FOUNDATIONS FOR A FLOURISHING FUTURE

Remade for Mission 2025: Now is the time to go out in the world and proclaim the ‘Good News’

The Church exists for mission: to proclaim Christ and bring His love to the world. From the earliest disciples to our own parishes, the call has never changed — “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). Yet in our time, we face new realities: fewer people practicing the faith, shifting demographics and resources stretched thin. If we remain turned inward, focused only on maintaining what we have, we risk becoming detached from the very people Christ sends us to serve. This is our chance to step back and reflect upon how well we are spreading the Gospel through encounter, relationships and personally sharing our faith with everyone we meet. 

We must take an honest look at ourselves: Are we primarily maintaining buildings and programs, or are we reaching the searching, the struggling and those on the margins? Have we settled into comfort, or are we willing to step into the missionary life of the Gospel? These questions are not meant to discourage us, but to awaken us. They reveal where the Holy Spirit is calling us to grow.

A flourishing future will not be built on nostalgia, but on renewal rooted in mission. To move forward, parishes must shift from maintenance to mission, from being sanctuaries for insiders to launchpads for discipleship. This requires openness to new ways of organizing, courage to re-examine assumptions and faith that God provides what is needed for His work.

We take hope in knowing that Christ has not abandoned His Church. The same Spirit who emboldened the apostles now calls us to reimagine parish life for the 21st century. With honesty, humility and courage, we can create parishes that are vibrant centers of evangelization, community and service. Our future is not one of decline, but of transformation — if we remain faithful to the mission entrusted to us. This is a time for all of us to go out into the world and proclaim the “Good News.”

Navigating difficult decisions: Reimagining and realigning our resources

True stewardship requires both courage and compassion. Every parish holds resources — people, finances and buildings — entrusted to us by God for the sake of the Gospel. When these are stretched thin, we must ask hard questions: Are our resources serving mission, or merely preserving structures? Is our energy focused on spreading Christ’s love, or maintaining what no longer bears fruit?

Honesty demands that we recognize the challenges before us: aging facilities, fewer clergy, limited funds and changing demographics. These are not failures, but realities calling us to discernment. The work of restructuring is not a business decision; it is an act of faithfulness. It requires us to listen to one another, to weigh every choice in prayer, and to keep the most vulnerable among us at the center of our care.

Redeployment of resources may mean reimagining how parishes collaborate, sharing leadership and ministries, or consolidating buildings to free energy for mission. Such decisions are painful, yet they can open the door to new vitality. A parish that lets go of excess structures gains freedom to serve the poor, to form disciples and to reach those who feel far from God.

Through prayerful discernment and honest conversation, what first feels like loss can become renewal. We are not called to preserve institutions for their own sake, but to steward them for mission. With God’s grace, even difficult choices can be transformed into opportunities to grow as communities of faith that shine as true beacons of hope.

Strategic planning as a spiritual discipline

Planning for the future of our parishes is not simply management — it is mission. Strategic planning becomes a spiritual discipline when it is rooted in prayer, discernment and alignment with the Gospel. Every resource — time, money, buildings and ministries — must be examined through one question: Does this help us proclaim Christ and make disciples?

Honesty requires us to look closely at how our parishes function. Are our ministries reaching new people? Do our finances reflect priorities of evangelization and service? Are our buildings serving the mission, or are they draining resources? These questions are not about cutting for efficiency, but about realigning all we do with the call of Christ.

Hope arises when we see planning as a chance to imagine boldly. A parish can identify concrete goals: increasing youth engagement, strengthening outreach, expanding small-group discipleship, or deepening prayer. Plans become pathways for renewal when they are realistic, measurable and reviewed often, not static documents that gather dust.

When we approach planning as faith-filled stewardship, it unites the community. Parishioners gain clarity on the mission, trust in leadership, and confidence that every sacrifice is directed toward the greater good of the Gospel. In this way, planning is transformed from a burden into a source of energy, focus and hope.

Listening to the community: Becoming a parish for others

To be a true beacon of hope, the Church must listen deeply to the people around it. Mission demands that we understand not only those in the pews, but also the searching, the struggling and the forgotten in our neighborhoods. A parish that listens becomes a parish that loves.

We must be honest: too often we assume we know what people need. In reality, many in our communities feel distant from the Church, even as they hunger for meaning, belonging and hope. If we remain closed in on ourselves, our plans risk being out of touch and our mission ineffective. Listening requires humility — to learn from civic leaders, schools, nonprofits and especially from the poor and marginalized.

Hope takes root when listening leads to encounter. Community partnerships, presence at local events and intentional outreach allow the Church to meet people where they are. When a parish hears the cries of the poor, supports families and accompanies the lonely, it proclaims Christ as surely as in word or sacrament.

Such engagement does not dilute the mission; it deepens it. By seeing Christ in every person, the parish becomes a living sign of God’s love in the world. When we listen well, we are transformed alongside the communities we serve, becoming a Church that people recognize as a source of hope, mercy and renewal.

Proposing a path forward: Faithful stewardship and renewal

The work of renewal must lead somewhere. After prayer, assessment and listening, parishes are called to propose concrete steps forward — plans that are both honest and hopeful. These proposals are not business reports but expressions of faith: they show how we will use God’s gifts to advance the Gospel and build up the Body of Christ.

An honest proposal acknowledges strengths and challenges alike. It highlights the gifts of the community — committed parishioners, vibrant ministries, strong traditions — while naming the obstacles: finances, facilities or declining numbers. Transparency builds trust and invites everyone to share responsibility for the future.

A hopeful proposal casts vision. It shows how restructured ministries, shared leadership, or new outreach can create parishes that are more vibrant, sustainable and mission-driven. It addresses risks realistically, yet presents them with courage, reminding us that the Spirit leads the Church through every trial.

Above all, these proposals are acts of stewardship. They offer our plans back to God through the Bishop’s discernment and blessing, trusting that the Spirit will confirm and guide the path forward. In this way, the process itself becomes a witness: a community of faith, prayerfully united, stepping into the future with hope and confidence in Christ.

Implementation: Turning vision into action

A vision without action remains only words. Once a parish has prayed, discerned and planned, the next step is to put faith into motion. Implementation is where renewal takes root in daily life.

Honesty requires us to admit that even the best plans falter if they are not carried out with consistency and accountability. Too often, parishes stop at the stage of discussion or drafting documents. True transformation demands that leaders and parishioners alike embrace their roles in bringing change to life. This includes setting timelines, assigning responsibilities and reviewing progress regularly.

Hope is found in remembering that implementation is not a burden carried alone. The Holy Spirit empowers us and God equips His people with diverse gifts. When tasks are shared broadly — among clergy, staff and lay leaders — implementation becomes a collective witness of faith in action. Small steps, faithfully taken, build momentum and confidence.

Implementation is never perfect, but even partial progress can be grace-filled. By starting where we are, committing to steady follow-through, and celebrating each sign of growth, parishes show that renewal is not just a dream, but a lived reality in the service of Christ’s mission.

Leadership for mission: Coworkers in the vineyard — clergy and laity together

Mission-focused parishes require leaders who serve with vision, humility and courage. Leadership is not confined to the pastor alone but shared among clergy and laity working together in Christ.

We must honestly acknowledge the pressures facing today’s leaders: fewer priests, heavier workloads and complex parish needs. Many clergy feel stretched thin and many lay leaders feel underprepared or underutilized. Renewal cannot happen if leadership remains isolated or overwhelmed.

Hope is found in recognizing the richness of shared leadership. The Spirit gives gifts to all the baptized and parishes thrive when those gifts are called forth. A culture of co-responsibility — where clergy, staff and parishioners collaborate in discernment and ministry — frees pastors to focus on sacramental and spiritual leadership while empowering lay leaders to extend the mission outward.

This shared approach mirrors the early Church, where apostles and disciples worked side by side. By cultivating trust, offering formation and encouraging diverse voices, parishes embody a leadership model that is sustainable and mission-driven. In this way, the Church becomes a community of disciples on mission together, guided by shepherds but strengthened by the whole flock.

Sustaining renewal: Evaluation and adaptation

Renewal is not a one-time effort; it is a way of life. Just as discipleship requires daily conversion, parishes must continually reflect, evaluate and adapt in order to remain faithful to their mission.

Honesty asks us to measure not only what we do, but how effectively it bears fruit. Are ministries making disciples? Are outreach efforts reaching the poor and marginalized? Are financial and human resources being used wisely? Without evaluation, we risk slipping back into patterns of maintenance and losing sight of our missionary call.

Hope lies in a culture of learning. Regular reviews, parishioner feedback and transparent reporting build accountability and trust. Adjustments — whether small course corrections or major shifts — are signs not of failure but of faithfulness, showing that the parish is responsive to the Spirit and the needs of its people.

When evaluation becomes a normal rhythm of parish life, renewal is sustained across years, not just seasons. This ongoing process ensures that parishes remain vibrant, outward-facing and anchored in mission. The goal is not perfection, but perseverance — trusting that Christ continually renews His Church when we remain open to His leading.

A future of hope: Embracing change as God’s gift

The journey of renewal is not easy. Change can be painful and letting go of the familiar often stirs grief and resistance. Yet at the heart of Christian life is the promise that death leads to resurrection and endings open the way to new beginnings.

We must honestly name the struggle: buildings may close, ministries may be restructured, and long-standing traditions may evolve. These losses are real. But they are not the end of the story. God is at work, even in what feels uncertain, preparing His people for greater fruitfulness.

Hope shines when we see change as a gift. Each step of transformation brings us closer to being the Church Christ calls us to be: a Church for the poor, for the seeker, for the margins and for the world. The Spirit is already guiding us into a future where parishes are vibrant hubs of faith, service and evangelization.

Our task is to walk forward in trust, rooted in prayer and united in mission. With courage, humility and confidence in Christ’s promise, we can embrace change not as a threat but as an invitation — a call to become, more than ever, a people of hope for our communities and for the world.

Becoming beacons of hope

The journey we have undertaken calls each parish to face reality with honesty and to walk forward with courage. We have named our challenges — declining numbers, limited resources and shifting cultural landscapes. Yet through every page, one truth shines clear: God has not abandoned His Church. The mission remains the same and the Spirit continues to guide us.

Our task is to embrace renewal as disciples. This means re-centering parish life on the Gospel, stewarding resources with faith, listening deeply to our communities and making decisions with both courage and compassion. It means leadership that is shared, planning that is prayerful and evaluation that keeps us faithful to our mission.

The way ahead is not without sacrifice. Some buildings may close, structures may change and traditions may evolve. But every act of letting go makes space for something new — ministries that reach the lost, communities that serve the poor and parishes that shine as lights of Christ’s love.

Hope is our anchor. Christ promised, “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). With this assurance, we can look to the future with confidence, knowing that transformation is not only possible, but already unfolding. Together, we are being remade for mission — called to be not just maintainers of the past, but builders of a flourishing future.

Our parishes, renewed and outward-facing, can truly become beacons of hope — signs of God’s presence in our neighborhoods, sources of light for the weary and places where the Good News is lived and proclaimed. This is the Church Christ calls us to be, and with faith, courage and love, it is the Church we will become.

Father Brian Kelly is Vicar for the Promotion of Integral Parish Development.