Introduction
The Archdiocese of Omaha accomplishes and ensures that the work and mission of Jesus is carried out through effective pastoral planning which respects the rich history of parishes and schools, imagining new possibilities and providing a vision for vital parishes and schools going forward.
The Promise 2020 pastoral plan is the result of a prayerful and open process that seeks to strengthen the Church, ensuring it will have all the vitality possible to be effective in our contemporary times.
Promise 2020 focuses on 34 parishes and 14 schools in East Omaha. The overall objective of the planning process has been to:
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Guide the Archdiocese and parishes through long-term strategic decisions that will reenergize and revitalize parishes so they are thriving and vital institutions successfully carrying on effective ministry into the future. |
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Make change over time to align the structures and models for parishes with the future needs of the community served. |
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Ensure for the long term that Catholic schools will deliver a quality education, be affordable for the parishes who support them and accessible to the families who come to them. |
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Be good stewards of temporal resources: facilities, finances, and personnel. |
The process to produce the Promise 2020 involved extensive data gathering, listening to parish and school leaders, presentation of key findings, deliberation on strategic questions, presenting proposals, soliciting feedback, and then refining proposals to become the recommended plan. The process took from August 2011 to May 2012. Many lay leaders were involved along with pastors, principals, and parish staff members. A Parish Steering Committee and a School Steering Committee comprised of local lay leaders and clergy were created to formulate proposals, gather feedback, study possibilities, and put forth a plan. The process was facilitated by Meitler Consultants of Milwaukee, WI.
It is understood as a pre-requisite for the plan to be implemented that any recommendations for significant changes in parish structures are not pre-determined but will need to have their own process of canonical consultation in accord with the universal law of the Roman Catholic Church.
Please click the Promise 2020 plan link to read the plan in its entirety.
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