Chancery, Curia and parish collaboration and integration isa hallmark of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan

Laura Keener

Editor

Some people develop plans and after the plan is put on paper, shove it in a drawer and never look at it again, said Deacon Jim Fortner, chief operating officer, Diocese of Covington. But, that’s not what’s happening in the Diocese of Covington.

After a year of listening sessions, focus groups and diocesan-wide surveys, which began in October 2022 and continued through April 2023, the Diocese of Covington is now releasing to the public its three-year Pastoral Plan. The Pastoral Plan includes a summary of the Diocese’s priorities and goals. The Diocesan Pastoral Plan can be found on page #.

Additionally, ever parish in the diocese used the same data to develop a three-year parish pastoral plan. The parish plans, like the diocesan plan, is comprised of data-driven priorities and goals. A summary of each Parish Pastoral Plan is included in the digital version of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan, which can be found online at www.covdio.org.

Last fall, Bishop John Iffert presented the Diocesan Pastoral Plan to the presbyterate, who affirmed its content. The Curia has been operating under the plan for nearly a year. Deacon Fortner said that there was even a need — the development of a formation program for deacon aspirants — uncovered by the Focus Groups that was so urgent that action was taken without the initiative making it into the Pastoral Plan.

“It was really critical for us to get this done in May,” said Deacon Fortner about the deacon aspirant program, as the next class of deacon aspirants was scheduled to begin in August. “If we had missed the deadline, it would be two years before another class of aspirants would begin,” he said, noting that the timeline for deacon formation is done in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.

The entire pastoral planning process has been led by the Catholic Leadership Institute and Deacon Fortner. During the process two groups — made up of Sisters from local religious communities and parish lay leaders — has been organized. The first group, the Planning Commission, attended the listening sessions and focus groups and reviewed the survey data. Their work was completed in May 2023 when they identified and recommended to Bishop Iffert three priorities for the diocesan pastoral plan. A team of Curia staff then completed the plan by adding goals, strategies, action items and goal dates.

The second group, the Core Team, is meeting quarterly to help keep implementation of the plan on track and to offer feedback.

The three priorities of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan are: Ongoing Faith Formation, Evangelization and Leadership Development. The most strategic part of the plan, Deacon Fortner said, is the integration and collaboration between the Chancery, Curia and parishes that is lifting and moving together the entire Diocese.

Examples of this can be seen by parts of the plan that have already been implemented. First was the hiring of a diocesan Youth Minister to help lead and guide youth ministry. Another is the Diocesan partnership with Catechetical Institute of Franciscan University, with the Diocese making the entire library of Franciscan At Home catechetical workshops available at no charge to every parish and every parishioner.

The Catholic Leadership Institute is leading the leadership development part of the plan. Its programs are also being made available at no cost to the diocese, parishes or participants, thanks to a group of anonymous benefactors. These trainings, too, began immediately.

Leadership development starts with priests and the Good Leaders, Good Shepherds initiative. A first group of 20 priests and Bishop Iffert completed training in June 2024. Immediately following the priest training, 38 Curia and parish staff who work directly with these priests began in August Tending the Talents training, a program similar in content to Good Leaders, Good Shepherds. This first Tending the Talents cohort will conclude in December. A second cohort of priests will begin Good Leaders, Good Shepherds training in April 2025, and Cohort 2 of Tending the Talents will also be held in 2025.

Additionally, pastors were asked to identify and invite parish leaders to attend Parish Missionary Disciples training. A first cohort of 60 concluded training in April 2024 and a second cohort will begin February 2025. All these trainings integrate Chancery, Curia and parish leaders sitting and learning together side-by-side.

Another important collaboration between the Chancery, Curia and parishes has been the continuation, reestablishment or establishment of Professional Learning Communities. These communities of parish secretaries, business managers, principals, media coordinators, youth ministers and directors and coordinators of religious education meet regularly to learn and share best practices. Some, like the principals and parish secretaries, have been meeting for years. Others, like the media coordinators, just getting started. All are being tasked to look at ways they can be a true learning community and not just a group that meets.

“All of these roles we are working with as a collective team to share ideas, share best practices,” said Deacon Fortner. “We are wired into parish life in a much more collaborative way. This is going to be an ongoing process.”

For the complete Diocesan Pastoral Plan that includes summaries of Parish Pastoral Plans visit www.covdio.org