Introduction

Just last year, the Diocese of Colorado Springs celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary of serving all of the communities in the ten counties in the heart of Colorado. As we launch our new five-year pastoral plan, Living the Mission, Transforming the Culture, Catholics in the diocese are re-committing to proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and building up the Kingdom of God. With God’s grace, we, the people of the Diocese of Colorado Springs strive to answer His call and continue the good works of those who have come before us. In Novo Millennio Ineunte (NMI), released at the beginning of the new millennium, Pope John Paul II challenged the Church to proclaim the Gospel with new resolve and in new ways, rooted in Christ’s promise, “And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20)

“Conscious of the risen Lord’s presence among us, we ask ourselves today
the same question put to Peter in Jerusalem immediately after his Pentecost
speech: ‘What are we to do?’” (Acts 2:37)

Our Holy Father reminds us that,

“It is not…a matter of inventing a new program. The program already exists.
It is the plan found in the Gospel and in the living tradition…But it must be
translated into pastoral initiatives adapted to the circumstances of each
community.” (NMI 29)

"It is in the local churches that the specific features of a detailed pastoral plan
can be identified – goals and methods, formation and enrichment of the people
involved, the search for the necessary resources – which will enable the procla-
mation of Christ to reach people, mold communities, and have a deep and
incisive influence in bringing Gospel values to bear in society and culture."
(NMI 29)

The Vision for the diocese is clear. We are called to transform our society, imbuing it with the Christian values that will speak to the emptiness and longing in each person’s heart. The members of the laity need to be the agents of change in this effort. It is their vocation to “seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God’s will.” (LG 31) So it is with renewed zeal that we seek the guidance of the Spirit for the local church of the Diocese of Colorado Springs, answering the call of Christ to “make disciples of all nations.” (Mt. 28:19)

Current Reality

The Diocesan Vision Statement calls us as the Church to make a difference in the world; now is the time to cooperate with God’s grace and to live a radical witness of our faith.

“And even with everyone working together, we will fail if we
rely on our own strength; it is only through God’s grace and
power that we can transform ourselves, our institutions, and
our world. We are responsible to carry God’s message to a
broken world so that His vision can be realized. Each local
Church is called to be a vibrant center of Catholic life in order
to transform the culture of our ten counties. Priests, deacons,
consecrated persons, and laity must pray and work together to
bring hope to the world. We must also look for every opportunity
to partner in ecumenical efforts to evangelize the secular
culture.”

In order to do this effectively, we need to know what we are facing, both within the Church and outside the Church in the communities that make up our parish and diocesan boundaries. Toward this end, we have done scans for information, both internal and external, to gather as much data as we can about our current reality and to be able to identify, as a Diocesan Church, the challenges we face and the opportunities open to us.

Introduction to Goals and Objectives for Pastoral Planning

God has called us to a particular place in a particular time to build up His Kingdom. No one else will do it if we don’t. No one else has the opportunity or the grace to transform the communities within our local Church to reflect the Presence of Christ with His love and Truth. In order to do this, we must learn what mission means, how to live it out, and who needs our presence, our attention, and our resources. It is God Himself who reveals these to us; we must have “ears to hear and eyes to see.” (cf. Mt. 11:15)

The goals and objectives that follow are the result of extensive and ongoing consultation within our diocese. The consultation began with our presbyterate and other pastoral leaders, those called to minister in our parishes, schools, hospitals, hospices, and every place to which God calls them. The Deans, Diocesan Pastoral Council and its Subcommittee on Planning, parish pastoral councils and parish staffs, laity across the diocese, along with the Presbyteral Council, Volunteer Planning Consultants, and Chancery offices were instrumental in the plan’s development. Through articles about the developing plan in The Colorado Catholic Herald, our diocesan newspaper, and invitations to contribute suggestions for goal areas, everyone in the diocese had an opportunity to contribute to the final product. Time and again the goal areas that follow were raised as areas of concern, of priority, and of hope. The plan reflects, in every way, the sensus fidelium of the people of the Diocese of Colorado Springs in our time. Therefore, it is truly our responsibility to ensure its successful implementation.

Each of the six Diocesan Goals is primarily coordinated by a specific office at the Chancery. These are:

• Evangelization for Discipleship.............................Office of Total Catholic Education

• Faith Formation......................................................Office of Total Catholic Education

• Stewardship as a Way of Life........................Office of Stewardship and Development

• Sacramental, Devotional, and Prayer Life............................................Bishop’s Office

• Marriage and Family Life.....................................Office of Marriage and Family Life

• Vocations to the Priesthood, Consecrated Life, and the Diaconate......Bishop’s Office

To continue reading the complete Pastoral Plan click here to download  the booklet in PDF format.