Diocesan Pastoral Plan listening sessions to continue through January

Friday, Dec. 26, 2014

SALT LAKE CITY — During the 2014 Diocese of Salt Lake City Pastoral Congress, Bishop John C. Wester announced the kickoff of the diocesan Pastoral Plan. He asked all Catholics in the diocese to assist him in “Charting Our Course” for the future. 

“To ensure the excellence of the Pastoral Plan, it is vital to hear from all Catholics in our diocese,” Bishop Wester said as he encouraged everyone to attend a listening session that would gather information about the priorities that people have for the Church in Utah. 

Those who were unable to attend a listening session were asked to complete a survey that was available online or on paper through the Intermountain Catholic or from their local parish.

Because of requests for additional listening sessions, the Pastoral Plan Steering Committee has arranged to provide them for pastors who request them before Jan. 31. The session may be in either English or Spanish. Already one additional Spanish listening session is scheduled, on Jan. 8, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, 6-7:30 p.m.

If other listening sessions are scheduled, they will be announced in the Around the Diocese section of this newspaper and on the Pastoral Plan website, prayerfulplanning.com.

Two-page questionnaires to help prepare for the listening sessions are available on the website prayerfulplanning.com or can be requested from your parish. Questionnaires will also be available at the listening session.

The survey, which is for those unable to attend a listening session, takes about 20 minutes to complete. It is available online through the prayerfulplanning.com website. A copy can also be requested from your parish. Completed paper surveys may be returned to your parish or mailed directly to The Diocese of Salt Lake City, Attn: Susan Northway; 27 C St., Salt Lake City, Utah 84103.

Bishop Wester encourages all members of the diocese of confirmation age and older to participate in the diocesan pastoral planning process. He also asks that you also pray for the success of our planning as we continue “Charting Our Course” into the future.