In his one and only pastoral letter, “A New Springtime,” issued in 2001, Bishop Raphael M. Fliss offered six principles by which planning in the Diocese of Superior was to be guided:
* Maximize the opportunities for the faithful to receive the sacraments of the church.
* Strengthen Catholic identity in our homes, parishes and diocese.
* Respect the gifts that the priests of the diocese bring to the community of faith.
* Invest the resources necessary into the affirmation and strengthening of the priesthood within the diocese.
* Respect the gifts that the laity of the diocese bring to the community of faith.
* Invest the resources necessary into the affirmation, formation and involvement of the laity in the mission of the local church.
In addition, the bishop noted, “For the Diocese of Superior to fully proclaim the Good News in word and action, the lay faithful of the local church must be empowered and entrusted to fulfill their unique roles of service …”
He further stated, “Transitioning the Diocese of Superior from what we now have to what needs to be is a task that will involve every member of our local church.”
