Why do we need “All Things New”?
We all know that the Church of today is not the same that it was 50, 100 or 150+ years ago, and yet we are still functioning in many ways out of the same mode of evangelization. We have inherited a great treasure of Catholic institutions from previous generations, but as the Catholic population and society have shifted over the past several decades, they are no longer as effective or sustainable as they once were.
We are closer now to 2050 than to 1950. We need to ask ourselves what our parishes, ministries and institutions need to look like in order to effectively share the faith in a way that is suitable and sustainable for our children and generations to come.
All Things New will evaluate the effectiveness of the Church in St. Louis in proclaiming the Gospel and will identify opportunities for improvement and renewal within all parishes, schools and curia offices and agencies.
A Renewed Church
Gospel renewal in our parishes, schools, and other ministry efforts
A Renewed Mission
Enhance our evangelization efforts to those on the margins of society
A Vibrant Future
Secure a vibrant future for the Church of St. Louis
A multi-year process that will impact the archdiocese for the next 75 years.
All Catholics are urged to pray and offer their feedback about the future of the archdiocese, rooted in our encounter with the Lord and desire to share the Good News with others. The plan will focus on the Church’s efforts to evangelize, with infrastructure considerations secondary.
It All Starts With Prayer
Heavenly Father, you sent your Son Jesus as the first Evangelizer of the Good News.
Send forth the power of the Holy Spirit upon the Church of St. Louis and grant us the gift of true discernment so we may do your will in all things.
Help us be totally free to follow wherever you lead us, totally generous to be good stewards of your many gifts, and totally passionate to suffer all in order to be more closely united to you.
Commissioned by your Son and empowered by the Spirit to “Go and Make Disciples of all Nations,” strengthen us by the power of your grace as we bring the Good News of Salvation into the lives of all those we touch, so that individual hearts and all of society may be converted to you and all things might be made new.
Inspired by the apostolic zeal of previous generations, as we begin the process of planning for the future, may our only desire be to do all things for the greater glory and honor of your name and for the good of your people in the Archdiocese of St. Louis.
Through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
It’s a Process of Listening and Responding
Guiding Texts
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I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, the old order has passed away.”
The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.”
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I dream of a “missionary option”, that is, a missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation.
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For the Church, evangelizing means bringing the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new: "Now I am making the whole of creation new." But there is no new humanity if there are not first of all new persons renewed by Baptism and by lives lived according to the Gospel.
Proposed Timeline
Strategic Pastoral Planning Initiative for the Archdiocese of St. Louis
The proposed timeline of All Things New is expected to include two years of prayer, discernment and planning, including collecting data and feedback on all aspects within the archdiocese.
