Preamble

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church . . .”  (Matthew 16:18)

Using these words, Jesus founded one Church, to be inherited through all generations, to carry on His ministry.  As a people and institution—as heirs of the one Church—St. John Neumann Parish is appointed to this mission. In the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry, the gentle spirituality of St. Francis de Sales, and the lives of other holy men and women of the Church, we receive many examples to guide our apostleship. There are acts and teachings that call us to  fellowship, reverence, spiritual development, good works, and conscious regard for God’s generosity. These tenets of Catholic life underpin our parish mission and form the five pillars of our Pastoral Plan: Community, Worship, Formation, Stewardship, and Outreach.

This Parish Plan sets forth our strategic direction and objectives for 2021-24.  It renews the commitments made in the 2017-20 Plan to the five pillars and establishes new objectives under each to drive our Parish forward and meet the challenges of our time. Input from the members of St. John Neumann—gained through a parish-wide survey, engagement sessions, and other dialogue—was integral to the molding of this new Plan. It helped us to identify areas where our parish is vibrant and strong, as well as opportunities for us to more fully respond to Jesus’ summons of us into His harvest.

In addition to establishing objectives for 2021-24, this Plan also commends us to values that cross the five pillars of our Parish.

• Awareness of the ministries offered at St. John Neumann.
• Conscious engagement of parishioners, especially those who may feel overlooked.
•  Appreciation for volunteers, as well as attention to recruiting and retaining these vital partners in ministry.
•  Continuous development of parishioners to succeed into leadership roles.
•  Sensitivity in all of our words and actions.

As we continue serving as apostles of Jesus under this Parish Plan, may we be inspired by the teaching of St. Francis de Sales: “We must do all by love, and nothing by force.”