Office of Pastoral Planning

About Pastoral Planning

Summary and Timeline

Pre-Planning Phase (March - August 2007)

- Develop Planning Guidelines and Resources; complete data collection.
- Determine Local Planning Areas and form Local Planning Committees.
- Raise awareness of challenge and need to plan with leadership and in parishes.

Phase 1 - Gather Ideas and Generate Options (September - October 2007)

- Gather parish leadership ideas on priest demographics and areas for inter parish collaboration.
- Diocesan Pastoral Planning Commission reviews parish ideas and drafts options for Local Plans.
- Send recommendations and options to Local Planning Committees.

Phase 2 - Develop Local Plans (January - May 2008)

- Local Planning Committees draw up draft Local Plans.
- Hold parish meetings to present draft Local Plans and gather feedback.
- Present draft Local Plans to parish leadership and gather feedback.
- Local Planning Committees revise plans if necessary.
- Submit plans to the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Commission.

Phase 3 - Review and Approve Local Plans (June - December 2008)

- Diocesan Pastoral Planning Commission reviews local plans and recommends changes if necessary.
- If Local Planning Committees cannot agree to plans, Diocesan Pastoral Planning Commission will propose plans with input from the Local Planning Committee.
- Present plans to Priests Council and Diocesan Pastoral Council for feedback.
- Forward recommendations to Bishop.
- Bishop DiLorenzo approves Local Plans.
- Communicate/distribute final plans.

Begin Local Plan Implementation

- Develop implementation strategy to prepare leadership and parishes for changes.
- Produce Diocesan Strategic Plan document.
- Local Planning Committees assist in preparing parishes for new models of inter-parish collaboration.