Pastral Challenge #1: Wrksheets fr Parish Gals and Actin Steps Please nte: One Wrksheet must be cmpleted fr each pastral challenge t be addressed. A. Pastral Challenge t be addressed: Catechesis and Educatin Evangelizatin Liturgy and Wrship Family Life Leadership B. Ratinale fr Chsing this Pririty Area: At its essence, the health and future success f the Church depends n a strng family unit. Withut a healthy fundatin f parents and children, it is nt pssible fr the Church t cntinue its missin t educate the future members f the values and mrals the Cathlic Church is based n. In ur parish, we see a vibrant CCD prgram yet ur cncern is that the parents f many f the CCD children are nt setting a prper example fr their sns and daughters. There is a discnnect between cming t class and actually living the faith which shuld be set by example. Parents just ging thrugh the mtin f driving and cllecting the children frm Religius instructin while nt discussing and reinfrcing the faith they are being taught results in the yung peple ging thrugh the mtins viewing CCD as an bligatin as ppsed t an pprtunity t learn the wnderful aspects f ur Christian Faith. We fear that nce the sacraments are achieved, we cannt cunt n the children t practice their faith by attending Mass when their parents are nt setting the prper example. Yu need t win ver the parents (especially the Mms) if yu hpe t influence the yung. It is fr this reasn that we have chsen an emphasis n Family life as a key challenge we as a parish wish t address. C. Statement f the First Gal t be achieved: St Paul plans t emphasize t the parents f ur parish yungsters hw critically imprtant it is t set the prper example first and fremst at hme where the prepnderance f a child s learning takes place and where parents are the first and mst imprtant teachers f the faith t their children. Our gal is t inspire and renew a sense f passin and purpse twards ur faith fr all the parish families. Actin Step# 1 t achieve the Gal: As a cmmunity f believers with a strng faith and regard fr the spiritual grwth f ur parish, we will strive t bring the families tgether t fster a sense f belnging. Our utreach will g beynd encuraging family attendance at Sunday Mass. We plan t develp prgrams where the families f 2 P age
the parish can get tgether t develp friendships and hpefully begin t appreciate the imprtance f setting a gd example fr their children encuraging them t make the Parish Cmmunity a part f their lives bth spiritually as well as scially. Sme f the ideas t facilitate this gal are:: As a new initiative this year we will have a scial/spiritual meeting with parents f the Cnfirmatin Class (58 teens scheduled t be cnfirmed fr 2016). This infrmal gathering will be hsted in ne f the parents hme n the same Sunday night that the teens will have their Cnfirmatin retreat. We have revised the CCD schedule t facilitate family Sunday Mass participatin; Beginning in Sept. we are instituting a regularly scheduled Cffee scial after Mass; Peridic parish dinners with the gal f fstering familiarity amngst the cmmunity (knwing each ther n a first name basis). Targeting married cuples fr fellwship events and peridic discussin f faith-based tpics; Taking the pprtunity thrugh Fr. Les s hmilies t emphasize the imprtance f giving witness t while expressing and defending their faith with passin, in rder t regularly reinfrce the value and purpse that faith plays as a critically imprtant tl fr life. Summary Infrmatin fr Actin Step #1 t achieve First Gal: Timeline fr cmpletin : 1-2 years Respnsible persn/task Frce: The Pastral Planning cmmittee will be respnsible and the grup will slicit additinal vlunteers t be invlved in the different prgrams we will institute. Dicesan Office assisting (if any): at this time. we d nt cntemplate needing Dicesan assistance Prjected Csts (if any): until we develp a budget, csts invlved are hard t quantify. Since mst f these prgrams invlve a time cmmitment f the cmmittee and vlunteers, we anticipate the csts t be manageable. 3 P age
Pastral Challenge #2: Wrksheets fr Parish Gals and Actin Steps Please nte: One Wrksheet must be cmpleted fr each pastral challenge t be addressed. A. Pastral Challenge t be addressed: Evangelizatin alngside Catechesis and Educatin. Family Life Leadership Liturgy and Wrship B. Ratinale fr Chsing this Pririty Area: We believe that part and parcel f fstering a better life fr the families f parishiners is an utreach frm St Paul as a faith cmmunity t bring the Gd News f the Gspel and reinfrce the message f the Gspel t all ur members. Evangelizing cmbined with Catechesis and Faith based educatin by setting an example as gd Christians ges a lng way t fstering a better Family life. As such, we feel these tw cmbined challenges are inextricable. If we can raise the level f cnsciusness amngst the faithful t lead the lives ur Lrd has laid ut fr us in the Gspels we are perfrming a necessary and wrthwhile task t encurage a deeper awareness f ur Cathlic Faith at the adult level and by such example, enjy the dividends f such behavir with their yung families. C. Statement f the Secnd Gal t be achieved: The cmmittee will strive t create prgrams t fster an evangelical message reinfrced with educatin and Catechesis withut an utward signal t frcibly cnvert thse whse faith is faltering r in dubt. 4 P age
a. Actin Step# 1 t achieve Secnd Gal: Akin t the steps we prpse t take t encurage a healthier spiritual family life, ur effrts t encurage mre scializatin (with a gal f Catechesis and Evangelizatin)will have the added bjective f demnstrating the lives gd Cathlics shuld be fllwing. Sme f the ideas the cmmittee discussed and we will try and implement are: Speaker series n tpics bth Spiritual and Secular. We have already scheduled Matthew Kelly a well knwn and charismatic speaker t hld a ne day Missin at ur parish next Spring. This event will be pen t the wider Dicesan audience. Sme Additinal ideas fr a speaker: pr-life/cathlic perspective n stem-cells advances explanatin f the new Cannical nrms regarding the annulment prcess by a Tribunal judge. Institutin f a First Friday Mass fllwed by Expsitin f the Blessed Sacrament and Benedictin A Miraculus Medal Nvena First Saturday f the Mnth Rsary in Church; A Hly Hur n a weekly r mnthly basis Cnsider participatin in the Walking with Purpse Prgram fr ur female parishiners Cnsider wrking with the Leginaries f Christ wh have a charism fr wrking with yuth and families, and are particularly excellent at attracting peple t cnfessin. This will facilitate a spiritual directin. Hst a Ministry Fair t encurage new Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectrs, Catechists, Ushers Summary Infrmatin fr Actin Step #1 t achieve Secnd Gal: Timeline fr cmpletin: 1-2 years Respnsible persn/task Frce: Cmmittee t initiate with vlunteers as needed Dicesan Office assisting (if any): N dicesan help necessary Prjected Csts (if any): Need t be devised after the prgrams are started. 5 P age
Tempralities and Administrative Challenge: Wrksheets fr Parish Gals and Actin Steps Please nte: One Wrksheet must be cmpleted fr each tempralities challenge t be addressed A. Tempralities and Administrative Challenge t be addressed: Buildings and Facilities Finances Cmmunity Life B. Ratinale fr Chsing this Pririty Area: The Church recently celebrated 45 years in its current lcatin (cnsecrated April 18, 1971). There were and cntinue t be a number f Capital Imprvement prjects that need t be cnsidered. We have made sme repairs t the Rectry (new rf and Windws), and undertk a repaving f the main Church parking lt and driveways. C. Statement f the Third Gal: T address the physical needs f the Church and its facilities. a. Actin Step# 1 t achieve Third Gal: We are in the midst f btaining apprval t replace the rf f the Church. This, like the parking lt, is a majr undertaking. We have a meeting with Building Cmmittee scheduled fr Sept. 21 st. We plan t paint the Church upn cmpletin f the new rf We plan t purchase a new Sund System with imprved acustics t vercme the challenges f a rund building with n sund absrbing surfaces. We plan t cnvert the rtunda in the back f the Church int a cry rm by installing speakers, chairs and/r benches, and replacing the wden drs with glass. Our HVAC system cntinues t shw signs f its age. We need t be prepared t replace it at sme pint in the future. Like the repaving f he parking lt and the new rf, this will be a significant expenditure. 6 P age
Summary Infrmatin fr Actin Step #1 t achieve Third Gal: Timeline fr cmpletin: 6 t 9 mnths except fr the HVAC system. Respnsible persn/task Frce: The pastr will lead the cntractr / vendr selectin calling upn the assistance, inputs and advice f his Parish and Finance Cuncils. Dicesan Office assisting (if any): we may need authrizatin fr large spends and referrals fr vendrs with whm the Dicese has experience. Prjected Csts (if any): mderate t significant fr which we will generate funds internally We recently submitted ur Parish budget. Optinal Questin: 1. If yu had the ability t respnd t a third pastral challenge, which wuld yu chse and why? Enhancing cmmunity life ties in t the 2 challenges we have selected. A healthy, strng and practive parish cmmunity will allw us t address the challenge f Family Life, Evangelizatin and Catechesis /Educatin. We are already blessed with an excellent track recrd f vlunteerism as we implement the charisms f ur Cathlic Faith. As an additinal respnse twards an utreach t cmmunity life, we are in the midst f taking n additinal vlunteers t assist with acts f charity in respnse t Ppe Francis s call fr a Year f Mercy in cperatin with Dn Bsc Center in neighbring Prt Chester, N.Y. 7 P age