If you attended Mass in the Diocese of Madison over the past two weekends, you heard about Into the Deep.
If you follow the Diocese of Madison’s social media pages, you’ve seen posts about Into the Deep.
If you’ve heard Bishop Hying speak recently, you probably heard about Into the Deep.
If you’ve been my favorite people in the world and have been reading the Catholic Herald these past several weeks, you’ve seen articles about Into the Deep (they’re even better if you read them!).
If you haven’t heard about or seen anything about Into the Deep, there’s this big thing going on in our diocese now called Into the Deep.
What is it, you ask?
“Into the Deep is a multi-year comprehensive strategic planning process that will enable the Diocese of Madison and its institutions to move from ‘maintenance to mission’. Its goal is to discern how best to align our resources — human, physical, financial, etc. — to more effectively spread the Gospel far and wide and then do so.”
That preceding paragraph and more information can be found at intothedeepmadison.org
Most of the latest and greatest information about Into the Deep can be found there with some breakdown coverage in previous issues of the Catholic Herald as well on our website madisoncatholicherald.org
I highly recommend you check out those resources to learn as much as you can about Into the Deep.
What is happening?
From my seat of perception, I’ve observed some mixed emotions when it comes to Into the Deep.
Some people are excited and hopeful about the changes that could come about.
Some people are nervous and worried about the changes that could come about.
Now, I want to emphasize that I don’t have any special, fancy, insider information as to what this all means for the Diocese of Madison and all of us parishioners.
It’s easy to think that we in the “media” are always in the know, but that’s not always the case. It’s not that we’re in the loop and know things before anyone else does, it’s that we find out things first when it’s time for everyone to find out things. So, when I know more, you’ll know more and the Catholic Herald and the diocese will keep you updated.
Having said that, going off of nothing but pure faith, I can confidently say (looks up) it’ll be ok.
The people making these decisions about how resources and people will be used want what is best for all of us. That is — as it has always been — to help us to better know, love, and serve God; love our neighbor as ourselves; and get to Heaven. That’s the end goal of all of this. Solidify our Catholic community in the diocese so we can better Go Make Disciples.
There might be some changes that we’re not comfortable with at first. There might be some changes that we don’t quite understand at first. There might be some changes that don’t make sense at first, but Christ in the Eucharist is not going away. The sacraments are not going away. Our faith is not going away.
In many instances, these things are going to be better available to us and stronger than before.
What we can do
Stay informed.
Check out diocesan social media, the Into the Deep website, and the Catholic Herald.
Pray and keep praying.
We’re all in this together.
Even if things look differently a year from now, two years from now, or longer, the goal and the mission haven’t changed.
Let us all find the strength and courage to know that God is at the center of all of this.
He has a plan and mission for us and Into the Deep is going to help us do it better.
Jesus, I Trust in You.
Thank you for reading.
I’m praying for you.