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===== Don Kurre, Diocese of Grand Island =====


    - Describe the area you serve geographically and Catholic population, economy of the parishes, educational level of the people, and the leadership situation in the parishes (including priests, religious, deacons, and other professional ministers.)The diocese of Grand Island Covers 42,000 square miles with a population of 290,500 and is located in western Nebraska. We have 68 priests (41 active, 27 retired), 47 parishes, 39 missions and roughly 52,000 Catholics. Economy builds off three major categories: Agricultural and Ag related processing, Transportation especially Rail Road with North Platte the home of the largest Classification yard in the world and tourism. Distance in the Grand Island Diocese is not a problem it is a reality. The population of the diocese is concentrated along the I-80 corridor. One of our greatest challenges is the decline in overall population within the diocese. The Grand Island Diocese is being hardest hit by this decline. Priest is the primary leader within the parish. Some parishes have DREs who wear many different ministerial hats. We do have a few parishes that have resident pastoral associates. A position filled by consecrated woman. With the large number of missions people are used to taking care of themselves and managing the day to day operation of the parish. There is no Catholic college or university within the Grand Island Diocese.\\
    - Describe the models of catechesis in your rural areas: e.g. family catechesis, whole community catechesis, traditional class model etc.\\ Traditional class model is the primary means of providing catechesis. Many parishes find it necessary to combine classes. 1/2 3/4/5 and the like. Some parishes tried the whole community catechesis model but have returned to the class model. Our larger parishes do use the RCIA. Some parishes continue to support SCCs as the result of RENEW. But on the whole adult formation is mostly hit and miss. Parishes do provide adult formation opportunities during the season of Lent.
    - Considering the challenges that you face in rural catechesis, describe some ways you are addressing these in the areas of catechist formation, adult faith formation, etc. We are requiring those who teach or serve as catechists in any program be certified at what we are calling the Core level. We are using internet assisted opportunities for Catechists including UD's VLCFF, ND, STEP program and LIMEX. We also provide training for local leadership like DREs, PCLs from within the diocese.
    - Describe the areas in which you feel NCCB, NCCL, the Catholic publishing companies and the Catholic foundations could be of assistance in providing resources for rural catechesis. Stop relying on "traditional" resources. Parishes with 15 K -- 12 students do not have the ability to purchase or use traditional text books. We would appreciate efforts to support and nurture networking among people who minister in rural areas. It is important to include the use of electronic networking. As resources become more and more scarce this networking and support will become more important. Continue to sponsor speakers and exhibits for catechetical events in rural diocese even "National" type speakers. NCCL at one time was going to create workshop templates from the DRE series that dioceses could use to conduct training within the Diocese. I would like to see those offered.\\

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