FATHER MARC ALEXANDER

The Road Map and the capital campaign

Bishop Larry Silva became our bishop, our shepherd, on July 21, 2005. From the beginning, his pastoral leadership has been characterized by a clear foundation of prayer and worship — personal and communal relationship with the Triune God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. His coat of arms includes the motto, “Witness to Jesus,” underscoring the call we all have by virtue of our Baptism to lead others to Christ through our words and deeds, our values and vision. A strong and developing relationship with God, nurtured in a life of prayer and worship, nourished by both the Word and the sacraments, forms persons and communities able to give effective and joyful witness to the Lord.

Following the teaching of Vatican II and the example of Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Silva has not hesitated to utilize the resources of contemporary culture to further the mission and ministry of the church in Hawaii. With this in mind, Bishop Silva initiated the first-ever strategic plan for the entire Diocese of Honolulu. This plan was published on Jan. 25, 2008, as “Witness to Jesus: Diocesan Road Map for Pastoral, Program, and Facility Needs (2008-2013).” A full color summary of the plan was made available to every family in the diocese. On Sept. 11, 2008, this plan was honored by the American Planning Association (APA) Hawaii Chapter with the Chapter Achievement Award. In particular, the late Tom Papandrew, former Diocesan Director of Planning, was recognized for his outstanding leadership and expertise in planning as exemplified in this project.

One of the strengths of the plan was its grassroots basis and extensive outreach, which the APA Awards Jury described as “extraordinary.” Bishop Silva wanted a plan that emerged from the people of God. This was achieved by listening to God’s call to all of us as we “witness to Jesus.” Listening sessions involving all 66 parishes, with additional feedback sessions through the vicariate structure, served as the framework for consultation. Clergy and lay leadership were consulted throughout the development of the plan. Further input and feedback were solicited through focus groups and special consultations, which included inactive Catholics and non-Catholic members of our larger community. The six priorities that emerged — leadership development of clergy, lay staff, and volunteers; youth and young adult programs; faith formation; homelessness; repair and maintenance of church and school facilities; and new parishes and facilities and management of land assets — were not necessarily surprising in themselves. What was surprising, perhaps, was the rather clear consensus across the islands that these issues were priorities. The planning process revealed a growing and hungry church community that wants to evangelize, share, and truly make a difference.

Of course, the real test is the implementation of the plan. Already during the planning process, Bishop Silva wasted no time in doing what needed to be done. For example, in response to the incredible growth of the Leeward and Central Oahu areas, Bishop Silva authorized the purchase of a 23-acre site on the Ewa plain for possible church use. He also divided the very large Leeward Vicariate into two vicariates in order to provide better representation and service to this growing part of our community.

He also appointed a retired professional with a proven track record of successful planning to lead the implementation effort: Dr. Colleen O. Sathre, Vice President Emeritus for Planning and Policy at the University of Hawaii. The Implementation Commission’s first annual report will be issued within a few months. Some of the fruits of the implementation have already been shared through the Hawaii Catholic Herald.

Bishop Silva’s next step is to provide the program that will help pay for the plan. This is part and parcel of the implementation process. Without adequate funds to prime and sustain the much-needed actions of the plan, nothing of substance would happen in the long run. After extensive consultation, Bishop Silva unveiled the “With Grateful Hearts” capital campaign — a $30 million dollar fundraising effort. This is the largest diocesan campaign in our history, with the only other campaign having taken place in the 1960s. Just a few weeks ago we finished the “pilot” phase of this campaign. The eight participating parishes as a group reached 180 percent of their goal, ranging from 116 percent to 313 percent of their individual goals. The parishioners of these eight parishes pledged over $5 million dollars. And these pledges were made with the full knowledge of these challenging economic times! Last week Bishop Silva and his team kicked off the campaign for the next set of 23 parishes. The spirit and energy were very inspiring! All remaining parishes begin in June 2009.

Some have asked why the campaign has thus far exhibited such a positive spirit despite the very tough economic atmosphere. A variety of reasons may be identified, but chief among them would be that the case elements of the capital campaign come directly from the Road Map. In other words, Bishop Silva has listened to the People of God in Hawaii and has invited their further participation through the capital campaign in order to make the Road Map a reality. The pledge campaign allows people to make a substantial contribution toward priorities that they believe to be very important, including vocations, our leadership, faith formation, the homeless, our facilities, and our young people.

This is both a challenging and exciting time for our church here in Hawaii. To respond to God’s call to us today to preach the Gospel with vitality and conviction, with creativity and engagement, is not for the faint of heart or easily disappointed. The road ahead is not easy. But for people of faith, whose legacy includes Father Damien and Mother Marianne, it is the only road we can follow as together we seek to “witness to Jesus.”