The following information is taken from the archdiocesan strategic plan.
Under the Strategic Plan, all the faithful are called to renew their commitment to lifelong faith formation. The plan also recognizes the need for ongoing formation for faith formation leaders and catechists. Toward this end the Strategic Plan calls on parishes to collaborate with one another in order to provide the best faith formation programming possible.
While some parishes might retain a standalone faith formation program for elementary students, others might consider a shared program. Not only are leaders asked to review program content and form regularly to ensure compliance with the Archdiocesan Religion Standards, they are also asked to follow the guidelines noted in the National Directory for Catechesis and the General Directory for Catechesis.
Parishes are encouraged to work together to meet the needs of adult faith formation and to make better use of existing faith formation resources. Two important initiatives that should be utilized more fully in parishes are Early Catholic Family Life and All in God’s Plan, two age-appropriate programs offered by the archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family, and Life.
Special attention to youth
Special consideration will also need to be given to youth in the years ahead. The Archdiocese is developing several initiatives to help young people continue to grow in their faith after Confirmation.
Recognizing the good work already being done in a number of parishes, these initiatives will take a regional approach with the aim to bring young people together with their peers across the Archdiocese for formation and worship.
Fortunately, several nationally recognized Catholic youth organizations reside within the Archdiocese and efforts are already underway to engage these entities to consider partnerships to meet the faith formation needs of this important age group.
Youth and young adults are the future of our Church and more intentional outreach to them is necessary to realize the mission of the Church.
To realize this needed outreach, the Archdiocese will establish an Archdiocesan Youth Ministry Advisory Committee and finalize its regional programmatic opportunities by June 1, 2011.
