Overview and Purpose of Parish Pastoral Planning
Parish pastoral planning is a prayerful and participative process through which a parish characterizes itself as a particular community of faith by developing its own mission statement, assessing its current life, and dreaming about the possibilities of the future. Through pastoral planning, parishioners provide consultation to the pastor by answering the questions: Who are we as a parish? What are we called to do? How are we best going to do it?
All of us are called to participate fully in the life and mission of the Church. This mission of the Church is rooted in the mission of Christ who commanded everyone – clergy, religious, and laity – to _“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Matt 16:15)
From its earliest days the Church has responded to this mission in various ways depending upon the times and circumstances. During our current time, the challenges and opportunities which face us are great, making our reflection and planning all the more critical because:
The parish is for most Catholics the single most important part of the Church. This is where for them the mission of Christ continues. This is where they publicly express their faith, joining with others to give proof of their communion with God and with one another… It is in the parish that the most intimate concerns of individuals and the broadest reaches of the church’s mission come together.
The Parish: A People, A Mission, A Structure
The Committee on the Parish
USCCB, 1982, pp. 3, 18
Within each parish, the Parish Pastoral Council is the consultative body which fosters the full participation of the entire parish in the life and mission of the Church. One of the chief ways that a Pastoral Council functions is through pastoral planning.
Pastoral planning is essential to the development of a parish. It encourages the fullest collaboration of clergy, religious, and laity. Pastoral planning enables a parish to become ever more fully a portion of the People of God, sharing in the mission of Christ in their specific place. Pastoral planning increases clarity about the mission and priorities of the parish, affects the ways in which resources are used, and encourages the participation and support of parishioners. Pastoral planning is an ongoing part of parish life.
Because of our diversity, it is necessary for each Parish Pastoral Council to create a planning process that is suited to their own parish. This manual will present a model for planning and introduce component parts of any planning process. It will also elaborate on adaptations that can be made to accommodate the variety of pastoral experiences present within the Diocese.
The first major task of the Parish Pastoral Council will be to create a “plan” to plan by reviewing the model presented here and the adaptation recommendations. Because of the adaptive nature of this model, the timeline for implementation of the planning process may vary from parish to parish. Therefore, each Parish Pastoral Council will need to create a timeline for planning suitable for their parish. This manual will assist the Parish Pastoral Council in creating that timeline.