IN THIS PRIORITY, WE AIM TO:

• Become Stronger in Faith. The gift of faith, given to us by the Holy Spirit, is deepened within us through prayerful meditation on the Sacred Scripture, and, above all, by encountering the living God, who is the object of our faith, as He gives Himself to us in the Sacraments.

• Celebrate Joyfully in Hope. Confident that God always fulfills and exceeds His promises to His people, and to each of His children, our hope in His goodness and in eternal life is strengthened by encountering Christ in Word and Sacrament,2 a “foretaste and promise of the paschal feast of Heaven.” 3

• Serve in Charity. Washing the feet of the Apostles, having given His Body and Blood to them as food and drink, Christ the Lord inseparably linked His gift of the Eucharist to service. The greatest of all gifts, the Eucharist, impels us to serve our brothers and sisters, in imitation of Christ’s self-sacrificial love.4

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1 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC).
2 Cf. SC, no. 8.
3 Cf. Roman Missal, Preface of Sundays in Ordinary Time VI.
4 “In the Church’s Liturgy, in her prayer, in the living community of believers, we experience the love of God, we perceive his presence and we thus learn to recognize that presence in our daily lives. He has loved us first and he continues to do so; we too, then, can respond with love” DCE, no. 17.

1. Inviting all the faithful to grow in the life of Christ they received in Baptism, deepening its meaning and consequences for their daily life, 5 and asking the Holy Spirit to make Christ more present in our lives.
   
2. Centering the Pastoral Plan in the Eucharistic Liturgy, since the celebration of the Mass is the source and summit of the Church’s strength and mission. 6
   
3. Offering opportunities to grow in love and reverence for the Real Presence of the Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist.
   
4. Fostering a greater knowledge of the Lord through the prayerful reading of Sacred Scripture 7 so as to enter more fully into the Liturgy of the Word.
   
5. Encouraging the frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
   
6. Encouraging the joyful and reverent celebration of the Eucharist through a faithful implementation of the Church’s liturgical renewal and on-going reform, supported by the Office of Divine Worship, mindful that faithfulness to liturgical norms “quietly but eloquently” demonstrates a powerful love for Christ. 8
   
7. Listening and responding to the universal call to holiness 9 so as to actively participate in the evangelizing mission of the Church, in the parish and beyond, announcing Christ to everyone (cf. Mark 16:15).
   
8. Inviting all to a deeper encounter with the Lord through prayer 10 and commit to live a consistently Christian life, privately and publicly, through an ongoing conversion process. 11
   
9. Encouraging a deeper understanding of Mary’s role in the life of the Church and in each one of us 12 and promoting popular devotions to her and to the saints.
   
   

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   5 Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), nos. 1262-1274.
   6 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium (LG), no. 11.
   7 Cf. Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum, no. 25.
   8 Cf. JOHN PAUL II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, no. 52. cf. also CONGREGATION FOR DIVINE WORSHIP AND THE DISCIPLE OF THE SACRAMENTS, Instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, April 23, 2004.
   9 Cf. LG, nos. 39-42.
   10 Cf. NMI, no. 33.
   11 Cf. EN, no. 10.
   12 Cf. LG, nos. 52-69.
   

1. Through the Office of Divine Worship, assisting the parishes in order to strengthen their liturgical life. Educating the faithful in a deeper appreciation of the Mass and inviting them to a “full, conscious and active” 13 participation in the Liturgy through seminars, workshops, and the availability of sound resources.
2. Developing a truer sense of communion within the Diocese, seeing ourselves as one body in Christ by offering mutual support and collaboration, fostering involvement in diocesan events, enhancing ongoing communication, resource sharing, and inter-parish activities.
3. Offering the Saint Augustine Lecture Series on the Eucharist, Sacred Scripture, the Virgin Mary, ongoing conversion, and other related topics, 14 as well as offering educational resources for homilies on these topics.
4. Encouraging devotion to the Blessed Sacrament by offering opportunities for Eucharistic adoration prior to Saint Augustine Lecture Series, youth rallies, and other diocesan events.
5. Organizing workshops for the formation of those serving in the liturgical celebrations of the parish, especially for lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and cantors.
6. Providing workshops and training for parishioners to go out and share the Good News beyond their parishes, preparing them to invite people to participate in the process of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA). 15
7. Evaluating and strengthening the RCIA and the adult Confirmation process. Offering workshops for leaders and retreats for participants, providing them with excellent materials and resources for use in parish programs.
8. Organizing a prayer campaign for the Pastoral Plan, asking for the assistance of the Holy Spirit for the pastoral priorities and inviting all to pray for the evangelizing mission of the Church in Fairfield County.
   
   

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   13 Cf. SC, no. 14.
   14 Cf. related strategy in the priority Enhancing Adult Formation, diocesan strategy no. 2.
   15 Cf. related strategy in the priority Enhancing Adult Formation, parish strategy no. 6.

   
   

1. Educating parishioners on the importance of the Mass as the source and summit of the Christian life,16 and teaching the significance of the parts of the Mass through talks, workshops, study groups, and other means. 17
2. Creating a consistently open and welcoming environment in our parishes, encouraging opportunities for prayer, such us Adoration chapels, Holy Hours, Rosaries, and other devotions; promoting participation in pilgrimages and retreats.
3. Teaching parishioners to develop a life of prayer (cf. Thessalonians 5:17) and fostering the Liturgy of the Hours among the laity.
4. Offering Sacred Scripture studies for different age groups.
5. Organizing spiritual activities that help parishioners to internalize, live, and celebrate the mystery of Christ throughout the liturgical seasons such as Lenten and Advent lectures, prayer services in the parish, or devotions that can be done at home.
6. Encouraging parishioners to participate more frequently in the Sacrament of Reconciliation by teaching and preaching about its spiritual fruits and especially, by offering it at more convenient times.
7. Offering talks and resources on the Eucharist, Sacred Scripture, ongoing Conversion, baptismal vocation, reconciliation, and other topics for the spiritual enrichment of the parishioners and to increase their consciousness of the call to evangelize in their parish and beyond.18
8. Encouraging parishioners to participate as well in the Pastoral Plan by praying for greater evangelization and enthusiasm in the Diocese.
   
   
   

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   16 Cf. LG, no. 11.
   17 Catechesis on the Liturgy must not interrupt the celebration of the Mass itself. Explanations about the significance, parts, and history of the Mass, its prayers, vestments, and vessels could take prior to Mass.
   18 Cf. related strategy in the priority Enhancing Adult Formation, parish strategy no. 1.