October 20, 2022 – Thank you
Messages to the parish as a whole was sent out by email, bulletin, social media and by the website.
October 3-19, 2022 – Interviews Conducted & Surveys shared
In-person interviews were conducted with the Steier Group. These interviews gave parishioners a face-to-face experience of sharing, learning and planning for the future. Surveys were shared and completed during Mass, online and in person to gather data from both parishes.
October 2, 2022 – Weekly Correspondence continues
Weekly letters/messages reminding parishioners that their feedback was needed. Correspondence was shared to both parishes by email, bulletin, text, social media, website and snail mail.
September 27, 22022 – Letters & Factsheets
Letters and factsheets sent to parishioners regarding the Campaign Planning Study. These mail pieces were crucial so parishioners could visually see this study come to fruition. Please see document for details.
September 18, 2022 – Weekly Correspondence continues
This weekly correspondence helped answers several FAQs related to the Steier Planning Study. Steier Group is a Catholic fundraising firm located our to Omaha, NE and they are conducting the study.
September 11, 2022 – Weekly Correspondence continues
This weekly correspondence highlighted the New Catholic Education Center & New Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Explaining the need and that a major fundraisier/campaign will be essential along with all parishioners participation in surveys for a successful planning process.
September 4, 2022 – Weekly Correspondence starts
This weekly correspondence started and will help keep parish in communication regarding interviews and the planning study with the Steier Group. This initial message highlights a letter that Bishop Zinkula sent out to Our Lady of Lourdes and Saint John Vianney regarding the future of both parishes.
November 20, 2020 – Survey Results
Click below to see the most recent findings following the parish-wide survey that was held in October. The documents is 3 pages and all parishioners are encouraged to view the important information.
October 16, 2020
Thank you to all those who completed the vision survey this month! Stay tuned for more information coming soon…
October 1, 2020
What should the future of the Bettendorf Catholic Church look like?
Various forms of collaboration are being considered for the Catholic Church of Bettendorf. We want to hear your voice! Please take some time to review the resources below, if you haven’t already, and prayerfully consider what is the best option for the Catholic Church of Bettendorf.
An Interview with the Pastors & Survey Explanation
Parishioner Resources
Below are some tools you can review to gain a better understanding of the options the Catholic Church of Bettendorf Vision Committee are currently reviewing.
How much time do you have?
10-30 minutes
“I am just looking for a quick overview or review of the important information.”
September Communication (in parts)
30 minutes or more
“I want to know more where these options came from or I have some serious questions.”
September 22, 2020
On September 22, we held the second of two parish-wide visioning meetings via Zoom. You can view the recording of the September 22 parish-wide meeting by clicking here.
September 17, 2020
See below for updated information from the first parish-wide meeting on September 14:
September 14, 2020
On September 14, we held the first of two parish-wide visioning meetings via Zoom. You can view the recording of the September 22 parish-wide meeting by clicking here.
A Decision Pathway
When faced with making a complex decision, a certain path of logic often leads the way, with each decision leading inevitably to the next one. Analysis and decisions by the Bettendorf Vision Committee in five areas – Catholic Mission, Catholic School, Facilities, Bettendorf Population, and Priest Shortage – have led to a “short list” of three options that will be presented to parishioners and ultimately Bishop Zinkula.
September 3, 2020
See the latest documents from the steering committee for the future of the Catholic Church in Bettendorf visioning process.
May 20, 2020
The Vision Committee for the Catholic Church of Bettendorf has changed from physical meetings to virtual meetings. Building upon the planning and study done before, the group is moving forward to imagine how the Catholic Church, serving Bettendorf, will look in the short term and long term as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Why plan for the future now?
COVID-19 shows how change can spur our creativity and our prayers. When the world is changing around us, we can find ourselves leaning even more on God. What is His plan for us?
The good news is the truth of our faith never changes and the fundamental mission of the Church never changes, but how we execute that mission has to change. With COVID-19 at our doorstep, we have had to think even more deeply. In a relatively short time parishes have transitioned to online Mass. People are connecting for prayer and rosary through technologies that we didn’t use as widely as we are now. More people are giving online. Students are learning through a virtual classroom. We can adapt when we need to.
The vision committee recognizes at the heart of our planning effort is the realization that when we work together as a Catholic community we can accomplish far more than we can alone. Thinking about who the parishes serve, there is no geographical stronghold for either parish. Both have an almost identical geographic distribution of parishioners across the City of Bettendorf. Since both parishes have essentially the same mission and the same community to serve, working together makes sense. The big question is: how does working together happen?
To that end, the next step in what has been a multi-year process is gathering parish leaders. The leadership gathering was initially scheduled for March, but now rescheduled for July 19. More communications will come to you following these meetings. The leadership gathering will be followed by multiple rounds of conversation within the parishes so as many people who want to give input can do so. The format for gathering will be a hybrid of people gathering physically in a safe manner and people participating via video conference. This initial conversation will invite all in lay leadership and staff positions at the two parishes to think about these big questions:
- What will the next generation of Catholics inherit from us?
- Since the Gospel will always be relevant to humanity, what evangelization do we need in this time and how do we prepare to evangelize with greater effectiveness in the future?
- How do we live and work together according to the faith to which we were called and given?
Various forms of collaboration will be considered. Catholic Schools of Scott County have already led the way by imagining a regional Catholic school system that better connects the realities and cost of delivering excellence in Catholic education within a competitive marketplace where parents have choices.
Thank you for your prayers and support as we continue to think about our futures even though we are isolated and separated. May the Lord bless and guide our deliberations as we seek to more effectively carry out His mission to the glory of God.
March 5, 2020
Dear parishioners at St. John Vianney and Our Lady of Lourdes Parishes:
We are entering into an exciting period of our history, a time to consider the long-term direction for our parish mission in the Bettendorf community.
Meitler, a national consulting firm for Catholic parishes and schools, has been engaged by the parishes to facilitate various opportunities for you to give input over the next few months.
These include large and small group meetings, a detailed survey, leadership retreat, interviews, and conversations with parish councils and committees.
The goal of the process is to develop a broad consensus around one plan that can succeed with a high level of participation including conducting a full-scale feasibility study.
For additional information about the study, please read the Overview and Questions & Answers documents below.
May the Lord guide us as we seek to follow His plans for our community.
Sincerely Yours in Christ,
Rev. Jason Crossen & Rev. James Vrba