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Dear
Friends in Christ,
As you may know, in the past months listening sessions
have been held throughout the Diocese and hundreds of
surveys with suggestions, challenges, and best practices
in transmitting our faith were received, reviewed, and
evaluated.
As your Shepherd, I have heard God’s Word resonating
in your words. In my role of chief evangelizer and teacher,
it is my joyful and loving duty to issue and invite your
participation in this Pastoral Plan for Evangelization,
entitled Following in the Footsteps of Christ.
This Plan is rooted in the faith of the Church and the
joyful determination to share the faith with those who
are seeking to deepen their commitment to Christ, with
those whose faith has grown cold, and with those who have
little or no faith at all.
This Pastoral Plan is a major, five-year initiative that
outlines the priorities and focus for evangelization and
catechesis within our Diocese. Because there are so many
needs and challenges, it is necessary to strategically
focus, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, on some key
areas.
The plan has three main pillars based on the mission of
the Church: to proclaim God’s Word, to celebrate
the Sacraments, and to exercise the ministry of charity.
Out of these pillars comes the focus of the Pastoral Plan
on five priorities: the Centrality of the Liturgy, Cultivating
Family & Life, Inspiring Youth, the Faith Formation
of Adults, and Serving in Charity.
Following in the Footsteps of Christ is a planning tool
for the 87 diverse parishes in our Diocese. All parishes
are invited to make this plan their own, applying it to
their various situations. The Plan will ignite and come
to life by our prayers and commitment to the evangelizing
mission of the Church. The implementation of the Plan
reflects and actualizes God’s call to collaborative
work among clergy, religious and laity.
This is a grace-filled opportunity for us, as a diocesan
family of faith, to respond to the guidance of the Holy
Spirit, leading us to grow in friendship with the Lord
Jesus and one another, as we strive to imitate Christ
and to bear witness in our lives to His transforming love. |
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Come, follow in the footsteps of Christ!
Faithfully in Christ, |
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Most Reverend William
E. Lori
Bishop of Bridgeport |
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