The diocesan Office of Pastoral Planning has been folded into the Office of Parish Support Ministries, effective Feb. 1.
Bernard Grizard, director of Parish Support Ministries, has assumed the administrative role of pastoral planning formerly held by William Pickett. Pickett served as the diocese’s first director of pastoral planning — from 1997 until his retirement on Jan. 31 of this year. Karen Rinefierd and Deborah Housel, the two pastoral-planning liaisons who served under Pickett, are staying on in the same capacities in the Parish Support Ministries office.
“At this time in the history of pastoral planning, when parishes are concentrating on implementation of the plans approved by Bishop (Matthew H.) Clark and making these plans a reality, bringing pastoral planning into the Parish Support Ministries department will help us to be more resourceful and supportive in shaping the ministerial and pastoral areas of this implementation,” Grizard stated in a recent letter to diocesan pastoral leaders. “The pastoral planning liaisons will now be able to work even more closely with the other Parish Support Ministry offices: Liturgy, Women’s Commission, the Multicultural Offices, and the Offices of Jail and Health Care Ministry, Urban Ministry, and Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs.”
“The history of pastoral planning in the Rochester Diocese has been incredibly shaped and organized through Bill Pickett,” Grizard added.
Grizard has served as director of Parish Support Ministries since 2002. He was an associate director and interim director in that office in 2001.
