few prayer groups sparked by the Charismatic movement, little was accomplished toward this end. The parishes were small enough to allow fellowship and community life among the indigenous population. The few groups that did form served the American, Korean, and Filipino populations and were based in individual parishes. The Second Diocesan Pastoral Plan lessened the emphasis on the small Christian communities and placed greater emphasis on the parishes. If small Christian communities are to form, they must be an out growth of the parish life. The Parish Councils are given a greater role in the life of the parish, with the hope that they will be the mechanism by which devotional and service groups can be established. The planning process presented in this paper is emic, in that it rests for its insights and final decisions upon the viewpoints of the members of the community. While technical support is provided, both analytically and theologically, it is not the expert who forms the plan and decides on its final content. This rests with the members of the community. There is a danger in this to the extent that issues which experts feel should be addressed may not be given the prominence an etic perspective would prefer. This is countered by the strength that the issues which are prominent in the plan, the community perceives to deserve such prominence. As a result, they are likely to be treated seriously in the implementation phase. Chapter Three: The Social ContextChapter Three: The Social Context tc \l1 "Chapter Three: The Social Context  As was explained in the last chapter, an objective understanding of the social context in which planning is done is essential to the planning process. This chapter provides data and preliminary analysis of the social and cultural aspects of the Diocese. Most of the data was presented to the members of the Diocesan Pastoral Council early in the planning process. Additional data is included which has emerged since the drafting of the pastoral plan. This data was provided to the Pastoral Council in their August 1992 monitoring session. The chapter includes three sections. The first section provides historical background. The second section offers a statistical profile of the community. The third phase is an existential analysis of the situation in which the community finds itself. The existential analysis is based on the shared stories of the members of the deliberative body. The third stage identifies the teachings and values of the Church that relate to the problems which have emerged in the preceding analysis. Historical SettingHistorical Setting tc \l2 "Historical Setting  The Diocese of Chalan Kanoa is coextensive with the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The Commonwealth is comprised of a series of fourteen islands in the Western Pacific Ocean. These islands are volcanic and coral. Along with Guam, the islands are part of the Mariana chain. They are the outermost perimeter of the Asian continental shelf. The Mariana Islands are located between 14 to 21 degrees north latitude; 144 and 150 degrees longitude. The chain extends for 338 miles and includes a total land area of 184 square miles. To the east of the chain lies the Marianas Trench, the deepest point on the surface of the Earth. While the chain is subject to a large number of seismic disturbances only detectable by seismograph, there are few serious disturbances. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Mariana Islands were inhabited as early as 1320 B.C.E. It is thought that the original Chamorro population came from Southeast Asia, through Indonesia, and across the Caroline Islands. Successive waves of migration are indicated, though there is no substantial evidence of sustained contact with any outside technically developed cultures until the arrival of the Spaniards. The history of the Church in the Northern Mariana Islands is intimately tied to the history of the Church on Guam. The logic behind the settlement of the Mariana Islands was to evangelize the Chamorro inhabitants. It was the missionary group of Blessed Diego Luis de San Vitores, a Spanish Jesuit priest, which brought the Faith to the Mariana Islands. The first martyr in the Mariana Island chain was Father Medina, one of San Vitores companions, who died at Laulau Bay on Saipan. While the initial encounter was peaceful but guarded, misunderstanding upon misunderstanding resulted in a hostile relationship between the indigenous population and the Spanish. A series of battles spanning a thirty year period resulted in many deaths, especially among the Chamorros. When the effect of disease accidently introduced by the Spaniards was felt, the Chamorro population was decimated. Early in the 18th century the Chamorro population numbered around 5,000. At the time of contact the population was about 50,000.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 The islands north of Guam evacuated by the Chamorros under order of the Spanish Governor at the beginning of the 18th century. The purpose of the evacuation was to facilitate control of the population by the Spanish. After a century, Micronesians from Woliae in the Caroline Island chain, located south of the Marianas, were allowed to settle on Saipan. Shortly thereafter, the descendants of the Chamorros, who had been settled on Guam, were allowed to resettle the islands to the north. The Chamorros resettling the Northern Mariana Islands were significantly different from their Chamorro ancestors. The original Chamorro inhabitants of the islands were a horticultural people with a strong matrilineal family structure. They lived in small villages scattered around the island. Those who survived intermarried with the Spanish, Mexican, and Filipino settlers. The result was a mixed population, both genetically and culturally. The strong role the mother played in Chamorro culture helped to insure that much of the early Chamorro culture was passed on to the children born of these unions. However, the Spanish culture exercised a very strong influence on the community. This was assisted at times by government decree and the moral influence of the Catholic Church. The Spanish influence stressed a patrilineal social structure, so that official records followed the Spanish system with local families informally maintaining their ties within the matrilineal social structure. Residence patterns shifted from small scattered villages to a Spanish town pattern. There was the larger town, on Saipan it was Garapan, with scattered family gardens in the hills and valleys of the islands. Traditional beliefs were either relegated to the realm of "island magic" or were "baptized" when they harmonized with Catholic belief or practice. For example, the Chamorro reverence for the dead resonated with Catholic devotion to the saints and the practice of prayer for those in Purgatory. While the Faith was introduced to the Mariana Islands by the Jesuits, at the time of resettlement it was the Augustinian Recollects who were providing pastoral care to the residents. This shift was the result of a suppression at that time of Jesuits in Hispanic countries. The number of clergy serving the Mariana islands was small and they based themselves on Guam. So, contact with the Augustinian Recollects in the Northern Mariana Islands was infrequent. When they came north, they did their best to nurture the faith of the people with sacraments and religious instruction. They found a love of music among the people and took advantage of this by adapting Spanish hymns into Chamorro, rewriting them so that they contained grounding in Catholic doctrine. The people could sing with or without clergy but every time they sang they were reviewing the basic elements of Catholic belief. Local prayer leaders, techas, were identified and instructed. In the absence of the priest, they led worship services and prepared the population for reception of the sacraments. Their special role in the local Church has been maintained to this day, though their duties have shifted to leading the rosary at wakes. With the defeat of Spain in the Spanish-American war in the last decade of the 19th century, the Mariana Islands were split. The United States took possession of Guam. Germany purchased the remainder of the islands from Spain in 1899. Japan seized the islands from Germany in 1914 with the outbreak of World War I. Its control was formalized in 1920 when it was assigned to the Japanese as a Mandated Territory under the League of Nations. While the influence of the Germans on the Northern Mariana Islands was slight, the influence of the Japanese was profound. The Japanese treated the Mariana Islands as part of their national territory, rather than as a League of Nations Mandate. As a result, there was a great deal of immigration from Japan and economic development under the Japanese. During the Japanese administration of the Northern Mariana Islands, the population of Chamorro residents on Saipan was approximately 4,000, compared to over 50,000 Japanese residents. During the war the number of Japanese increased to over 80,000. The Chamorro population was treated as a restricted but tolerated minority. They were allowed formal education to the third grade level and vocational skill training. However, they were expected to take part in Shinto ritual as a civil duty and Catholic worship was restricted, though not suppressed. Spanish Jesuits from the Japanese Province were allowed to meet the spiritual needs of the people in the Northern Mariana Islands. The Chamorro gene pool again underwent changes during this period. There was intermarriage, though it was not encouraged by the Japanese. In addition, local families adopted Japanese children, especially during the last days of the war. Japanese parents anticipated their death as the battle front approached the Marianas and gave their children to local families. Most local families survived the war and raised these children as their own. Easy inclusion of adopted children is a cultural characteristic throughout the islands. As a result, some adult Chamorros of the present generation are full blooded Japanese who have been raised as Chamorros. They have freely intermarried and introduced a strong Japanese element into the Chamorro gene pool already influenced by Spanish, Mexican, Filipino, and more recently American contributions. Following World War II the entire Marianas Islands Chain was brought under the American administration. This was a result of the American retaking of Guam and the capture of the Northern Mariana Islands. Following the war these islands were assigned to the United States under a United Nations Trusteeship agreement. The American Jesuits of the New York Province were given responsibility for the Caroline and Marshall Islands. The entire Marianas chain was placed under the New York Province of the Capuchin Friars. Capuchins had served on Guam since the previous century, first with the Spanish Capuchins and, after the Unites States take over of Guam, with American Capuchins. From the time of the Japanese defeat in the Mariana Islands by American forces toward the end of World War II until 1962, the Mariana Islands were under the administration of the US Navy. In 1962 the duty of administration was turned over to the U.S. Department of Interior, with the eventual goal of preparing the people for self-government. A covenant agreement was negotiated in the early seventies, which made the Northern Mariana Islands into a CommonwealthADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 of the United States. The agreement was voted on locally in a plebiscite in 1974 and approved. The U.S. Senate gave its approval to the covenant the following year. In 1976 work began on a local constitution to structure the self-government called for in the covenant agreement. The US implemented the covenant agreement on 9 January 1978. Granting of U.S. citizenship was effected on 4 November 1986. The U.N. Trusteeship was formally brought to an end in July 1987. The people of the islands slowly recovered after the war, developing a peaceful life style similar to that of the Spanish period. Subsistence gardening and fishing were common. Small villages began to grow up as people moved away from the internment camps to which they had been restricted for almost a year following the taking of Saipan. Churches were rebuilt. The economy developed slowly. Initially, it was dependent upon assistance from the Navy. In the sixties and early seventies Saipan became the administrative center of the Trust Territory government. This provided an economic base for retail stores and other small businesses. Efforts were also undertaken at this time to promote a fledgling tourist industry. The implementation of Commonwealth status brought a great deal of Asian investment, primarily in support of the tourist industry. The Commonwealth underwent an economic boom during the 1980's. This boom resulted in many changes that the community struggles to deal with at present. The Church underwent a number of changes as well during the American administration. Throughout the Mariana Islands there was an increase in vocations to the priesthood, both diocesan and religious. As more clergy were available, the number of clergy assigned to the Northern Mariana Islands increased. There was also a shift from the status of "mission station" to parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Eventually, other parishes were established. On 8 November 1984, the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa was created. Two months later, on 13 January 1985, Monsignor Tomas Aguon Camacho was ordained to the episcopate and installed as its first bishop. Statistical AnalysisStatistical Analysis tc \l2 "Statistical Analysis  Any effort to understand the present situation of the Diocese must begin with the demographic changes. These changes are primarily shifts in the size of the population and its relative ethnic composition. The key to this growth is the tourist industry. In 1970 the number of arrivals from outside the Northern Mariana Islands was 16,538. This included not only tourists but business travelers and residents. The number of arrivals reported in 1991 was 424,458. Seventy-three percent (73%) of the arrivals were Japanese tourists. On any single day during 1991 there were approximately 4,652 tourists on island, an increase 34.21 times the number of arrivals in 1970. The increase in tourists produced a significant demand for personnel to support the tourist industry. While having a smaller impact than the tourist industry, a garment industry has developed as a result of one of the provisions of the covenant, which treats articles made in the Commonwealth as made in the United States for custom purposes. The indigenous population of the Northern Mariana Islands is too small to meet this need. Large numbers of contract workers from Asian nations meet the labor needs. In 1976 the total number of registered aliens was 1,252. However, by 1985 the number climbed to 6,724. In the five years that followed the number shot up, so that by 1990 the total number of registered aliens was 34,675. Immigration officials estimate as many as several thousand unregistered aliens also reside in the Commonwealth. The indigenous population in 1990 was estimated at 24,207 based on US census data. When the alien and tourist populations are added, the average daily population in the CNMI in 1990 was 63,453. This must be compared to a total population in 1970 of 11,476 or a total population of 27,959 as late as 1985. Further, 59% of the current population is non-indigenous. Of the non-indigenous people, approximately 58% are from the Philippines. Most of these people identify themselves as Catholic.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 The mean age of the population is 18.8 years with 45% of the population base in 1988 under the age of 16. This suggests a young population that is growing. The vast majority of alien laborers are in their early twenties. While they are a significant factor in the composition of the population, their presence does not greatly shift the total mean age away from the indigenous mean age. Data from the 1990 census show that there has been a shift in the size and composition of the villages. Former residential villages have become commercialized and the ethnic distribution of the population has shifted with the local population moving to more rural villages and new ethnic groups settling in the commercialized villages. The alien workers often live in barracks owned by their employer. Overall birth and death rates in the Commonwealth are fairly stable, with a slight lead in the birth rate. However, infant mortality is a concern at 16.9 per 1,000 live births in 1988. Several factors may contribute to this relatively high rate. ...Also having an important impact on natality is socioeconomic status. The average 1988 income in the CNMI for government employment was $6,160., while the average for the private sector was $4,648. These income levels are much lower than the US average. One study indicates that in 1988, nearly a third of every CNMI dollar was devoted to the purchase of food. The relationship between income level and nutrition (food expenditures) is noteworthy, since nutrition is an important element in prenatal care. An estimated third of CNMI low birth weight births are caused by improper maternal nutrition during pregnancy (Villagomez, 1990; 15-18). The report also notes that in 1988 a total of 41% of the live births were to unmarried women and 14% of live births were to teenage mothers. This was a 2% increase over 1987. The 1990 percentage was 15%. The number of divorces in the CNMI between 1980 and 1990 has almost doubled. However, when the population growth is controlled by the use of rates, there is relatively little per capita growth. A study conducted in 1984 examined divorce rates from 1975 through 1983. The divorces reported were divorce filings with the Superior Court. The average CNMI divorce rate for the period of the study was 1.05 divorces per 1000 population, with a high point in 1980 of 2.9. This must be viewed in relation to the average divorce rate in the United States of 5.4 for the same period. The average CNMI divorce rate, based on more recent data, has moved up to 2.3. While it is an increase, it is well below U.S. divorce rates (Shewman,1984,1992). Substance abuse has long been a problem in the CNMI. Alcohol remains a serious problem with its per capita consumption of beer placing the CNMI 9th among the states and territories. Anheuser-Busch reported that the CNMI was the largest recorded consumer per capita of Budweiser Beer in 1985. Marijuana has also been an ongoing problem in the Commonwealth. There has been a marked increase in use of hard drugs. Of particular concern is methamphetamine or "ice", as users often become violent. This has contributed to an increase in cases of spouse abuse. Data from the CNMI Division of Youth Services indicate that child abuse is a worsening problem. The number of cases of physical abuse, neglect, or sexual molestation reported in the CNMI has increased. In 1983 a total of 126 cases were reported. The number reported in 1991 was 292. This increase has not been influenced significantly by the alien population. The greatest increase has been among sexual molestations reported. Standardized academic test scores for Northern Marianas public high school and elementary school students are almost four years behind US mainland counterparts. Catholic school students fare a little better. They are only two years behind. The current Catholic population of the Diocese is approximately 46,000, which is 77% of the general population. If only the indigenous population is considered, the Catholics comprise about 89% of that group. This population is served by 12 priests in nine parishes and two missions. Each of the traditional villages on the islands of Saipan, Rota, and Tinian constitutes a village, except for the villages of Susupe and Chalan Kanoa, which combine to form the Cathedral Parish. Several parishes have chapels or approved oratories. Among the 12 priests serving in the Diocese, three are Capuchin Friars. Since the beginning of the U.S. administration there has been an increase in the Protestant and non-Christian religions in the Northern Mariana Islands. This seems to have occurred in two waves. The period from World War II through the early 1970's saw the establishment of one permanent Protestant congregation in the Northern Mariana Islands. This congregation served the Protestant American personnel, as well as Micronesians from other islands living on Saipan. There was very little contact between this group and the local believers. A tolerant attitude was common, as the local people assigned the congregation to outsiders. The early seventies saw the beginning of a steady flow of missionary groups to the Northern Marianas. Most of these groups were funded by national organizations or sponsoring congregations in the United States. These groups saw the islands as fertile ground for conversion. The non-Catholic religious organizations in the CNMI include: Saipan Community Church (Congregational and Southern Baptist in affiliation), Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Free Baptists, Assembly of God, Iglesia ni Christo, Baha'i, and a number of Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Confucianists, Shintoists, and Moslems. The impact of the non-Christian groups is limited. Concern is expressed by many local Catholics over the impact of the non-Catholic Christian groups. These groups have been unsuccessful in attracting many local members. There are usually only two or three formal defections from the Faith each year to one of these groups. The mainline Protestant congregations do not attempt to convert. Their purpose is to serve their members resident in the islands. Further, families apply a great deal of social pressure on members who might consider conversion. The Diocese sponsors two major service organizations; the Diocesan Board of Education and Karidat. The Diocesan Board of Education oversees three Catholic Schools. These include Mt. Carmel Elementary School, Mt. Carmel High School on Saipan, and Eskuelan San Francisco de Borja on the island of Rota. Karidat recently changed its name from Northern Marianas Islands Catholic Social Services (NMI-CSS). It provides a range of social services to the community, including: emergency food and shelter, protection and advocacy for the handicapped and mentally ill, a crisis intervention Hotline, diversion services for school drop outs and youth in trouble with the law, counseling, assistance for crime victims, education programs for alcohol abusers, and general case work. Agency statistics have shown a 24% annual increase in clients for the last three years. This is due in part to expanded services and in part to expanded need.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 Existential AnalysisExistential Analysis tc \l2 "Existential Analysis  Church and StateChurch and State tc \l3 "Church and State . The CNMI Constitution has the same provisions for separation of Church and State as does the United States Constitution. This prevents the establishment of any state religion. While the government in the CNMI is officially separated from the Church, those individuals who hold office in the CNMI are usually sympathetic to the concerns of the Church. Though recent economic development has promoted greater self-interest among some leaders and a less than whole-hearted reception for Church concerns. The Church is a cultural institution in the Commonwealth to a much greater extent than ever experienced in the United States. This shows itself in a great deal of "unofficial" support, such as assistance with grounds maintenance, contracting services from Karidat, generous donations when the need arises, and Church representation on most government boards and councils. The Church remains independent of the government, taking positions on issues based on Catholic moral principles and often contrary to popular thought or the position of the administration. At times this has resulted in difficulties, including a death threat to the bishop. DevelopmentDevelopment tc \l3 "Development . The pace of change in the CNMI has increased exponentially in the past few years. This runaway change brings economic "progress" with little sense of real human development. This can be seen in the emergence of values which point to a deep spiritual disorientation in the community. Fifteen to twenty years ago the Northern Mariana Islands were little effected by events in the rest of the world. It was a traditional community, secure in its values and customs, both of which were built on the firm foundation of the Catholic Church. Increased exposure to the outside world through the electronic media, students going off to the US for college, the emergence of the CNMI as a tourist center, the upsurge in land values, and the dramatic increase in people from other cultures living in the CNMI has changed all of this. The Northern Mariana Islands were classless islands only a few years ago, with little extreme variation in wealth. In the past few years this has changed. Landless local residents and the contract workers are beginning to form a lower class. While those who have experienced instant wealth as a result of land leasing, if they are able to manage the money effectively, are becoming a new elite. Labor abuses are becoming common. Recruiters skim up to thirty percent of the wages of the contract workers, the majority of whom are receiving minimum wage. The barracks they are housed in are often unsanitary. Yet, they are charged room and board. Many workers receive below minimum wage and receive no overtime premium. The working conditions are often unsafe. It is not uncommon to hear of a worker being killed as a result of a job related accident. If employees cause any trouble, such as asserting their rights under the law, they are send back or simply released. Physical abuse of laborers occurs. Girls are brought into the Commonwealth as waitresses and forced into prostitution. There is a destructive competition for material goods among many people, often at the expense of the family. The preeminence of family ties over other values appears to have slackened. There are alarming rates of child and spouse abuse, even abuse of the elderly is reported. Adultery seems to have lost the scandalous connotations it once had. It is almost acceptable behavior in the eyes of many. Many of those who bring children for baptism are living in a common-law relationship without the benefit of either civil or sacramental marriage. Several studies have shown that the proportion of teenagers who have seriously considered suicide is almost twice the U.S. rate. AlienationAlienation tc \l3 "Alienation . Emile Durkheim described alienation as that situation in a society where its institutional structures are undermined and the norms of society no longer hold (1951;246-258). The result is cultural and social chaos. The mechanics of how the community disintegrates as a result of alienation was further developed by Robert Merton (1964;213-242). Social change often brings drastic modification to a community's patterns of interaction and common meanings. Such change can leave people feeling disoriented. They are without norms. Symbols no longer convey the meanings they did in the past. Relationships operate under new rules. Long held values are discredited as no longer useful. Alienation results not just from the breakdown of patterned social relationships but from a loss of identity as well. A sense of personal identity derives largely from cultural factors, such as language, religion, and custom. It is the integration of these factors into a meaningful world view that is the basis of a sense of personal identity. The process of alienation is underway in the Mariana Islands. Both social institutions and perceived self- identity have suffered in recent years. This is documented through research (Shewman,1990) and through the stories shared by the workshop participants. Consumerism has encouraged greater concern for individual success. As one young man said, "You can't help anyone else until you help yourself." This attitude has produced conflict among family members. When traditional obligations arise and the normal sacrifices are perceived as excessive, younger members of the community will hold back, honoring only the most serious obligations. This may be a necessary correlate of a cash economy but it strains family relationships. Economic development has brought with it a sense of "loosing control" among many of the local community. A great deal of land has been leased to foreign investors. The money realized from these leases is quickly spent and the family is left without resources. The rural community life common only a few years ago is buried under golf courses, tourist developments, shopping centers, and housing developments. Experimentation with drugs is one expression of the alienation, as is the substance abuse problem, and casual sex. Changed residential patterns have eliminated the extended family maintaining its close ties through adjacent housing. Conflicting cultural patterns are experienced in the same neighborhood, as a once Chamorro or Carolinian community is now largely Filipino, Chinese, or Korean. The cultural and familial bonds that formed that held the community together in the past are being lost. The loss of community solidarity and the perceived threat to one's sense of identity are expressed in a backlash of animosity toward those coming to the islands. This is especially felt by the alien workers who are relatively powerless. In almost every Legislative session bills are introduced that propose unconstitutional restrictions upon the alien laborers. Alien laborers have become victims of macabre assaults that can be described only as hate crimes. The Church Community.The Church Community. tc \l3 "The Church Community.  Many young people have only the vaguest understanding of the Church and Christian values. The Church has little impact on their lives. These people represent a growing body of baptized but uncatechized Catholics. The clergy incardinated in the Diocese consist of one bishop, two priests, and three deacons. Of these, one priest is 73 years old and ready to retire. One of the deacons is retired due to health problems. The remaining priests are obtained from the Capuchins or are on loan from Guam and the Philippines. This has been a mixed blessing. The Capuchins and the priests from Guam have been most helpful and are native to the Chamorro culture. The Filipino priests have worked out well for the most part, supplementing the local clergy and serving the growing Filipino population. However, some of the Filipino priests who come to the Mariana Islands have problems. So far two have left the priesthood to marry, one has serious problems with alcohol, and another was arrested for the sexual molestation of a minor. The Formation House for the Mercedarian Sisters is located in the Diocese but only Micronesian girls are studying there. There are no women from the Northern Mariana Islands currently in formation for any religious order. A significant portion of the alien laborers and Micronesians living in the Northern Mariana Islands are Catholic. They come from cultures other than Chamorro or Carolinian. Their spiritual needs must be met. The Korean Catholics have organized and take care of their own needs fairly well. The Filipino community is served by the Filipino loan priests. The others have little in the way of formal support from the Church via clergy or religious who share their culture. The Catholic community has a number of resources that should be mentioned, if a balanced picture is to be presented. There are two seminarians who will be ordained to the presbyterate in 1993 and 1994 respectively. Four men have begun the formation program for the Permanent Diaconate. The two Missions are rapidly reaching the capability of maintaining themselves as parishes. Land is available for a new Mission in the Kagman housing development area. The renovation of the Cathedral is complete, providing an improved environment for liturgy and private prayer. The Mercy Sisters are devoting an increasing number of sisters to service in the Diocese. A Philippine congregation of Dominican Sisters committed itself to the Diocese, beginning with a group of three sisters which arrived during the summer of 1992. The Korean community completed work on their pastoral center during 1991. A CNMI Ministerial Alliance has been formed to promote ecumenical cooperation, with the Diocese as a founding member. Folk CatholicismFolk Catholicism tc \l3 "Folk Catholicism . There are many people in the Diocese with a vital, educated, and inspiring faith. Sunday and evening Masses in most parishes are full. Sunday Masses at the Cathedral, which seats over 1,000 people, are standing room only, with crowds overflowing into the Plaza in front. However, there is a strong current of "folk Catholicism". It is beneficial in that it keeps people aligned with the Church. Yet, to the extent that it blinds people to the challenge of the Christian Faith and Catholic tradition, it is destructive. One expression of this is that for many religion is an activity for women and children. Men rationalize that they have less need to manipulate their circumstances magically. It may be they may wish to avoid the pressure of conscience as well, which involvement with the Church would bring. So, they simply ignore the Church, except as it overlaps with cultural obligations. In the minds of many people to be Chamorro or Carolinian is to be Catholic. Their religious identity has little to do with a faith relationship with Christ or adherence to the Roman Catholic tradition. Rather, religious identity is largely a matter of kin relationships. One stays in the Church to maintain an essential bond with one's relatives. One celebrates the sacraments to strengthen relationships with godparents and extended family. The actual religious experience lived by many people is more pagan than Catholic, with a cosmology that is filled with magic, ghosts to appease or guard against, and a related misuse of devotional practices. Devotions often take on a sense of bargaining with God. Some view the Bible as a Protestant book. People crowd the Churches on Ash Wednesday for the darkening of their foreheads but fail to set foot within the Church during the year, unless a relative dies. The results of a parish census show that almost every household has serious problems in need of the ministry of the Church. Theological ConsiderationsTheological Considerations tc \l2 "Theological Considerations  What we consider goals worth seeking are influenced by our values, as are the moral constraints we are willing to work within to obtain those goals. Deciding what costs are too dear for certain types of development is a function of our values. Pope John Paul II addresses the issue of values related to development in two pastoral letters, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis (1989) and Centesimus Annus (1991). We are reminded in both documents that, "development is not a straight forward process...allowing... the human race to progress rapidly toward an undefined perfection of some kind (SRS 27)." Change that is not guided by moral understanding, that is not oriented toward the true good of all people, or change that is unbalanced in its application is not development. We tend to think of development in primarily economic terms. The Pope argues that, "Development has a necessary economic dimension...(yet) it is not limited to that dimension (SRS 28)." Development must include, "the cultural, transcendent and religious dimensions of man and society (SRS 46)." True human development embraces economic, cultural, and spiritual development. Related to achieving true human development, several elements are necessary. First, there must be awareness that one can not simply use people or resources as one wishes, according to one's own economic needs. Second, development must take into account the fact that natural resources are limited and some are not renewable. We do not have absolute dominion over them but share that dominion with the generations to come. Third, development must take into account the quality of life the community experiences as a result. There are moral constraints on what we do to the environment, physical and human, as a result of our activities. These characteristics find specific expression in our concern for the equitable distribution of goods and services at the national and international levels, in respect for the rights of each person in the society, and in respect for the identity of peoples, which includes their historical and cultural characteristics. Solidarity, as a virtue, is offered as a means to foster a humane process of development. The Pope uses the term to express an awareness of the interdependence of people, as well as the systemic interdependence of the economic, cultural, political, and religious elements of contemporary society. "This...is not a feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress... On the contrary, it is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good... (SRS 38)." In Centesimus Annus the Pope builds upon his earlier discussion of development stressing the role of business in the process. While supporting the role of profit as an integral part of a healthy economy, he argues that the purpose of a business is not just to make a profit. A business is a community of persons seeking to meet their basic needs, who form a particular group at the service of the whole of society. No one in this community has a right to prosper at the expense of his or her partners. This includes those who provide the capitol, those who provide their skill and labor, as well as the broader community and future generations who share in the ownership of the natural resources being used. Specifically with regard to labor, the Pope echoed a statement of Pope Leo XIII made 100 years ago, that the worker had a right to a just wage. A just wage is not determined simply by the amount to which the worker and the manager agree. Rather, a just wage is the amount necessary for the worker to meet his basic needs, the support of his or her family, and still have sufficient income to save for contingencies. Alienation seems to have its roots in a loss of identity arising from the economic changes washing over the Mariana Islands. Yet, alienation and loss of identity is not inevitable. When the process of cultural transformation is engaged in by the people of God in partnership with God there is an aim, a direction to the change that is different from that of a transformational change motivated by some other set of factors. this aim is to increase the suitability of the culture to serve as a vehicle for divine-human interaction (Kraft,1979;345). The basic change upon which transformational processes are built is change in allegiance. The network of old allegiances upon which the community was build is shifting. In the past allegiance had been communal, to family and Church. In recent years allegiance is shifting to the individual and his quest for wealth. This shift brings with it a shift in the world view of the person and the way he or she evaluates many of the aspects of life as the new allegiance is applied. The result is change in behavior. If the Mariana Islands is suffering alienation as a result of the change it is experiencing it is because that change is not being undertaken in partnership with God. The transformations that have been undertaken in the Chamorro and Carolinian world views have introduced disequilibrium that reverberates throughout the culture. Chapter Four: Chapter Four: tc \l1 "Chapter Four:  Planning in the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa; The case study mirrors the order of the planning process presented in Chapter One. The focus of discussion is the process resulting in the second Diocesan Pastoral Plan. However, the content of the planning sessions will be summarized. This is done to give a sense of why particular objectives were adopted or particular approaches taken. ConveningConvening tc \l3 "Convening  Perceived Need. Perceived need for work on the second Diocesan Pastoral Plan arose out of the rapidly approaching end date for the completion of the first diocesan Pastoral Plan. It was felt by the Bishop, Chancery staff, and Diocesan Pastoral Council, that the first pastoral plan provided a sense of direction to the Diocese during its first five years of existence. It was hoped that a pastoral plan for the next five years would serve the same purpose. Several factors influenced perception of need with regard to the first Diocesan Pastoral Plan. While an established Diocese has a momentum of its own, providing direction simply by the weight of prior activity, the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa had just been established. There was little prior momentum. Bishop Camacho did not want to create offices just to fill an organizational chart. Rather, if an office or function was to be created, it needed to serve a clear purpose. Having worked as a social planner, I recommended pastoral planning as a means of addressing this situation. The situation was different at the time the planning process began for the second plan. An informal evaluation performed during the last year of the first pastoral plan showed that two thirds of the plan objectives had been completed. The momentum created by the first pastoral plan and its relative effectiveness created a sense of the value of pastoral planning in the minds of the Bishop, pastors, and various lay leaders. Organizing the Planning EffortOrganizing the Planning Effort tc \l3 "Organizing the Planning Effort . The primary deliberative body for both plans has been the Diocesan Pastoral Council. The term of pastoral council membership is set at five years. So by the time planning began for the second plan, the terms of the first Council members were expired. Thus, the first task was to appoint new members. The Council never met as a full body once work on the first Diocesan Pastoral Plan was completed. Part of the reason for this was that the Council members were on other parish and Diocesan bodies and met frequently in those contexts. However, this was an oversight rather than a conscious decision. It was decided during work on the second pastoral plan to have meetings of the Diocesan Pastoral Council at regular intervals during the implementation phase. Membership on the Diocesan Pastoral Council included: Chairpersons of all the parish councils in the Diocese, a representative of each religious order in the Diocese, a representative of the diocesan clergy, a representative each of the Filipino community and the Korean Catholic community, a representative of the Carolinian community, a representative of the Christian Mothers and the Catholic Daughters, a representative of the Charismatic prayer movement, and representatives of the NMI Catholic Social Services and the Catholic Schools. Most members of the Diocesan pastoral council were appointed, as a result of their role in the organization they represented. The first meeting was held in January 1990 at the conference room of the Pacific Gardenia Hotel. Twenty-five people attended. The meetings began around 9:00am and ended around 4:00pm. The Diocese provided lunch and snacks. The first meeting was primarily organizational. It began with morning prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. Then the task was set before the Pastoral Council and their role explained. The remainder of the meeting was spent reviewing progress made toward accomplishment of the objectives of the first pastoral plan. The evaluation of first pastoral plan accomplishments was important because it gave the Council members a sense of what remained undone and should be included in the next pastoral plan. It also gave the participants motivation for taking the planning process seriously. They could see that the prior effort was effective. It was decided that the next two meetings would be held on the islands of Tinian and Rota. This allowed the parish communities to host the pastoral council and express their particular concerns. Since these islands are isolated from the faith community on Saipan, the special attention this provided was felt to be important. It was decided also to form four work groups. The work groups were responsible for research and brainstorming in specific areas of pastoral concern; worship, evangelization, ministerial development, and family life. People with talents and interests in the topic area but who were not members of the Pastoral Council were invited by council members to take part in work group meetings. Thus, the range of ideas and concerns available to the Pastoral Council was expanded beyond the range of the Council members. ValuingValuing tc \l3 "Valuing . The second meeting of the Pastoral Council was held on Tinian. The minutes of the previous meeting were reviewed and approved. The rest of the meeting was spent hearing the concerns of the Tinian Catholic Community, explaining the purpose of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, and beginning small group interaction on the valuing exercise. At the planning session for the first Diocesan Pastoral Plan a half day was devoted to discussion on valuing. The focus of the valuing effort was the attempt to come up with the basis of a vision statement for the plan. The members were asked to describe what the ideal Catholic community in the Mariana Islands would be like. The discussion often began with frustrations arising from bad experiences and personal needs that were not being met. The discussion then moved to the central value underlying the particular frustration. The result of the discussion was a list of values that the Council felt should characterize the ideal Catholic community in the Mariana Islands. The values identified include: faith, prayerful, dynamic, family oriented, educated and knowledgeable, evangelizing, loving, sharing, a sense of belonging, encouraging and supporting, communicative, unified, and catholic. Each value included an explanation of why it was important in the overall vision. This exercise was repeated to begin work on a vision statement for the second plan. Plane schedules limited the time available at the Tinian meeting for discussion. To cover a range of issues in the limited time, the participants broke into their work groups and discussed issues of vision from their particular perspective. They were asked to continue this activity between the end of the meeting and the next meeting of the Pastoral Council and make a presentation from their work group at the next meeting of the Council. They were also asked to begin to identify perceived gaps between their vision and experienced reality. These gaps would serve as the starting point for analysis and problem discussion activities at the next meeting, which was scheduled for Rota. At the opening of the next meeting, the Council listened to a report from each of the work groups. The content was similar to the vision statement of the first pastoral plan. One of the participants, the representative of the Mercy religious community, agreed to reduce the reports and discussion that followed into a succinct vision/mission statement. At the following meeting the statement was reviewed and accepted. That statement is as follows: Rich in our diversity of peoples and gifts, the community of faith in the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa moves and has its being in God while sharing in the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit at work in the events of life. In our living relationship with God, we as a believing community, are nourished and strengthened in Eucharistic worship and the ongoing rhythm of contemplation and our devotional prayer life. Mindful of our mission to extend the reign of God through the events that shape our lives in the diversity of our heritages and experiences, we strive in faith and hope to strengthen our family life through continuing Christian formation that is faithful to the Scriptures and Sacred Tradition. Furthermore, we are mindful of our responsibility to invite and welcome new members into our community by word and by our joyful Christian lives which witness the living Gospel of love. In the spirit of ecumenism and recalling the prayer of Jesus that "they may be one" as He and the Father are one, we, the People of God in the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa, are part of the continuing tradition of the Christian community, working with all our Christian sisters and brothers for the coming of the Kingdom. Further, we cherish our own Catholic heritage and tradition within the broader Christian tradition, turning to the Pope as a special sign and symbol of our unity. The vision statements in the two plans are similar in many respects, except for two clear differences. The vision statement in the first pastoral plan shows more of the discussion that resulted in the particular value being selected for inclusion. The second Pastoral Plan vision statement weaves the values together in a brief statement. The other difference is that the second plan's vision statement emphasizes the issue of diversity more than did the first plan. This emphasis is a result of the changing demographics which emerged in the Diocese between the writing of the two plans. AnalysisAnalysis tc \l3 "Analysis . The analysis was the focus of the third meeting. Originally, the meeting was scheduled for Rota. Two attempts were made to arrange for the meeting. However, both attempts failed. Work on the plan was being delayed. It was May and the third meeting was still to be held. To prevent further delay, it was decided to hold the third meeting on Saipan. The meeting began with prayer, reading the minutes of the previous meeting, and reports from the committees. The largest part of the day was devoted to analysis and problem identification. This was accomplished in three steps. A statistical profile of the Diocese was presented based on information contained in a recent Quinquennial Report. This provided an "objective" indication of possible areas of need. The second step involved a "brainstorming" session among the council members. The members would raise concerns about the situation of the Church and illustrate them with examples from parish life. These concerns were recorded on newsprint. The third step involved organizing the concerns. This was done by eliminating duplications or combining similar concerns. They were also organized by general topic areas. Chapter three presents a brief analysis reflecting the material presented to the council, as well as additional historical background which is necessary for anyone reading this paper who is not familiar with the community. The narrative discussion of concerns proceeded for much of the day. The following is a summary of the narrative discussion, using the short statements copied to the newsprint. Some statements are annotated to provide background information. 1) Christian sexual values must be taught to the young people of the Diocese, both in CCD and Diocesan schools as early as sixth grade.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 2) Inculcate in youth moral and spiritual values. 3) Identify the number of "marriages" not blessed by the Church and work at reducing the number.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 4) There is a need to work closely with government and schools on issues of mutual concern, such as AIDS. 5) There is a need to help parents develop the skills to communicate with their teenagers and to provide needed structure for their children.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 6) There is a need to have some place where youth can go that supports home values, perhaps a Catholic youth center. 7) Catechetical/liturgical means or some other approach that will help the Faith come alive for youth, so that it has meaning and importance to them.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 8) Need to educate parents in "parenting" skills. 9) Need to make better and greater use of the media to help with addressing the above listed problems. 10) Media is seen as a potentially bad influence in the values it presents, undermining the parents' efforts. 11) The need for development of the cemetery was seen as an issue, since the Mt. Carmel cemetery is almost full. The use of crypts was suggested as one possibility. 12) It was requested that there be a goal of one priest per parish.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 13) Strengthen and develop parish councils; train members; and educate the community to the pastoral role of the parish council, as well as its financial responsibilities. 14) The Diocesan Pastoral Council should function as an on-going organization to coordinate and support the various parish councils. 15) Prayer groups should be formed and supported. People should be encouraged to pray spontaneously (that is, pray from their own hearts instead of only from formula prayers). Parish councils might serve as core prayer groups in each parish. 16) At least once per month on each island or sufficiently large parish, there should be a Mass for the Filipino community in their own language.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 17) The Diocese needs to be sensitive to the spiritual needs of the various ethnic groups in the community. 18) There should be activities to bring the different ethnic groups together and lessen tension between them. 19) Parish councils need to make an extra effort to draw the different ethnic communities into the life of the parish.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 20) There needs to be formation of lay leadership beyond the parish council members. 21) Efforts should be made to encourage active participation of all in the liturgy. 22) Efforts should be made to encourage more men to participate at Mass and in the life of the Church. 23) Choirs should encourage singing by the congregation and not overpower the congregation; songs should be simple and familiar. 24) Trained commentators should assist at every Mass to explain what is going on; explain what to do and how; and invite full participation. 25) Priests should encourage closeness to the altar and a sense of intimacy at Mass, when the number of participants allows. 26) There is need for an outreach of the clergy to their parish community.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 27) There should be greater emphasis on the important role of Scripture and fellowship in the life of the Church. 28) There is a perception that people are defecting to other denominations because they are searching for a more meaningful relationship with Christ. They can find that relationship within the context of the Catholic Church. However, there is a need to reach out to these people and help them realize this relationship before they go elsewhere seeking what they can find at home. 29) There is a need for bible study and prayer groups in each parish. 30) There is a need for more comprehensive training of CCD teacher both in the substance of what they are to teach and in teaching methods appropriate to the age range they teach. 31) There is a need to recruit more CCD teachers early, train them, and to have broad representation among the CCD teachers. 32) Parents should be involved in the religious training of their own children. There needs to be materials to support the parents in their efforts to teach their own children and formal training activities for the parents. 33) It might be good to have high school students involved in the religious formation of the younger children. 34) There is a need to compile and publish a "Catholic Answers" to help people understand their faith and be able to respond to people who attack basic beliefs of Catholicism. 35) There should be a special effort to reach the Micronesian language groups in the Diocese with information about the Faith in their own language; train catechists, draw on Micronesian priests and deacons as possible; organize prayer groups by Micronesian languages. 36) Filipino Catholics are best reached at Mass. Preachers should keep this in mind when preparing their homilies. 37) There should be training for lay leaders on how to lead a Bible study or prayer group. 38) There is a need to deepen the understanding of Scripture in the community. Scripture workshops might be helpful.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 39) Justice and peace should be perceived as issues for daily life and not relegated to only major social issues. 40) Youth and the community in general need to be made aware of the importance of justice and the need to speak up when necessary. 41) Areas of special concern for the Diocese regarding issues of justice are: contract labor abuse, treatment of maids, women's rights, and attitudes toward different ethnic groupsADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3. StrategyStrategy tc \l3 "Strategy . Following the analysis meeting, the work groups were provided with copies of the concerns. They were asked to identify those concerns appropriate to the interests of their work group and to develop objectives that would address the concern. In developing the objectives, they were asked to be specific and to structure the objectives so that they were measurable. The draft objectives were submitted to the Chancery in advance of the next meeting. They were combined in a single document provided to all Council members. This draft was the focus of the next meeting of the Diocesan Pastoral Council. The members went through the draft. Objectives were edited, moved, combined, and removed as appropriate. The focus of this activity was judging from the perspective of Lonergan's stages of cognition. The final result was a draft that the Pastoral Council approved for submission to the Diocesan Board of Consultors. The draft was submitted to the Consultors by the end of October 1990 and was reviewed at the Consultors' December meeting. Since many of the clergy were involved in the deliberations of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, there was general agreement with the substance of the plan. Differences occurred regarding the practicality of implementing certain objectives. Alternatives to the objectives were proposed. By the end of the meeting, the entire plan was reviewed and a number of modifications made. The Board of Consultors then recommend approval of the modified version. A final version of the plan was prepared to reflect the recommendations approved at the Consultor's meeting. This document was forwarded to the Bishop, who made a few minor changes to the text of the plan. The plan was formally promulgated on 27 January 1991, just two weeks past the date of the expiration of the first Diocesan Pastoral Plan. If volume is any indicator of importance, the largest number of objectives dealt with worship and devotional issues, with 19 objectives. Following this was evangelization at 15 and family life at 12 objectives. Ministerial development had 7 objectives, and Diocesan Administration had 16. However, the objectives under Diocesan administration were supportive of the other objectives, in that they created offices to do the work called for by the other objectives. Further, many of the objectives under evangelization and worship had the ultimate purpose of addressing family life concerns. CommitmentCommitment tc \l3 "Commitment . One of the findings from the evaluation of the first Diocesan Pastoral Plan was that often objectives were not accomplished because of the lack of clear responsibility for the objective. As a result, extra effort was taken in the Second Diocesan Pastoral Plan to ensure that objectives were assigned to particular offices and personal commitment was made to the accomplishment of the plan's objectives. Each objective includes a statement identifying which office or function is responsible for its implementation. These assignments were discussed at length both in the Pastoral Council meetings and at the Consultors' meeting. In taking on the duties of a particular office, one is taking on the accomplishment of the objectives assigned to that office. When a person is assigned to a function within the Diocese, they are provided with a copy of the pastoral plan to ensure that they understand their responsibilities relative to it. Commitment is reinforced in the mission statement at the beginning of the plan. Those who approve the plan and act on it in some way are making a commitment to the implementation of the plan through the mission statement. This includes the members of the Diocesan Pastoral Council, the Board of Consultors, and the Bishop. Training activities are provided among the plan objectives to insure that parish leaders are aware of their responsibilities under the Diocesan Pastoral Plan. Thus, the level of commitment is spread beyond the realm of those with responsibility at the Diocesan level. Chapter Five: Realizing the PlanChapter Five: Realizing the Plan tc \l1 "Chapter Five: Realizing the Plan  This chapter discusses the pastoral action and evaluation phase. These are the phases of the plan currently in progress. They are presented as a separate chapter, as they are not a part of the planning process per se. The pastoral action flowing from the plan to date is discussed. The focus is on the commissions identified in the plan as the main Diocesan organizational supports for plan implementation. The evaluation offers a brief summary of the status of each of the objectives. The objectives are organized by functional area. Pastoral ActionPastoral Action tc \l2 "Pastoral Action  Following promulgation of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan it was serialized in the Bulletin Guma Yu'us and several hundred copies of it were printed in booklet form. The booklets were distributed to all pastors, Diocesan staff, parish council members, and members of other Diocesan councils and commissions. The Worship Commission was the first group to be organized. This was facilitated because a Mercy Sister became available to serve as director of the Office on Worship. The Commission involves many of the liturgical lay ministries. In addition to getting the commission organized, she was able to coordinate a variety of training activities called for in the pastoral plan. The commission has met regularly, both to receive training and to organize their activities. The Commission on Evangelization was convened several months after the first meeting of the Commission on Worship. It is comprised of office heads. This group has been less successful in organizing. There has been only one meeting as a full Commission. Most of the offices continue to operate in an independent manner. Several factors have contributed to this. The Religious Education office was assumed by another Mercy sister, who joined the Diocese several months after the first sister. She is responsible for both Religious Education and Youth Ministry. Religious education has used much of her time and energy, leaving little for youth ministry. This second responsibility was mitigated in March of 1992, when a volunteer from Australia joined the Diocesan staff to work with youth. Media ministry is a significant factor in the evangelization effort. A position was created for media coordinator. It was filled by a lay man for several months shortly after the promulgation of the pastoral plan. He did not work out in the position and resigned a few months later. A religious sister assumed the role as a secondary assignment. During this period other offices proceeded with their own media efforts, and the sister coordinated the scheduling of these efforts with various resources in the community. Several Diocesan celebrations and training events were video taped and cablecast. A radio and TV production were undertaken. A number of school activities were taped, to be kept for the archives and to be made available for sale. As of this writing, the sister was replaced by a priest on loan from the Archdiocese of Agana. He has a graduate degree in communications. The Bulletin Guma Yu'us has continued as a secondary responsibility shared by two priests. The result for the Commission on Evangelization is that it has not been able to do much at a coordinated and systemic level. Each of the offices has been focusing on its own responsibilities. The Commission on Ministerial Development was organized and planned a long term vocation promotion effort build around the "Called by Name" program. Just as the effort was about to get underway, a scandal regarding one of the priests erupted. It was felt that the recruitment campaign would be counterproductive at that time. The effort has been placed on hold. Except for the Commission on Worship, much of the progress made so far has been the result of efforts by individual pastors, office heads, or staff. Most coordinated efforts have been hampered by lack of staff. People with the right training and interest have not been readily available. When individuals have become available, their focus has been on responding to the demands of their primary responsibility. EvaluationEvaluation tc \l2 "Evaluation  The plan is divided into the following sections: Evangelization, Worship, Family Life, Ministerial Development, and Diocesan Administration. Progress on each objective will follow this order. EvangelizationEvangelization tc \l3 "Evangelization . Evangelization has fifteen objectives. The first objective is to organize outreach teams to visit Catholic families and to draw them into full participation in the life of the Church. This is an attempt counter the impact of some sects, as well as to invite "back home" those who have left the Church, either formally or through indifference. One parish has attempted to implement this, with a sister visiting all of the homes in the parish over a period of a year. This is a result of the interest of both the sister and the pastor. However, it is not a team effort, as called for by the objective, nor does it reflect implementation of this objective on a diocesan level. Objective two calls for a prayer group and a Bible study group in all the parishes. So far two parishes have complied with this objective. In one parish compliance is a result of the interest of the Charismatic group in the parish. In the other parish, it is a combination of the pastoral plan and the interest of a few parishioners which has sparked compliance. Objective three calls for the publication of simple catechetical material, including a "Catholic Answers". The Bulletin Guma Yu'us, the Diocesan newspaper, published each Sunday, includes several articles that provide a simple discussion of basic Church doctrine, history, and practice. While not in a question and answer format, it does address the objective in part. Objective four calls for each parish to maintain a corps of at least ten committed "doctrina" teachers. Each of the parishes has doctrina teachers. Few of the parishes are in full compliance with the number of teachers required. However, some parishes maintain outstanding religious education programs for their children with the people available. Objective five calls for certification of "doctrina" teachers beginning with the 91-92 school year. This requirement has been met. Objective six calls for outreach teams to each of the ethnic communities. This is well developed for both the Korean, Micronesian and Filipino communities. However, little has been done for the Japanese, Chinese, and Thai. Objective seven calls for the parish councils to include at least one representative from each of the ethnic communities which comprise at least 10% of its parishioners. A few of the parishes have complied. Implementation of this is dependent upon attrition of current members and replacement in a manner consistent with the objective. Objective eight calls for an office of Media Ministry to be established to coordinate and support evangelization and catechesis through radio and television. An office for Media Ministry has been established. The difficulty has been in finding people to staff it. So far, it has been a part-time ministry. Objective nine calls for 10 hours per week of radio programming and three hours per week of television programming. The diocese is far from achieving this objective but progress is being made. Objective ten calls for the full text of the New Testament to be published in Chamorro. Most of the New Testament has been translated. The Book of Revelation and the Pastoral Epistles remain to be translated. United Bible Society has discussed publication of the Chamorro New Testament with the Bishop. Achievement of this objective by the end of the plan looks promising. Objective eleven calls for the availability of approved translations of Scripture in a range of languages used by residents of the Diocese. Scriptures are available and on sell at the Chancery in English, Chamorro, Tagalog, Trukese, Palauan, Marshallese, and Ponapean. Other languages can be ordered easily through the Micronesian Bible Society office on Guam. Most translation efforts in this region of the Pacific have been ecumenical efforts published by the United Bible Society. This reflects a close working relationship among most "mainline" Christian Churches in the Pacific. Indeed, the Bishop's Conference is an official member of the Pacific Council of Churches, a regional division of the World Council of Churches. Objective twelve calls for every Catholic family to have a copy of the Bible in a language its members can use with understanding. The availability of Scripture in a variety of languages is described above. The Faithful have been encouraged to purchase and use Bibles. Each year during National Bible Week the Diocese joins with the other members of the Commonwealth Ministerial Alliance in Bible distributions. Progress is being made on a piecemeal basis. A comprehensive effort to achieve this objective has yet to be undertaken. Objective thirteen calls for adult religious education opportunities. The Commission on Evangelization has undertaken an evening adult religious education program each week during the spring of 1992. There has been an increase in workshops available to the community. Most have dealt with participation in the liturgy and related lay ministries. Objective fourteen calls for at least five hours each month for Bible study group leaders. This objective is still to be implemented. Objective fifteen calls for each parish to have a committee charged with promoting knowledge of, access to, and use of the Sacred Scriptures. Nothing has been done in regard to this objective, as it is to flow from the development of the parish councils. WorshipWorship tc \l3 "Worship . The first objective under worship requires that the design of any new places of worship strive to promote intimacy and ready access to the altar and ambo for worshipers. The second objective is similar in that pastors are to provide ready access to the altar for small groups. These objectives are being implemented. One example is the home room Masses at Mt. Carmel School. Instead of having Mass for the entire student body in the Cathedral, home rooms have Masses in the Eucharistic Chapel. The third objective calls for certification of lay liturgical ministers. Objective four calls for the training necessary for certification. While lay ministers have not yet been certified, most training activities appropriate for certification have been provided in the past year. Objective five calls for at least one music minister in each parish who is responsible for the musical support provided at all Masses. A formal music minister has not been installed in every parish, though most parishes have someone who coordinates the choir and musical backup for Masses. This may involve two or three people in some parishes. Objective six calls for greater involvement of the congregation in singing. This has met with mixed results. The quality of singing has improved. Music books are available in the pews and hymns are announced. At times however, the arrangement is so complex that only the choir does the singing. This is being overcome by the same songs being used frequently enough that even the more difficult arrangements are familiar. Objective seven calls for improved understanding in the worshiper regarding the nature of the liturgy. A series of articles was run in the Bulletin Guma Yu'us explaining the liturgy. During Lent a two minute explanation of a part of the Mass was given before the homily. There have also been parish workshops on the liturgy. Objective eight calls for twice annual training activities for techas. Days of recollection and workshops have been held for the techas regularly. Objective nine calls for greater sensitivity to the needs of youth and ethnic groups in the celebration of the Eucharist. This includes at least one children and ethnic Mass per month. The children Masses are provided through the school Masses or on special occasions but not monthly. Ethnic Masses are offered regularly for the Koreans and Filipino communities, with Masses in the Micronesian languages offered when priests from the Diocese of the Marshall and Caroline islands are available. Masses in Carolinian are offered on occasion but not regularly. That each parish have a committee charged with Koinonia and that this committee provide refreshments and social activities after Sunday mass is part of objective ten. Some parishes have such committees but most do not. Even parishes who have such committees do not have refreshments and socializing after every Sunday Mass. Usually socializing is reserved for special occasions. As the parish councils develop, it is expected that this objective will be fulfilled. Objective eleven seeks greater involvement of men in the liturgy and the life of the Church. To date no special effort has been made in this area. A typographical error in the printing of the Pastoral plan resulted in the wrong numbering of the objectives. The numbers twelve and thirteen are missing. Thus the plan skips to objective fourteen. The Lectionary and Sacramentary are to be translated into Carolinian to fulfill objective fourteen. This effort is underway but is not yet completed. Annual retreats and days of recollection for the adults of each parish are called for in objective fifteen. Days of recollection have been held in some parishes but not in all. None of the parishes have implemented annual retreats for their adults. Objective sixteen calls for the modification of popular devotions to enhance the experience of God and to make effective use of cultural symbols. Benediction and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament has been promoted at the Cathedral and there is a large following for devotions to certain saints. However, modification of devotions to any great extent has yet to be undertaken. Objectives seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen encourage the use of the sacrament of Reconciliation, better scheduling, and greater use of communal reconciliation services. Little progress has been made here, except that twice each year a communal penance service, following rite "B", is advertised and held. The services have been beautiful experiences but it does not appear that overall use of the sacrament has improved. Objective twenty calls for the establishment of a professional ministry of spiritual direction. This is available on a small scale at the Maturana House of Prayer. There is a sister serving on Rota who is trained in this area but is serving in a different ministry for which she is also trained. Thus, this objective has yet to be accomplished. Objective twenty-one requires that an Office for Worship be established to coordinate the liturgical guidelines and activity of the Diocese. This office was established a few months after the promulgation of the pastoral plan. Family LifeFamily Life tc \l3 "Family Life . Marriage counseling, parenting skill training and marriage preparation instruction are to be provided to the faithful under objective one of this section. Marriage counseling is provided by Karidat. A radio show and booklet on parenting skills is planned but not yet implemented. Marriage preparation instruction is currently being provided to all those who have registered for marriage in the Church. Objective two calls for teaching family communication skills. Karidat has produced and broadcast a series of radio shows on family communication. A booklet which provides more details is provided to listeners on request. A family life conference has been held to help promote better family communication skills. Objective four, five and six call for a study on why people enter civil marriages and not Church marriages, to obtain a profile of the divorced in the Diocese. Data from the study are to be used to develop a program to encourage Church marriages. Work was begun on the design of the study but little else has developed. Objective seven calls for greater availability of information to divorced and remarried Catholics on the annulment process. Articles have been published and a workshop was presented on the topic. Pastors have been taking a more active role as well following the workshop. Objective eight calls for an active office of youth ministry. This objective is being met currently with the assistance of a lay missionary volunteer from Australia. His goal is to get the office functional, with youth programs in each parish, and then leave the youth ministry office self-sustaining after his departure. Objective ten calls for a curriculum to teach young people about their sexual identity in the context of Catholic moral values. Little progress has been made on this objective, though several attempts have been made. A plan to assist parents in a more active role in the religious education of their children is to be developed according to objective eleven. This objective awaits implementation. Objective twelve calls for the training of student youth group leaders, especially in the public schools. The office of youth ministry attempted to implement this objective and met some resistance from the Public School System. Rather than press the matter at this time, emphasis for youth clubs has shifted to the parishes. Ministerial DevelopmentMinisterial Development tc \l3 "Ministerial Development . A training program for members of the parish councils is called for in objective one under ministerial development. This training program was carried out in August 1992. On-island workshops given by qualified experts will be provided twice each year according to objective two. This has been accomplished to date. During the first year and a half of the plan, workshops were offered on Scripture, liturgy, and canon law. Training in specialized Church ministries is to be offered at least once every two years according to objective three. Progress is being made here, as introductory training in Tribunal advocacy was held. Objective four calls for the formation of a vocation team to develop a recruitment campaign. The team was formed and developed a workable plan. The occurrence of a scandal involving one of the priests sidetracked the implementation of the plan. During the life of the plan five seminarians and ten permanent deacon candidates are to be recruited and begin formation. To date four permanent deacon candidates were recruited and have begun formation. While some have expressed interest, no new seminarians have begun studies so far during this plan period. Objective six calls for an expanded lending library of books and tapes on theology and other religious topics. Continued progress is being made on this objective, both with the Diocesan reference library and the religious education lending library. Professional quality specialists in the areas of liturgy, canon law, and spiritual direction are to be made available both through recruitment and training according to objective seven. Progress has been made at least in the area of canon law, with a holder of a licentiate in canon law recruited on temporary assignment to the Diocese and another cleric beginning studies toward the licentiate in canon law at Catholic University of America. Diocese Administration.Diocese Administration. tc \l3 "Diocese Administration.  Each parish will have its own pastor according to objective one under Diocesan Administration. This has been achieved for almost all parishes. The exception is San Antonio, San Jose parishes and San Jude mission, which are pastored by one priest with the assistance of another. With the ordination of the two current seminarians, this objective should be achieved. Objectives two and three deal with the development of a plan for more effective use of the cemetery. Rather than pursue these objectives, emphasis has shifted to supporting the development of a commercial cemetery. This would allow the Church to get out of the graveyard business. Objective four calls for the Diocesan Pastoral Council to function as an on-going body monitoring the implementation of the pastoral plan. They should meet twice each year. So far they have had one follow up meeting. They are meeting but not at the frequency called for in the pastoral plan. The pastor of each parish is to visit every family in his parish at least once every two years according to objective five. Some pastors have done this, most have not. Objective six calls for the issuance of at least one pastoral letter each year on a topic relating to social justice. While this has been a regular feature of the administration of the current bishop, during the current plan period so far no pastoral letters have been issued. Objective seven calls for the commission on justice and development to provide awareness activities on issues of social justice and to educate the people to the importance of social justice in the Catholic tradition. The major activity in this category has been the meeting of the Pacific Partnership for Human Development Assembly on Saipan in July of 1992. The local commission hosted the Assembly. Other commission activities have focused on opposition to casino gambling. Greater liaison with government agencies and private organizations is called for in objective eight. The Bishop and other curia officials serve on the following organizations: Supervisory Council of the Criminal Justice Planning Agency, Council for the Humanities, Ministerial Alliance, Ayuda Network, Micronesian Youth Services Network, and the Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Planning Task Force. Parish communities are to be educated regarding the expanded role of parish councils in the life of the Church according to objective nine. This is underway through a series of articles in the bulletin and through announcements by the pastors following communion at Sunday Mass. Objective ten calls for the recruitment of pastoral care workers to support the needs of the ethnic communities. A full time Capuchin priests serves the needs of the Carolinian community. A full time priest and two sisters served the Korean community.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 The Filipino community is served by five Filipino priests and three sisters. The Micronesian community is served by priests from other dioceses who travel through the Marianas regularly. Objective eleven calls for the establishment of the various commissions within two months of the promulgation of the pastoral plan. This was accomplished for the most part, except for the Commission on Ministerial Development and the Family Life Commission. The need for the Ministerial Development Commission has not been felt as the momentum of various offices has seen to it that progress is made on the related objectives. The Family Life Commission has been delayed for lack of people to serve on it who are not already overburdened at the parish level and on other Diocesan committees and commissions. Objective twelve promotes ecumenism. Progress is being made in this regard, with involvement on the Ministerial Alliance and cooperation on various service projects. Objective thirteen calls for the establishment of a pastoral care office at the hospital. This is accomplished. Objective fourteen calls for the establishment of San Jude Mission as a full parish, as well as the establishment of missions at Kagman on Saipan and Sinapalo on Rota. The mission at Sinapalo has been established. San Jude is rapidly moving toward the status of parish. The establishment of a mission at Kagman is being worked toward and will be implemented as soon as a place of worship is ready. Objective fifteen calls for an increased level of awareness toward the responsibility of the faithful for stewardship. Little progress has been made in this regard. Objective sixteen calls for the promulgation of a set of guidelines for parish council by-laws and the adoption of these by-laws within the first two years of the plan. The by-laws have been introduced and training in them provided to the parish council members. Implementation of the by-laws is still to be accomplished. Chapter Six: Personal ReflectionsChapter Six: Personal Reflections tc \l1 "Chapter Six: Personal Reflections  I do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the men of old; I seek the things they sought --Basho In one of the memoranda I prepared for the Pastoral Council members during our work on the Pastoral Plan, I described an episode from "Here Come the Brides" which remains vivid for me to this day. The television series was about the founding of the city of Seattle and played in the late sixties. One of the episodes portrayed the pioneers experiencing one set back after another. They were depressed. They held a town meeting to decide if they would stick it out or give up and move to another more developed settlement further down river. The consensus was to give up. Then one of the settlers gave an impassioned plea to stick it out. She was able to turn the group around by describing her vision of what Seattle could become. She gave the people hope and a sense of what they could do together, if they persevered. At the time I was a looking for direction in my life. The show echoed my feelings. The settler's hope, based on her vision of the future, spoke to me of the power of a shared vision. I have spent a good part of my professional career involved in social planning of one sort or another. While I can not give this experience credit for all of it, the show taught me the power of a shared vision. Planning is a way to make a vision explicit and to share it. It is a tool used by the community to realize its shared vision. The planning process presented in this paper offers the benefits of any planning activity; providing direction for shared action and an efficient use of resources. Beyond this, it engages the faith community; helping it to understand itself better through serious self-study, as well as allowing it to exercise some control over its future. Its product is a plan formed by the people of the community, reflecting their values and concerns. It is not a product written by an ecclesiastical bureaucrat after attending a few parish meetings. It is developed by the Faithful, put in writing by their representatives, and carried out by the Faithful. The power of this planning process was demonstrated to me dramatically in 1985. At that time I was conducting community planning workshops throughout Micronesia under a grant from the United States Department of Justice and the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Government. The method used in those workshops was similar to that discussed in this paper. One workshop was held on the island of Ebeye on the Kwajelein Atoll. All of the islands of the Atoll are part of a US military base engaged in testing ballistic missiles. Ebeye is assigned to the native inhabitants of the Atoll. Approximately 8,000 people live in a land area a little larger than an average parish plant. The crowding, filth, lack of sanitation, disease, and poverty is overpowering. This was especially vivid when compared to the spacious, clean, affluent, and futuristic military base on the main island of the Atoll. At the workshop health issues emerged as the major problems. The rate of syphilis on Ebeye was about four time as high as the rest of the Marshall islands, which was significantly higher than world norms. Rates for other diseases were just as bad. The action plan that emerged from the workshop focused on dealing with the health problems. I learned several months after the completion of the workshop that as a result, the World Health Organization was contacted and a delegation of health experts were sent to Ebeye to help them get the communicative disease problem under control. The workshop empowered the participants to deal with their problems. Lives have been saved because of the action taken by the participants. That action was part of the fruit of the planning process. The planning process is not miraculous. Many frustrations have been attendant both in the planning and implementation phases. The greatest difficulty has been in obtaining serious commitment from the participants. This has been the same with every planning effort I have undertaken. It is something that is normally dealt with during the planning process itself through confrontation. The scale of the pastoral plan is much broader than other community based planning efforts with which I have been involved. Thus, there is a greater need for repeated follow up with the people who are responsible for the various objectives. The pace of change in the Diocese is another strain. We are only a year and a half into the plan and many of the social conditions current at the time of the planning process have changed radically. Progress made seems overshadowed by the increased demands on the resources available to the Church. In addition, two molestation cases, one in 1990 and another in 1991 have drained energy and resources that could have gone to implement the plan. The planning process presented in this paper and used in the development of the pastoral plan is a hybrid. It involves the use of relatively standard analytical techniques. Its reliance on the participation and wisdom of the members of the community, as decision makers in the planning process, is consistent with recent trends in pastoral planning. These trends are influenced by the liberation theologians and their associates, such as Paolo Friere. In writing this paper, I have been struck by the extent to which the planning process follows Lonergan's transcendental operations of experiencing, understanding, reasoning, and deciding, which he sees as fundamental to the process of cognition. It seems that as the Faithful are drawn into the planning process and move through the transcendental operations described by Lonergan a change in the people is brought about. This change is seen in their commitment to the objectives of the plan and their understanding of why the objectives are important. An objection might be raised that lay involvement in pastoral planning is an intrusion into the clerical power of governance. However, it is an "intrusion" that is provided for in canon law.ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 Further, it can be argued that it is an act of governance for which the laity are suited by their immediate involvement in the marketplace and for which they are empowered by baptism. Planning engages the laity, allowing them to share in the broader mission of the Church and to see how the activities in their parish contribute to that work. It also enlists them as collaborators with the bishop and pastors in working toward the fulfillment of the mission of the Church in their community. A concern underscored by the planning process is that of alienation and a related loss of cultural identity which is spreading in the community like a virulent bacteria. It is a root problem that must be faced because it strikes at the sense of meaning of the people of the Diocese. Without meaning their sense of identity will soon disintegrate. This is a direct challenge to the Church, as the Church is one of the primary institutions mediating meaning in the community. The Diocese addresses this problem as best it can, attempting to facilitate healthy development in those arenas most related to communication of meaning; worship and family life. I begin both the paper and this chapter with quotes. The quote by Gutierrez of St. Bernard at the beginning of the paper reminds us that our community is a source of shared experience and meaning from which we can draw spiritual nourishment. This chapter began with a quote from the seventeenth century Japanese poet Basho. We are reminded not to follow blindly in the footsteps of our ancestors, simply going through motions that are meaningful to an ever smaller portion of the population. Neither can we forget the past, it speaks to us of who we are. The vision that fired the zeal and faith of generations of islanders still has much to say to the present generation. That vision and spirit must find a means of expression that touches the present generation. That vision must speak to us of meaning in the context of our lived experience. The pastoral planning process is a tool that helps us seek what our ancestors sought but in the context of the Mariana Islands in the last decade of the twentieth century. It helps us to discover who we are and what we might become. Allow me to close with a story that speaks to any faith community in search of its identity and desiring to transcend what it is at present. During the middle of the last century, the Bolshoi Ballet toured Europe. It was a glorious tour for all but especially for the prima ballerina whose skill and talent brought tears to the eyes of all who watched her. The ballet visited Paris on the tour and held a workshop for the students of the French Academy of Dance. The students were thrilled by the opportunity to work with such renowned dancers and learned as much as they could in the short time available. One of the students, we shall call her Sarah, was overcome by this experience, especially as the prima ballerina had selected her as one of her proteges during the workshop. Sarah was determined to be just like the prima ballerina. She attended all of her performances. She read books on the prima ballerina and the dance style of the Bolshoi Ballet. She worked twice as hard as before. Before long her teachers began to praise her for the progress she was making. Sarah rose to prominence in her school and was featured at every recital. One day she was informed that the Bolshoi was returning to Paris and they would visit the Academy to see how their students were progressing. Sarah and several of the best students would perform for the Bolshoi. Sarah was thrilled that the prima ballerina would see how well she had mastered her style. How she wanted to impress the prima ballerina! The day came. The Bolshoi visited the Academy and after a warm welcome sat down to enjoy the students' performance. All of the dancers were good and the members of the Bolshoi dance company were impressed. The manager could be seen taking notes. Before long he would return to recruit some of the students. When Sarah began her performance the room went silent, except for the orchestra which was accompanying her. She was beautiful. When she leapt, she hung in space, as if held by angels. Her movement was grace. The smile on her face was beatific, for she had seen tears form in the eyes of the prima ballerina. She knew that the prima ballerina had been moved by her performance and nothing could make her happier. After the performance the prima ballerina congratulated her and invited Sarah to her suite at the hotel that evening for dinner. That evening when Sarah arrived, she was invited to join the prima ballerina on the sofa. Such attention from her idol made her heart sing. The prima ballerina began to speak in a soft voice and Sarah listened attentively. "My dear Sarah, you were magnificent this morning. Your skill and talent far outstrip that of any of the other students. Yet, I was saddened as I watched you dance." Sarah sat up with a start at these words. The prima ballerina continued. "The girl I saw this morning was myself, twenty years ago. I had come under the spell of a great ballerina myself and tried to be just like her. That mistake almost cost me my career. You have mastered my style, every turn of my wrist, every movement of my head you have brought into your performance. Indeed, you have done so well than most fail to see that it is not you who are dancing but merely your imitation of me. Learn your discipline and learn it well. Be better at dancing than anyone else alive. But be yourself. Dance is the marriage of one's spirit and one's body. The body becomes a hollow reed through which the most beautiful and haunting melodies can blow. Please, allow the melody that everyone hears to be Sarah." The young girl's eyes were wet with tears. The prima ballerina had given her a most precious gift, herself. It was this gift that told her of the greatness of the love the prima ballerina had for her. Sarah never again felt the need to copy the style of the prima ballerina, nor anyone else. She matured in her own style. A few years later she became the prima ballerina of the Ballet de Paris. Her fame spread throughout the world and for many years she was considered by all to be the greatest ballerina in the world. Throughout all of this success she remembered the words of the prima ballerina who had been her friend and her teacher. "Sarah, be yourself." BibliographyBibliography tc \l1 "Bibliography  Aquinas, Thomas, Quodibetal Questions, VIII, 9, 19, c., as found in "The Pocket Aquinas", (ed.& tr. Vernon J. Bourke), New York (NY), Simon & Schuster, 1960, Bennis, K.D., Benne, R. Chin, & Corey, K.E., The Planning of Change (3rd ed.), New York, Holt, Rinehard and Winston, 1976 Brueggemann, W., The Prophetic Imagination, Philadelphia, Fortress Press, 1978 Coriden, et al, The Code of Canon Law: A Text and Commentary, New York (NY), Paulist Press, 1985 Diocese of Chalan Kanoa, Quinquennial Report for 1988, Saipan (MP), 1987 This is the most recent report on the status of the Diocese which must be submitted to the Vatican once every five years prior to the Bishop's ad limina visit. Dreher, J., Conboy, R., Cooney, N., "Orientation for New Pastoral Planners," as found in Proceedings: National Pastoral Planning Conference, Providence (RI), 1976 Durkehim, Emile, Suicide: A Study in Sociology, New York, The Free Press, 1951 Fichtner, Joseph, Man: The Image of God, New York (NY), Alba House, 1978 Freire, Paulo, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, New York (NY), Continuum, 1982 Goulet, Dennis, A New Moral Order: Development Ethics and Liberation Theology, Maryknoll (NY), Orbis Books, 1974 Gula, Richard, Reason Informed by Faith: Foundations of Catholic Morality, New York (NY), Paulist Press, 1989 Gutierrez, Gustavo, We Drink From Our Own Wells, New York, Orbis, 1984 Guzie, Tad, The Book of Sacramental Basics, New York, Paulist Press, 1981 Holland, J. & Henriot, P., Social Analysis: Linking Faith and Justice, Maryknoll (NY), Orbis Books, and Washington, D.C., Center of Concern, 1983 Howes, Robert G., "Pastoral Planning: The Design/Systems Dimension," as found in Proceedings: National Pastoral Planning Conference, Providence (RI), 1976, Howes, Robert G., "Pastoral Planner," The Jurist vol. 42(1982) Ibanez del Carmen, A., et al, Chronicle of the Mariana Islands, translated by Marjorie Driver, Agana (Guam), Micronesian Area Research Center, 1976 Killackey, Edward, Pastoral Planning: A Process for Discernment, Kampala (Uganda), Gaba Publications, Pastoral Institute of Eastern Africa, 1975 Kinast, Robert, "Pastoral Planning and Family Life: A Challenge for Theology", The Jurist vol. 42(1982) Klasek, Stephen, Theology and Method in Pastoral Theology: A Participant-Observer Evaluation of an Alternative Model for Change in Local Church, A Doctoral Dissertation submitted to the faculty of School of Religious Studies of the Catholic University of America, Washington (DC), 1983 Kraft, Charles, Christianity in Culture: A Study in Dynamic Biblical Theologizing in Cross-Cultural Perspective, New York, Orbis Books, 1979 Lonergan, Bernard, Method in Theology, New York (NY), Crossroad, 1972 Lore-Kelly, Christin, Caring Community: A Design for Ministry, Chicago, Loyola University Press, 1983 Marzoa, Angel, "Los Consejos Pastorales Diocesanos Y Infradiocesanos," in Derecho Particular De La Iglesia En Espana: Experiencias De La Aplicacion Del Nuevo Codigo, Universidad Pontificia Salamanca (Espana), Biblioteca Salmanticensis: Estudios 80, 1986 Merton, Robert, "Anomie, Anomia, and Social Interaction: Contexts of Deviant Behavior," in Anomie and Deviant Behavior, Marshall Clinard (ed.), New York, The Free Press, 1964 Niebuhr, H. R., Christ and Culture, New York (NY), Harper and Row Publishers, 1951 O'Connor, D.J., Aquinas and Natural Law, London, MacMillan, 1967 O'Grady, John F., Christian Anthropology: A Meaning for Human Life, New York (NY), Paulist Press, 1976 Pope John Paul II, Sollicitudo Rei Socialis, Vatican City (Rome), 30 December 1987 Pope John Paul II, Centesimus Annus, Vatican City (Rome), 1 May 1991 Rahner, Karl, Foundations of Christian Faith, New York (NY), The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1978 Rahner, Karl, "Practical Theology Within the Totality of Theological Disciplines," Theological Investigations, vol. IX, tr. Graham Harrison, London, Darton, Longman, and Todd, 1974 Schillebeeckx, Edward, Church: The Human Story of God, New York (NY), Crossroad, 1990 Schreiter, Robert, Constructing Local Theologies, Maryknoll (NY), Orbis Books, 1985 Segundo, Juan, The Sacraments Today, Maryknoll (NY), Orbis Books, 1974 Shea, John J. Religious Experiencing: William James and Eugene Gendlin, Lanham (MD), The University of America Press, 1987 Shewman, Richard, Marriage and Divorce in the Mariana Islands: 1963 through 1983, Saipan (MP), CNMI Criminal Justice Planning Agency, 1984 Shewman, Richard, "Why should Planning Be Done Locally?", in Youth Development Plans for the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau: An Analysis of the Planning Process and a Compilation of the Resulting Plans, Office of the Attorney General, TTPI, Saipan (MP), 1984 Shewman, Richard, Dropping Out of School: A Retrospective Cohort Study of 9th Grade CNMI Students in 1986-1987, Saipan, a study conducted under a contract with the CNMI Department of Education and presented at the annual conference of the Guam Association of Social Workers, Guam, March 1991 Shewman, Richard, Constructing a Marianas Spirituality, A paper given at the annual conference of the Guam Association of Social Workers, Guam, Mariana Islands, March 1992; to be published in Pacific Journal of Theology. Suchocki, Marjorie H., God, Christ, Church: A Practical Guide to Process Theology, New York (NY), Crossroad, 1989 Villagomez, Jose, Annual Report for Fiscal Year 1989 for the Department of Public Health and Environmental Services, Saipan (MP), Office of the Governor, 1990 Warren, Michael, Faith, Culture, and the Worshiping Community, New York, Paulist Press, 1989 Whitehead, Evelyn & James, Method in Ministry: Theological Reflection and Christian Ministry, Minneapolis (MN), The Winston Press, 1980 ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3This discussion on Aquinas is drawn as well from O'Connor (1867;18) and from class notes given by Fr. Romanus Cesarius O.P. at the Dominican House of Studies (Washington) in June 1989. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3The Pastoral Council is able to provide very useful assistance to the Bishop, making proposals and giving suggestions with the purpose of initiating missionary, catechetical, and apostolic activities within the Diocese; for the promotion of doctrinal formation and the sacramental life of the faithful, beyond the assistance that is available through the pastoral activities of the priests in their various responsibilities or in the regions of the diocese, and for maintaining a greater sensitivity to public opinion regarding each of the problems that affect the Church...The Pastoral Council is also capable of being very useful in bringing about mutual sharing of experiences and for revealing to the Bishop the concrete needs of the people of the Diocese and suggesting courses of action that are most suitable (translation by R. Shewman). ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 The people of the islands had few natural immunities to diseases introduced by European and Asian visitors. Fr. Aniceto Ibanez del Carmen, the Spanish pastor on Guam in the middle of the last century reports that in 1855 smallpox was introduced to the island by sailors on a ship from Manila which local businessmen chartered to transport merchandise. The disease spread. By the end of the year the pastor reported that the pre-epidemic population of 8,207 had been reduced to 4,724 (Ibanez, 1976; 7). ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 The Commonwealth agreement gave the Mariana Islands self-government at the domestic level, leaving foreign affairs to the United States. It provided US citizenship to the population, guaranteed financial assistance to the local government for a set period of time, and provided for limited application of federal laws to the Commonwealth. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 Most of the population data is taken from pages 26 through 35 of Fiscal Year 1992 Comprehensive Justice System Improvement Strategy, published in the CNMI by the CNMI Criminal Justice Planning Agency. The report compiles demographic data from various government sources. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 Data on Church demographics has been taken from the Quinquennial Report for 1988. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 I was ordained to the diaconate several months before the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa was created. At that time I was the Executive Director of a government planning agency, a planning consultant to the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and had just completed a multi-nation social development planning project. Given this background, the situation facing the Diocese appeared to cry out for a pastoral plan. I suggested this to the bishop. After some discussion and reflection on the idea, he agreed and asked me to coordinate the effort. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 This problem statement reflects the high rate of teenagers who are giving birth in the Diocese. Pregnancy at such an early age is a health problem, a social problem, and a moral problem. There is also concern over AIDS. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 A common perception is that Church marriage has become the exception rather than the rule. This perception holds that most putative marital relationships are not even formalized in a civil ceremony. Aside from the related issues of Church discipline and morality, there is concern for the children being raised in difficult circumstances. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 The most impassioned pleas during the meeting came from the parents who pleaded that the Church must take a stronger role in helping parents raise their children. Parents suggested help with learning parenting skills, and the availability of recreational activities for youth that support home values. Stories of attempted teen suicide and similar tragedies were offered to underscore the seriousness of the concern. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 It seems to be a pattern that many young people in the community leave the Church shortly after they are Confirmed. If they return, it is to have their children baptized. The defection is rarely formal. Most often it is simply withdrawal from the life of the Church, except for cultural occasions, such as funerals. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 There have been sufficient priests to meet this goal for several years. However, some parishes protested when Filipino priests were assigned. This problem really has two elements. The first is a limited number of clergy. The second is ethnic prejudice on the part of some of the Faithful. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 This concern is more complex than may be apparent, as there are a variety of Filipino dialects. The official Filipino language is Tagalog, however it is only the dialect of the Ilocano provence. People from other provinces, especially if they do not live in the Manila area, find the dialect difficult. The result is that in many of the cities of the other provinces Mass is often said in English. That language is generally understood throughout the Philippines. Thus, saying mass in Tagalog in the CNMI meets the needs of Catholics from the Manila area or who are Ilocano but does little for those from other provinces. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 In some villages the vast majority of the population is comprised of alien laborers. However, the various committees of the local parish are comprised largely of the few indigenous faithful still living in the village. While these people have served the parish for many years and have great devotion, the actual population is not represented in the parishes' deliberative bodies. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 There are a variety of pastoral styles in the diocese reflecting differences in culture and formation. Some of the priests have a style that keeps them in the office a good deal, while the others are more active in the parish and community life. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 Traditional Catholic piety in the CNMI is strongly influenced by its Hispanic heritage. In some respects it is almost Bibliophobic. This was not helped by some of the clergy who served in these islands. They reacted so strongly against Protestant efforts to encourage Bible distribution that many of the older people think that the Bible is a Protestant invention and should not be read by good Catholics. This attitude is so deep seated in some people that it is difficult to change. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 These are all issues discussed in Chapter three. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3A dispute in the Korean Catholic community resulted in the loss of both the priest and sisters. Alternate arrangements are being made at the time of this writing. ADVANCE \u3ADVANCE \d3 Canon 129.2 provinces for lay cooperation in the exercise of the power of governance. Canons 511 through 514 provide for a Diocesan Pastoral Council and especially includes the laity among its members. 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