Ninth General Synod - Archdiocese of New Orleans

Encountering Jesus, Witnessing with Joy

As a result of the work of the people of the Archdiocese and the Synod participants, over the next several years the Archdiocese of New Orleans is committed to these priorities and goals:
1. Form Welcoming Communities Who Celebrate Our Unity in Diversity

➤ Dedicate renewed attention and resources from the archdiocese to enhance parish liturgies with more engaging preaching and music, offering an atmosphere of hospitality and welcome to people of all backgrounds and cultures.

➤ Engage the disengaged in the life of the Church, including those who feel alienated, those who have been hurt and those who do not feel they are effectively cared for in the Body of Christ.

➤ Hold an annual Family, Food and Faith Fest to celebrate our unity in diversity as the people of God.

➤ Pilot a ministry in several parishes in which parishioners go out two-by-two in a spirit of evangelization, visiting every household and inviting people into a deeper life of faith.

➤ Establish a team to provide mall ministry and ministry in other public venues, inviting and welcoming people to the Church.

2. Embrace Christ in Every Family, Parish and Ministry

➤ Implement formal opportunities in families, parishes, and ministries for people to develop a prayer life that will lead to a deeper embrace of Christ.

➤ Expand parish opportunities to encounter Christ through Bible studies, multi-generational faith formation events and occasions to reflect upon one’s spiritual growth.

➤ Increase the availability and catechesis of the sacrament of reconciliation.

➤ Develop a process to measure the effectiveness of religious education in our Catholic schools and parish schools of religion.

3. Minister to Families, Youth and Young Adults

➤ Increase the number of parishes being served by qualified and compensated religious education directors, youth ministers and family life ministers.

➤ Increase the number of young adults and single adults engaged in the life of the Church at the parish and deanery levels.

➤ Strengthen and support couples through all stages of marriage by offering mentorship, marriage enrichment and marriage and family counseling.

➤ Reach out with compassion to the divorced and the children of the divorced who feel alienated from the Church.

4. Prepare Servant Leaders for the Church

➤ Nurture awareness within families of God’s call to holiness and the need to put our gifts at the service of the community.

➤ Identify 1-2 potential lay leaders in each parish annually and support their formation as servant leaders for the Church.

➤ Identify 1-2 candidates for the priesthood, the diaconate and consecrated life in each parish annually and support their discernment.

➤ Increase African-American, Hispanic and Asian-Pacific candidates to the priesthood, the diaconate, consecrated life as well as lay ecclesial ministry.

5. Be a Voice and Witness for Catholic Social Teaching

➤ Enable all parishes, Catholic schools, parish schools of religion and archdiocesan ministries to engage in formal dialogue and interaction to address racism throughout the archdiocese.

➤ Ensure that the archdiocese is a voice and witness in upholding the dignity of human life through education and advocacy regarding all pro-life issues.

➤ Establish in all parishes an organized ministry to the poor among us and address other issues of social justice.

➤ Use the prophetic voice of the archdiocese in the areas of criminal justice, immigration reform and human trafficking.

The Archdiocese of New Orleans is committed to:

➤ Using available resources – human and financial – to implement the unifying vision, priorities and goals;

➤ Assessing our facilities in order to ensure the appropriate use of all available resources;

➤ Ensuring Catholic education is accessible to our families as we implement the Office of Catholic Schools’ Strategic Plan.