A special prayer to be used during the Archdiocese of Louisville’s pastoral planning process asks God to “inspire us to be good stewards” of the gifts entrusted to the local church and to “keep us focused on your mission.”
“We hope this is a practice that reminds everybody that this is about the spiritual work of the church,” said Dr. Brian B. Reynolds, chancellor and chief administrative officer, in a recent interview. “Whether a parish is affected by this process or not, we should all be praying through this process together.”
The year-and-a-half-long planning process will study the best way to “address the evolving needs within our local church,” according to the planning documents.
“The prayer is a way to engage the parishioners across the archdiocese — in all of the parishes — in asking for guidance from the Holy Spirit as we move through these months of planning.”
— Dr. Brian B. Reynolds, chancellor and chief administrative officer
The process began in May in parishes. Between now and August, parishes are asked to prepare quantitative reports that outline parish statistics and qualitative reports that identify strengths and challenges facing the parish.
“It’s essential that the parish planning process engages the faithful as we determine how best to address some of the challenges we’re facing as a local church,” Reynolds said. “The prayer is a way to engage the parishioners across the archdiocese — in all of the parishes — in asking for guidance from the Holy Spirit as we move through these months of planning.”
Reynolds said the prayer, “roots the process in prayerful discernment as opposed to just analysis and planning.”
“We’re encouraging priests to consider a variety of ways to use it,” he said. “It can be used at meetings, shared in the bulletin; it could occasionally be used at Mass. When parishes have meetings about the process, they will use the prayer. It will engage the faithful in praying the same intention.”
Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre “has been very clear,” Reynolds added. Parish planning “recommendations should be made at the local level, and this prayer begins at the local level.”
The Pastoral Planning Prayer was written by Dr. Karen Shadle, director of the Office of Worship.
See the prayer below or download it here.
