Archdiocese embarks on pastoral planning

What exactly is this Pastoral Planning Process?

In short, the pastoral planning process is a period of study, discernment and dialogue in which we as a local church together, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, look at what we are doing well, where we have challenges, and how we move forward addressing those challenges together to fulfill the Gospel message of Jesus Christ. For us, right now, we are focusing on parish life because for many, their experience of Church is their parish for that is where they worship, experience faith formation opportunities, and share in community.

It is important to remember that over the past few years, we have completed various stages of planning on the administrative level as well. We have reduced archdiocesan administrative staff and restructured administrative offices in order to be as effective and efficient as possible. We have also moved forward with the sale of real estate and even Notre Dame Health System. Additionally, our Catholic schools are working on their strategic plan, which will work in tandem with this pastoral planning process. This work is ongoing. The overall goal is to be a vibrant church that fulfills the Gospel call to bring Jesus Christ to others.

Why is the archdiocese doing this now?

The goal of the Archdiocese of New Orleans is to support the parishes, schools and ministries of the archdiocese in a manner that provides the people of God with opportunities to grow in relationship to Jesus Christ and in a deeper connection to their faith. This was the impetus for calling for the Ninth General Synod in 2016, which concluded with the call to action:  “Encountering Jesus, Witnessing with Joy.” Now, as we emerge from several turbulent years of COVID-19, the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Ida and other storms, and the shifts in population that have accompanied our societal challenges over the years, we must return our focus to that spirit of encounter and joyful witness and look to fostering and supporting parishes that are not only sustainable but full of vitality – parishes that are alive in the Christ.

We cannot ignore the fact that Hurricane Ida recovery, the rise in insurance costs and inflation are factors in our planning. These are costly items just as they are for homeowners, and, unfortunately, finances must be part of prudent planning for any organization – the church is not exempt from that.

What does this pastoral planning process entail?

Using the goals of the Ninth General Synod as a basis for discernment, I appointed a Parish Sustainability Committee to review pastoral, spiritual and fiscal data from every parish in the archdiocese – to really explore how we can experience vitality in our church parishes. This is data that was self-reported from the parishes. The committee also took into account the state of parish buildings and local demographics from both the parish census and the U.S. Census. This review was done over the past several months. From there, a profile for each parish was created to identify indicators of vitality with the goal of spurring a more in-depth dialogue at the parish and archdiocesan levels.
 

Those profiles were given to pastors, and those facing significant short- and long-term challenges were asked to begin gathering a team to review the data for accuracy and to begin dialogue on next steps to address the challenges. Parishes have been invited to begin one of two programs – those with significant challenges have entered into a process of evaluating Parish Sustainability.  The Catholic Leadership Institute will be supporting the parishes through this process. The remainder of the parishes are invited to enter into a process of strengthening vitality through a partnership with Amazing Parish. We anticipate the participation of all parishes in the archdiocese and look forward to receiving recommendations and plans to make necessary decisions.

You’ve mentioned vitality several times in talking about the process. How do you define vitality?

Parish vitality is a healthy sign of life in Christ. In short, it means that the parish is fulfilling its mission to share the good news of the Gospel by providing for the sacramental, spiritual and pastoral needs of the people effectively and as good stewards of the resources with which God has blessed them.

In order to quantify it, we defined parish life with five elements of parish vitality. There are spiritual markers, which focus on Mass attendance and statistics regarding the sacraments of initiation; pastoral markers, which focus on formation programs such as parish school of religion and youth ministry statistics as well as governance; financial health, which focuses on how well the parish is supporting itself financially taking into account debts and other expenses; the condition of the physical plant, which may be surprising to some, but having structurally sound and safe buildings are important to parish life; and demographics, which focus on parish census data as well as U.S. Census data for the area. The profiles point to strengths and weaknesses. It is important to remember that a weakness in one area does not mean a parish is not viable but indicates an area that needs further attention to increase parish vitality. If, however, there are weaknesses in four or five areas, then there is concern not for the parish’s vitality but for its short and long-term viability.

I want to share here as we talk about vitality, that there are many good things going on in the archdiocese. In comparing our statistics to national averages, we are doing very well as a local church. In particular, I am heartened by the strength of our parish RCIA programs and the rate at which our young people are being confirmed is almost steady. These are good indicators of a strong church for today and into the future.

For many who were here after Katrina, the idea of pastoral planning is synonymous with parish closures. Is that what we are looking at?

First, I want to acknowledge the pain and hard times some in the community experienced after Katrina. The post-Katrina environment was still very different. As a church we did the best we could and learned from that experience. We are committed to responding to the challenges we face today pastorally and with full transparency, so that all may experience a sense of ownership and belonging in their faith home.

It has become painfully evident that change is necessary in some places. In some instances, this could mean shared ministry among neighboring parishes and in others, yes, it could mean combining parishes into one community. We just do not know exactly what will happen and where, because we are approaching the planning on a case-by-case basis in each parish and geographic area. No decisions have been made and no decisions will be made without first receiving and reviewing the recommendations of the parishioners who will be directly affected.

I have to admit, I never imagined that we would be facing these challenges and these types of decisions as the Archdiocese of New Orleans. This is not something I want to do, but it is something that we must do for the good of the future of the church. I have prayed about this a great deal and have spoken with many trusted advisors, and this process must move forward for the good of the people of God in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. I take some solace in the fact that the majority of dioceses and archdioceses across the country are taking similar actions – some far more drastic than what we are doing here. That does not, however, make it any easier nor ease the consternation that change brings.

What do you want people to know as we move forward?

I am praying for you, and I ask you to pray for me. We must call upon the Holy Spirit to guide all of us down the path that is God’s will, not our own. Setting goals and priorities can sometimes be hard but is healthy for us as parishioners, and as people, especially when we must think collectively as a community and everyone has thoughts and ideas about what is best. I will be the first to admit that I do not like surprises, but in this case, I hope that the Holy Spirit surprises us with His grace. Let us all come together to look ahead with hope to a strong and bright future for our local church.

Questions for Archbishop Aymond may be sent to [email protected].