In December 2024, Bishop Marshall invited all to participate in a pastoral plan initiative “of prayer, dialogue, and discernment in which we can open our eyes to a new vision for the Church here in Central Louisiana.” We have named this process “Together as One Church: Embracing a Future of Hope.” Each parish and mission …
In December 2024, Bishop Marshall invited all to participate in a pastoral plan initiative “of prayer, dialogue, and discernment in which we can open our eyes to a new vision for the Church here in Central Louisiana.” We have named this process “Together as One Church: Embracing a Future of Hope.”
Each parish and mission was asked to reflect upon strengths of their church community, the challenges that confront it and then to imagine how we might more effectively respond to Christ’s call to spread his message of Good News. The goal is to form a sustainable structure of vibrant, mission-driven parishes, schools, and ministries.
Since last December, the diocese has conducted several periods of “listening” and “planning area information” sessions where our church communities could come together and share with one another our hopes, dreams, needs and our struggles in an effort to embrace this future of hope.
As of today, the process continues, no final decisions have been made yet. In his initial communication about the pastoral plan initiative, Bishop stated we will be challenged to seek out and welcome others and to walk together, hand-in-hand, into this future of hope. From the many sessions conducted, we can see that we are still being challenged to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in this journey of discernment and recommit ourselves in creating a vibrant, mission-driven Church that witnesses the love of Christ to all. It is truly a walk through the desert.
During this process the diocese has had the wonderful support and assistance of Catholic Leadership Institute who has partnered with 184 dioceses and archdioceses in the United States, Canada and beyond. Our CLI team member is a very experienced consultant who helped our pastoral plan core team take on this tremendously overwhelming work.
Spread over thirteen civil parishes, the Diocese of Alexandria has a very small Catholic population, ranking 168 out of 193 in the United States. Through this process we have focused on the main challenges our diocese faces in the future: fewer priestly vocations and a declining population. These same issues have affected almost every diocese in the country. Fostering vocations and actively participating in evangelization is something every one of us can do.
The diocese has ten men in priestly formation. These men will continue their own personal journey of discernment and we ask for your prayers for them. Only one of them will be ordained to the transitional diaconate this January and then be eligible to take his priestly vows next summer. In 2027, we hope to have two more men ordained to the priesthood, and we hope to increase the number of seminarians.
In contrast, we will be faced with four priests eligible for retirement in 2026 and another three in 2027. Though the efforts of our parish vocation committees are bearing fruit, it will be some time before we can report a “net gain” in the number of priests. Our parishes must become centers of evangelization which is the work of every Catholic – not just the work of the priest.
To view more information please visit Diocese of Alexandria’s Pastoral Plan “Together as One Church: Embracing a Future of Hope”
