Making All Things New

What is �Making All Things New�? It is a people-driven process of pastoral planning in the Archdiocese of New York, involving clergy, religious and laity. It is an assessment of how the collective needs of the Church are being met, a look at how best to serve. The process includes analyses of what we are doing well and what we should be doing that we aren�t doing now. It is a project that brings people together to serve Jesus and His Church.

There are four major areas of focus:

A. Sacramental Life of the Parish

B. Evangelization, Catechesis, Catholic Schools, and Life Long Religious Education

C. Stewardship and Outreach

D. Effective Administration.

Cardinal Dolan has said that the process is not just about something that needs fixing; we need to be forward thinking, i.e. pro-active rather than re-active. The new evangelization calls for a mission mode rather than a maintenance mode. He stated that people have said that they want their parishes to be stronger, to flourish in education, in faith formation. They want a church that is not confined to the sacristy.

The process will not be confined to simply analyzing parishes; it will encompass needs of individuals in hospitals, nursing homes, prisons and other places.

The process will unfold gradually over the course of the next several years. The people of the Archdiocese are being mobilized to speak out about and be part of this process.

The first step for us here at Blessed Sacrament was the recent survey. Comments on that will be communicated soon.

Parishioners can download English and Spanish versions of the Parish Planning Guide in PDF and Microsoft Word formats from the archdiocesan website: http://www.archny.org/pastoral/parish-planning