In the late summer of 2003, Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes announced that the Archdiocese of New Orleans would embark on a process of strategic, pastoral planning to set the future direction of the archdiocese. This process includes:

• Appointment of a Steering Committee to oversee the process. Members include clergy, religious and laity representing the demographic, geographic and ethnic diversity of the archdiocese;
• Information gathering through personal interviews, mail surveys, web surveys and listening sessions;
• Goal-setting in accordance with the Mission Statement of the Archdiocese, to guide the actions of the archdiocese;
• Selection of subcommittee members to create Objectives and Action Steps to fulfill the goals drafted by the Steering Committee, and
• Development and implementation of specific, measurable Action Steps and Accountability

To date, several major objectives in this planning process have been accomplished.

Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes has appointed a Steering Committee made up of 15 lay and clergy members from across the archdiocese. Michael Flick and the Rev. Msgr. Andrew Taormina serve as the co-chairs of the committee. Archbishop Hughes and Bishop Roger P. Morin serve as ex officio members of the committee. The committee also includes:

The work of the Steering Committee is supported by Terri North, Strategic Planning Coordinator, John Eckholdt, Chief Financial Officer of the Archdiocese, James Kelly, CEO of Catholic Charities, and Peter Quirk, Executive Director of Catholic Foundation. The process is led by RSI Catholic Services Group of Dallas, Texas.

The first action of the Steering Committee was to listen to the people of the archdiocese. During the months of October and November, persons from all regions of the archdiocese were invited to give their opinion regarding the strengths, weakness, opportunities, threats and priorities of the archdiocese. A number of venues were provided, including personal interviews, mail surveys, web surveys through the archdiocesan website, and eight listening sessions held throughout the archdiocese. By the middle of November, the Steering Committee received input from 651 persons.

During a 2-day retreat in December of 2003, the Steering Committee reviewed all of the data collected and identified 145 key issues to be addressed in the strategic planning process. These key issues, in alphabetical order, include:

	Administrative Support for Pastors
	Communications
	Evangelization
	Faith Education of adults, youth & children
	Financial Support for Catholic Schools
	Lay leadership development
	Ministry to youth
	Multi-cultural ministry (especially Hispanic)
	Renewal of Catholic identity/spiritual renewal
	Sex Abuse Scandal
	Social outreach
	Spanish speaking priests and Spanish teaching materials
	Stewardship education and finances
	Tensions between city and suburbs
	Vocations, clergy renewal & deacon formation

Once these key issues were discussed, the Steering Committee drafted long range goals to guide the planning process. The following is intended as a “working draft” that can guide committee members in the development of specific objectives, action steps and accountability for the archdiocesan strategic plan

As we seek to provide direction for this historic local church in our third century as an Archdiocese and the third millennium of Christianity, we dedicate ourselves to open and effective communication with our sisters and brothers in every region of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

After listening to members of the Archdiocese in multiple settings, we seek to know, love and serve God by:

	Discerning God's will,
	Carrying out the mission of our archdiocese, and
	Developing a Pastoral Plan.

With the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we have identified the following long-range goals -- That in all things God may be glorified.

Currently, a sub-committee is being appointed to focus on each goal area. In February, the Steering Committee and sub-committee members will come together to begin creating specific objectives and actions steps to support each goal. This process of developing objectives will continue at the sub-committee level through February, March and April. The work process will include feedback and dialogue with the appropriate areas of the archdiocese. The steering committee will convene at various times during this period to receive reports from the sub-committees. It is intended that a recommendation of the strategic plan with accompanying goals and objectives be made to Archbishop Hughes by the end of June 2004.