Frequently Asked Questions
What is pastoral planning?
Pastoral planning is a community-based process that seeks to direct all activities of the parish toward the fulfillment of the basic mission of the Church in light of the current circumstances within the parish.
Pastoral planning seeks to create opportunities for all members of the parish to share their hopes and dreams for the future of the parish through the lens of mission.
Pastoral planning seeks to organize the efforts of the parish while calling forth new leaders to implement parish goals.
What are the hopes of the pastoral planning process?
The goal of the pastoral planning process is to develop vibrant mission-driven faith communities which actively address the signs of the times around them, encourage participation in parish life, and are able to adapt to change while retaining a strong sense of mission.
It is also the hope of the process that the wider Catholic community becomes more informed and excited about the mission of the Church.
Will all parishes be involved in parish pastoral planning?
Yes. All parishes in the Diocese of Brooklyn have been asked by Bishop DiMarzio to create a pastoral plan for the future of the parish.
Why is the Diocese beginning a pastoral planning process now?
The Diocese of Brooklyn has and continues to experience tremendous change. Populations are shifting rapidly and neighborhoods continue to change. For many parishes, this means that the neighborhood in which the parish was established is made up of an entirely different group of people. In this situation, the parish must reevaluate its identity within the neighborhood and its mission to serve the people of God and proclaim the Gospel.
In addition to the changing reality in which parishes exist, there is also a need to plan in light of the internal situation within our Diocese. The Diocese of Brooklyn is also experiencing the same decline in priestly vocations that has been experienced throughout the western world. These declines are expected to continue quite dramatically over the next 10 years and steadily over the next 20 years.
In addition to the decline in clergy there is also a real financial concern which must be addressed. Many parishes have not been able to support themselves financially and must address these situations to create a sustainable plan for the future.
Therefore, Bishop DiMarzio is encouraging all parishes to enter into a pastoral planning process, inviting all parishioners, pastors, and parish staff members to work collaboratively to address these concerns and promote more vibrant faith communities. Pastoral planning is a practical process to address the most urgent concerns of the Diocese by focusing our efforts on continuing to live the mission of the Church in a new way, for a new time.
What is a Parish Pastoral Council?
The Parish Pastoral Council is a leadership body within the parish whose role is to develop and implement a mission-focused pastoral plan for the parish.
As servants to the wider community, Parish Pastoral Councils provide parishioners with forums for consultation and reflection on the mission of the Church in light of the signs of the times in the local neighborhood and the world.
Parish Pastoral Councils develop pastoral plans, based on the insight of the community, to enable the faith community to continue to live out the mission of the Gospel.
Parish Pastoral Councils then call forth leaders from the parish to implement and achieve the goals of the pastoral plan.
What do parish pastoral councils do?
Parish Pastoral Councils are charged with creating and implementing a pastoral plan in the life of the parish. Pastoral planning begins with a parish-wide dialogue on the mission of the Church, the perceptions of the community, and the current reality of the parish. This dialogue is facilitated by the Parish Pastoral Council.
When completed, the information gathered from these dialogues is taken by the PPC and the pastor and used to create a pastoral plan for the future. The pastoral plan articulates the goals and priorities of the parish community for the coming years.
The Parish Pastoral Council also calls forth individuals from the community to implement the goals of the pastoral plan. In this way, the Parish Pastoral Council members are parish leaders charged with developing other leaders.
How long is the pastoral planning process?
Pastoral planning is ongoing in the life of the parish and the Diocese. Planning will continue to be necessary as long as the world around us continues to change or until the Christian mission is accomplished. The Parish Pastoral Councils that are now being formed and those that already exist are ongoing consultative bodies in the life of the parish.
With this said, the initial pastoral planning process and the formulation of a parish pastoral plan should take about one year from the beginning of the process to the end. At this point, the cluster planning process will begin.
Parishes are entering the process in a staggered manner. Cycles of pastoral planning will begin in Fall 2005, Winter 2006 and Spring 2006. All parishes have been invited to enter into one of these three cycles.
How will Parish Pastoral Councils be trained?
There will be two training sessions for each Parish Pastoral Council. These trainings will take place in several locations throughout the Diocese. Each Parish Pastoral Council and pastor are asked to select which training they would like to attend. The sessions will be delivered in English and Spanish.
The first training is a full day and all members of the Parish Pastoral Council and the pastor are invited to attend. This day will be an overview of the pastoral planning model and will demonstrate some of the adaptations that can be made to the model.
The second training is a halfday session for the pastor and a few council members. This day will be an elaboration on several parts of the planning process and provide a forum for clarification on the model.
In addition, Parish Pastoral Councils will be offered many options to study the essential mission of the parish and reflect on the theological underpinnings of the pastoral planning process. These options will mostly be parish-based material in the form of articles and videos that the council can use for formation.
What support will exist as parishes begin pastoral planning?
The Pastoral Planning Office is committed to supporting parishes, Parish Pastoral Councils and pastors as they begin this planning process. PPC facilitators will be visiting each parish to listen to their unique needs and circumstances, and will offer as much advice as possible. They are also available to assist with the process further on when an outside facilitator may be helpful.
The PPO will also offer formation opportunities and trainings to assist councils in understanding their roles and in initiating and implementing a pastoral planning process. Other offices of the Diocese will also be available to assist Parish Pastoral Councils as they address specific areas of parish life.
No parish should feel that they are alone in this process. We are all in this planning process together and are here to support one another. If you have questions or concerns at any point in the process, please contact the Pastoral Planning Office.