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We, members of the Roman Catholic Church of New Orleans,
formed by the teaching and traditions of our faith,
seek to know, love and serve God:
- by carrying out the mission of our archdiocese
- by implementing a pastoral plan based on long term
goals and objectives
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 effective communication with our sisters
and brothers in every region of the Archdiocese of New
Orleans. We also promise to be responsible stewards
of the human and financial resources entrusted to our
care.
Archdiocese
of New Orleans
Strategic Planning Steering Committee
Mission Statement
Archdiocese of New Orleans
As the Roman Catholic Church in the Greater New Orleans
area, we are a people of many cultures. While
drawing from the richness of our diversity, we are one
family with a divine calling to worship God together
in the Eucharistic assembly and to carry the Good News
of Jesus Christ from that holy gathering to all people
of every creed and race.
With the leadership of our Archbishop, we rejoice
in our long tradition as we begin our third century
as an Archdiocese and the third millennium of Christianity.
Anointed and nourished by the Sacraments and guided
by the Holy Spirit, we live and proclaim the challenging
and healing Word, we promote justice for all, and serve
as wise stewards of the earth.
We recommit ourselves to growth in the life of faith
to follow with new fervor Our Savior’s way of holiness,
and to carry on His work by inviting others to taste
and see the goodness of the Lord.
We strive to build the peaceful kingdom, while longing
to join all God’s children in the perfect peace
of heaven.
Goals
• EVANGELIZATION: That we strengthen our commitment
to evangelizing, educating and forming Catholics of
all ages in the beliefs, traditions and truths of the
Roman Catholic faith so that we might live and share
the Good News of Jesus Christ with all people.
• WORSHIP: That we help all people to experience
more fully the forgiving and transforming love of our
Lord Jesus Christ expressed in the Eucharist, other
forms of sacramental worship and personal prayer.
• VOCATIONS: That we
promote a true appreciation for our universal call to
holiness rooted in Baptism and encourage vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, consecrated life, marriage and single
life even as we foster clergy renewal and develop models
of lay leadership in the Church.
• SOCIAL CONCERNS: That we promote social justice
and peace for all based on our respect for the sanctity
of life and the dignity of each human person.
• STEWARDSHIP: That we develop a Gospel appreciation
of Christian discipleship through formation, education
and the promotion of the sharing of our God-given gifts
including time, talent and financial resources.
Goal I: Evangelization
That we strengthen our commitment to evangelizing,
educating and forming Catholics of all ages in the beliefs,
traditions and truths of the Roman Catholic faith so
that we might live and share the Good News of Jesus
Christ with all people.
Objective 1. To strengthen Catholic elementary
and secondary schools as instruments of evangelization
by conducting a needs assessment and developing a comprehensive
five-year plan to address these needs.
Timeline: Appoint Steering Committee Fall 2004; conduct
needs assessment 2005; develop and implement plan
2006
- Since the establishment of this objective, The
Office of Catholic Schools (OCS) named Fr. William
Maestri as Superintendent of Schools, replacing Dr.
Rene Coman who retired. During the search to replace
Dr. Coman, many focus groups were held and data collected
to assess the needs of the school system. Therefore,
much of the needs assessment is complete. New initiatives
to have all schools SACS accredited and to use standards
based education models are being introduced across
the system. OCS is also implementing Catholic Identity
Standards. These standards will provide a uniform
format by grade level in the religion curriculum to
make sure that all students in Catholic schools receive
good catechetical training.
- Fr. Neal McDermott, Executive Director for Christian
Formation, is in the process of choosing members of
the steering committee to formulate a complete five
year plan.
Objective 2. To ensure that people of all ages
are offered substantive, lifelong religious education
centering on the person of Jesus Christ and his loving
call to conversion by continuing to assess the catechetical
needs of the Archdiocese and by selecting textbooks
and programs that are judged to be in conformity with
the Catechism of the Catholic Church and appropriate
for various ages and circumstances, including guides
for the home and workplace.
Timeline: On-going
- The Religious Education Office (ORE) recently named
Mrs. Carole Obrokta as its new director. Since her
arrival, ORE has begun reviewing textbooks and religious
teaching materials for the Institute of Catechetics
& Spirituality to develop uniform outlines and
course curriculum standards. She is also piloting
the use of a new series of books in several schools.
- ORE has been working with the Family Life Office
to develop a media literacy program to counter all
of the negative images from the secular media. This
program will address two main objectives: support
of marriage and family and evangelization in the home
and workplace.
- ORE is promoting the Archbishop's current pastoral
theme (see Goal 4, Objective 1) by distributing educational
materials to parish and schools on Life Issues.
Objective 3. To expand and enhance the number
of youth ministry programs available at the parish and
deanery levels and increase outreach to young adults
in the Archdiocese.
Timeline: 2005
- The Youth Ministry Office (YMO) also recently hired
a new director, John Smestad. YMO recently held a
very successful World Youth Day event on 10/31/04
that was attended by 1,300 young people from around
the area. Evaluation of the day was terrific and participation
was a slight increase from the previous year. He maintains
a very active calendar of events with many youth programs.
- John intends to do a "state of union"
survey to the parish to find out if they have a youth
program, if the leader is paid or volunteer, if the
leader has had any training, etc. He feels that in
many cases the parishes are unaware or unwilling to
take advantage of the services that the YMO can offer
to help with a youth program and he sees it as his
job to publicize his office's mission. His vision
involves YMO becoming a clearing house for information
about programs and training and hiring of youth ministers.
He feels strongly that Parish Youth Ministers should
be paid (even if by stipend only) and should be certified.
He also feels that if he is successful in increasing
and enhancing programs, he will need additional budget
funding to support additional staff. Currently his
office is given subsidy from the Archdiocese, but
relies on fundraising to support some of his budget.
Objective 4. To develop concrete ways of serving
the needs and profiting by the gifts of the different
ethnic and multi-cultural communities in our Archdiocese
by conducting a needs assessment in the Hispanic, Asian
and African-American communities and developing a five
year plan to address those needs.
Timeline: Appoint Steering Committee Fall, 2004;
conduct needs assessment 2005; develop and implement
plan 2006.
- Fr. Joe Palermo, Executive Director of Pastoral
Services is working with the Hispanic, Asian and African-American
Communities to assess the specific needs of these
groups.
- The Hispanic Apostolate recently completed a survey
throughout all of the predominantly Hispanic parishes.
They received 925 responses from the community. A
Coordinating Committee is beginning to meet this month
to review the data and begin forming a plan. This
community is very active and vocal with several forums
including the Hispanic Apostolate (lead by Martin
Gutirrez), Mensaje, Hispanic Pastoral Council, Hispanic
Priests Group and Renovacion. One issue that is being
debated is whether to ask to establish a "Hispanic
National Parish".
- The Asian Community (largely represented by the
25,000 Vietnamese Catholics in the area) has a completely
separate culture. The laity awaits direction from
the clergy and tends not to respond to requests for
information or surveys. Younger Vietnamese have assimilated
into American culture very well and want mass and
sacraments administered in English. Some older Vietnamese
are very resistant to this type of change. Fr. Palermo
has initiated a dialogue with Vietnamese priests and
they will continue to meet to try to address the needs
of this community.
- The African-American Community (numbering nearly
100,000 in this area) is active with the Office of
Black Catholics Advisory Board that includes clergy,
laity and religious members. There are 42 parishes
with ministries directed toward black Catholics. On
10/11/04 and 11/17/04, there were meetings of priests
serving the black community to discuss the three main
objectives of the National Black Catholic Congress.
These objectives are: evangelization, education and
youth ministry. The local group has added social concerns
as a fourth objective. They are forming a local steering
committee to make a plan after coming to a consensus
on the objectives. An issue that must be resolved
within the community is the extent to which African
culture influences worship and faith.
Objective 5. To invite those on the margin of
Church faith and life to reencounter the Lord and His
Church by developing outreach programs at the deanery
and parish levels.
Timeline: Summer, 2005
- At the 10/14/04 Priests Council and the 11/2/04
Council of Deans meeting, Fr.
Joe Palermo discussed the need to form a coordinating
committee to discuss possible programs. He will move
forward in forming the committee and plans in 2005.
Goal II: Worship
That we help all people to experience more fully
the forgiving and transforming love of our Lord Jesus
Christ expressed in the Eucharist, other forms of sacramental
worship and personal prayer.
Objective 1. To facilitate more effective homilies
and the celebration of more reverent and engaging Eucharistic
liturgies by offering clergy and liturgical ministers
ongoing formation on aspects of the liturgy through
a series of workshops.
Timeline: Determine needs '04; create a calendar
for workshops and engage speakers spring '05; first
workshop Fall '05
- The Office of Worship in collaboration with the
Office of Continuing Formation for Priests held a
2 day workshop on homiletics on 11/4/04 and 11/5/04.
Additional workshops will be scheduled in 2005.
Objective 2. To help the faithful experience God's
forgiving love in the Sacrament of Reconciliation
by encouraging reception of the sacrament on a more
frequent basis by signaling availability of the sacrament
and scheduling more and extended time periods for
regular penance as well as seasonal penance services
on both the parish and deanery levels, and at parish
missions, retreats and days of recollection.
Timeline: Begin Advent '04
- The Office of Continuing Formation for Priests
in collaboration with the Office of Worship has developed
seasonal penance services for Advent and Lent that
are made available to parishes and schools.
- Msgr. Terry Becnel, Executive Director of the Department
of Clergy, has communicated with priests (in writing
and verbally) the need to make confession more accessible.
He has also emphasized that confessions should not
be heard during mass.
Objective 3. To assist people to deepen their
relationship with God and experience the Lord's love
by continuing to encourage family and personal prayer
and providing existing and newly developed opportunities
to experience Eucharistic Adoration.
Timeline: 2004
- A detailed 12 month program for the celebration
of the "Year of Eucharist" is underway and
is being coordinated by ORE. The program which runs
from 10/04 through 10/05 includes education components
and many opportunities for Eucharistic Adoration at
both new and existing events.
- Willwoods offered a Day of Reflection on the Eucharist
for priests and deacons with approximately 150 in
attendance.
Goal III: Vocations
That we promote a true appreciation for our universal
call to holiness rooted in Baptism and encourage vocations
to the priesthood, diaconate, consecrated life, marriage
and single life even as we foster clergy renewal and
develop models of lay leadership in the Church.
Objective 1. To strengthen vocations to the
priesthood, permanent diaconate, consecrated life and
lay ministry by:
Timeline: Fall, '04
- Developing a "culture of vocation" and
a program of active personal invitation that can support
the efforts of the Archdioceseand Vocation Directors
of Religious Congregations in their efforts to increase
vocations to the priesthood, diaconate and consecrated
life.
- Fr. Luis Rodriguez was named as the Director of
the Vocations Office over the summer. A meeting was
held with representatives from the Vocations Office,
Office of Permanent Diaconate, Office of the Religious
and Youth Ministry to begin discussion of action steps.
Vocation Directors of Religious Congregations had
a meeting with representatives from the Office of
the Religious, Youth Ministry, Family Life, Theology
on Tap, Religious Education to surface ways to collaborate
in developing the culture. The Office of Religious
Education is beginning work to develop a curriculum
on vocations to be used by religion teachers in the
schools. More development of a program will occur
in 2005.
- On Jan. 18, 2005 representatives from the Vocations
Office, Youth Ministry, Family Life and Religious
Education are meeting to plan a course on Vocations
for teachers and parents to be offered through the
Institute of Catechetics and Spirituality.
- Developing a support system that provides ministry
affirmation and assistance for all archdiocesan priests
and deacons, and for all religious order priests serving
in parishes of the Archdiocese.
Timeline: Spring '05
- There are several programs that are being used
to support and affirm priests. There are informal
support groups with peers and monthly book discussions.
The Office of the Clergy strongly recommends that
all priests seek Spiritual Direction through a trained
advisor. Also, recently the parish visitation program
was implemented. Through this program a bishop visits
a parish for several days to evaluate how the parish
is operating and see what supports a pastor may need.
All parishes in the Archdiocese will be visited by
a bishop over the next five years.
- A pilot program has been initiated in our Archdiocese
to assist pastors in the development of best practice
leadership and management skills. Initial evaluations
by the pastors have been good, so it is hoped that
all pastors will be able to participate in this program
over the next few years.
- Encouraging development of lay leaders who can
facilitate the administration of parishes and archdiocesan
offices by creating an Archdiocesan training program.
Timeline: Jun '05
- In the first quarter of 2005, a parish survey will
be conducted by the Vicar General and Finance Office
to collect data about the use of both deacons and
lay persons in parish business manager positions.
With this data, the Finance Office will look at how
several successful parishes are using deacons and
/ or lay persons for this purpose. Goal is to develop
a uniform training model that can be offered as a
class to all parishes.
Objective 2. To strengthen the vocation of marriage
by offering new programs and enhancing existing programs
of preparation and enrichment for engaged and married
couples.
Timeline: Begin Fall, 2004
- Family Life Office worked on new statewide marriage
guidelines that are
currently awaiting the bishops' approval. Four Family
Life Staff members took a course this fall on "Theology
of the Body" at Notre Dame Seminary. Priests
will be trained on state marriage guidelines and "Theology
of the Body" in 2005, including a Feb. 2005 workshop
conducted by Fr. Jose Lavastida. Jan and Lloyd Tate
have recently produced a guide book for marriage preparation
which will be workshopped in April, 2005.
Objective 3: To awaken an appreciation for the
vocation to the single life by providing programs and
services that support single people.
Timeline: Begin Jan, 2005
- Family Life has had preliminary discussions, but
has no concrete plan as of yet. The office is still
supporting Theology on Tap which targets many young
single people. It is also promoting a Vocation Prayer
for use in schools; this prayer includes the single
life as a vocation.
Goal IV: Social Concerns
That we promote social justice and peace for all
based on our respect for the sanctity of life and the
dignity of each human person.
Objective 1. To publish an annual pastoral letter
on Catholic Social Teaching with accompanying processes
for reflection and discussion in parishes, schools and
archdiocesan offices. Suggested topics include: respect
for life, poverty, abuse and discrimination whether
it be racial, cultural or gender.
Timeline: Annually beginning in 2005
- Archbishop Hughes chose "Respect Life"
as his first topic for his pastoral letter. His pastoral
letter was the assimilation of several columns and
it was published as a booklet. It was widely distributed
to parishes and schools. It is supported by a series
of thirteen DVDs on the topics that are ideal for
classroom use in high schools. Archbishop Hughes and
Fr. Maestri also produced "Respecting the Gift
of Life" which is still being aired on WLAE -
TV.
- Archbishop Hughes is currently seeking consultation
and input for his second pastoral letter topic: racism.
Catholic Charities Office of Justice and Peace will
provide significant support with this topic.
Objective 2. To respond to the most pressing
needs of the poor and vulnerable of the community by
conducting a needs assessment and drafting a comprehensive
five-year plan to address these needs.
Timeline: Conduct assessment 2005; develop and implement
plan 2006
- In speaking with Sr. Anthony Barczykowski, Director
of Community Services, there are numerous studies
available from external sources including, United
Way and Census Data, regarding the needs of our community.
Representatives of Catholic Charities participated
in the recent "Poverty Summit" held by the
governor and shared information at the state level.
The data we need is available. However, Catholic Charities
is considering holding focus groups in different geographic
areas within the Archdiocese to assess location specific
issues. They would like to partner with a university,
possibly Delgado, to help organize and present the
data. Delgado receives funding to educate & develop
programs for the underserved population so they appear
to be a logical choice.
- The key to using this data to improve services
will be to continue to foster partnerships and collaboration
with other social service groups to make sure that
we are meeting needs and creating efficiencies. Therefore,
Sr. Anthony is considering the formation of a "steering
committee" to evaluate the data available and
formulate the plan of action. The committee will have
representation from the Archdiocese, Catholic Charities
and many community social service groups and activists.
Goal V: Stewardship
That we develop a Gospel appreciation of Christian
discipleship through formation, education and the promotion
of the sharing of our God-given gifts including time,
talent and financial resources.
Objective 1. To teach stewardship as a way of
life that inspires all members of the Catholic community
to develop and share their God-given gifts and talents
by developing a stewardship model that can be introduced
in a series of stewardship conferences for clergy and
laity.
Timeline: Begin planning conferences Fall '04
- Deacon Jerry Martinez, Director of Stewardship,
is planning a Good Steward Awareness Day for clergy
and laity to be held in Spring, 2005. This day will
include a key-note speaker and break-out sessions
regarding educating others, reaching out to youth,
etc. After evaluating this format, he will move forward
with planning additional events.
Objective 2. To establish a Stewardship Committee
for the Archdiocese of New Orleans that can review,
evaluate and make recommendations on the pastoral and
financial viability of programs on the archdiocesan
and parish levels.
Timeline: Develop process 2004; begin review 2005
- Bishop Morin, John Eckholdt and Terri North will
be meeting in January to develop a defined role and
guidelines for evaluation to be used by the Stewardship
Committee. They will also develop a recommended membership
listing for the Archbishop's approval. They are expected
to present a plan to the Administrative Council in
February, 2005.
Objective 3. To plan for a comprehensive evaluation
of the immediate and long range funding needs of the
Archdiocese.
Timeline: Assess needs 2005. Develop and implement
plan to address 2006
- Terri North and the Finance Office are developing
a survey form to be used to assess the needs at all
parishes, schools and programs. This survey will be
conducted in the first quarter of 2005.
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