Pastoral Planning Process

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SYNOD ON SYNODALITY

Synodal Process

The Opening Celebration

The Synod on Synodality started in 2021 and was originally a two-year process. Officially known as “Synod 2021-2023: For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission,” it is a process that allows bishops to consult with all Catholics and with people beyond the Church in a spirit of collaboration and openness.

Most Reverend Bishop Miehm celebrated the Mass at the Cathedral of St. Peter-in-Chains on October 17, 2021, to launch the synodal process in the Diocese. This celebration rooted the synod in prayer, sacrament, and community. At the same time, Bishop Miehm extended an invitation to the clergy, Religious, and faithful to participate in the conversation through a video.

The Local / National Stage

The Diocese reached out as widely as possible to ensure that parishioners as well as those distanced from the Church or people from other faiths could participate in the synodal conversation. About 4000+ people participated online or in person. Whether the respondents are currently engaged with the Church or distanced from it, making the effort to respond to the synod questions reflected a deep personally-held connection with the Roman Catholic faith tradition.

There are three reports from the Synodal Process. The first is a Diocesan synthesis reflecting the input of people to the Diocese of Peterborough. The second is a provincial report developed by the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario (ACBO) from the Diocesan synthesis documents. And the third is a national report developed by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops from the four regional syntheses.

The Continental Stage

Continental Phase - "Enlarge the space of your tent." (Isaiah 54:2)

The next phase of the synodal process involves the development of a “Document for the Continental Phase” by the General Secretariat of the Synod in Rome.

North American Final Document for the Continental Stage

The Universal Stage

The synodal process will conclude with the Synod of Bishops in Rome in the fall of 2023.

The "Instrumentum Laboris" (working document) for the first session of the Synod has been released!

TRANSFORMING OUR LIVES; BUILDING OUR CHURCH

To learn more about the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Process from 2019-2023, please click the link below:

DIOCESAN PASTORAL PLANNING PROCESS

The timing of the Synod on Synodality coincided locally with the re-energizing of a Diocesan Pastoral Planning Process for the Diocese of Peterborough. The Diocesan Pastoral Planning Committee decided to bring together the two processes and to optimize the feedback from the clergy and the faithful for both purposes – the synodal process and the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Process. In April of 2022, an infographic entitled, What Are We Hearing, was released as an interim report to collect the feedback being received through the parishes and online.

What Are We Hearing, April, 2022

After the publication of the Diocesan Synthesis, an online survey entitled, Now what?, was released in the summer. The purpose of the survey was to allow respondents reading the Diocesan Synthesis to identify priorities and next steps.

Now what? - Online Survey Results

Six draft goals for the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Process were formulated.

To reach out and engage all people with the message of the Gospel.
To be an inviting and welcoming Church that fosters community.
To offer well-prepared Liturgies that promote prayer and participation
To be a Church engaged in ministry and mission.
To engage in responsible stewardship of God’s gifts for the present and future.
To be a Church that nurtures reconciliation, healing and mercy.

In the Fall of 2022, four Deanery meetings were held to discuss strategies to achieve these goals. Then the parish teams from the Deanery meetings came together at a Diocesan gathering to review the goals and to provide input for the next steps.

On January 11, 2023, the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Committee reviewed the five input summaries referenced above and a framework for the Diocesan Pastoral Plan was formulated. Now the work of writing and formatting begins with an expected publication date of Easter, 2023 in mind.

PRAYER

Diocesan Pastoral Planning Committee Members

These are the people who have served or continue to serve as members of the Diocesan Pastoral Planning Committee:

Most Reverend Bishop Miehm, Chair of the Committee
Msgr. Michael Heffernan, Vicar General, Diocesan Finance Council member
Jeannie Armstrong, Superintendent of Special Education and Faith/Equity, Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board
Fr. Gerard McMahon then Fr. Craig Cruikshank, Dean of the Southern Deanery
Fr. Ron Meyer then Fr. Joseph Devereaux, Dean of Central Deanery
Fr. Randy Foster, Dean of the City Deanery
Deacon Sean Gallagher
Anne Higgins, Southern Deanery layperson
Kathie Hogan. Northern Deanery layperson
Joanne Hough, Catholic Lay Organization Member, Past President CWL
Helena Lessard, Diocesan President of the Catholic Women's League / Central Deanery layperson
Fr. Tom Lynch, Priest and Principal of Sacred Heart College
Sr. Eileen McManus CSJ, Religious
Deb McRae, Director of Finance, Property, and Administration, Diocesan Finance Council member
Michael Nasello, Collaborative Consultation Resource
Fr. Jerry Tavares, Resource for Parishes
Deirdre Thomas, Assistant to the Bishop / Communications
Fr. Neil Campbell then Fr. Roy Villas, Dean of the Northern Deanery
Dr. Peter Dawson then Jacob Sullivan, City Deanery layperson

PASTORAL PLAN