“It is always wise to step back and consider what our key priorities as an archdiocese should be at this time so we can more effectively work together and focus our efforts,” Collins wrote. “It also helps us both to discover the tools we need to fulfill our mission and to use our resources more wisely.”
To that end Toronto’s new pastoral plan identifies five core directions: (1) Parish Life; (2) Vocations; (3) Catholic Outreach in Justice and Love; (4) Evangelization of Society; and (5) Cathedral as sign of our mission.

Parish Life

On parish life, the plan specifies eight desired outcomes: (1) celebration of the Sunday Eucharist with full, conscious and active participation by the faithful; (2) opportunities for prayer, spiritual formation and enrichment; (3) communal life of the parish which offers welcome, hospitality and outreach; (4) strong pastoral leadership in the parish which promotes diverse and collaborative roles of pastoral service; (5) effective pastoral governance — structures and committees in the parish which promote stewardship and ensure accountability; (6) supporting the family, the domestic Church; (7) commitment to a renewed evangelization; (8) strong witness to an apostolic mission.

“The active, engaged parish is at the heart of our pastoral plan,” reads the document.

While the plan avoids overly prescriptive, one-size-fits-all solutions for every parish, it makes it clear that doing nothing, or doing nothing new, are not options.

Parishes are expected to work on improving liturgy by training lectors and musicians and forming committees responsible for everything from decorating the Church to welcoming newcomers. The plan envisions parishioners who take responsibility for their parish and take charge of important ministries.

“The pastor models a collaborative style of leadership,” reads the plan.

That means giving qualified laity roles as lectors, servers, extraordinary ministers of communion, ushers, as well as volunteers to shape and deliver programs. While the plan stops short of mandating pastoral councils in every parish, it gets awfully close.

“Parishes are encouraged to have structures, guidelines and processes for ongoing consultation and planning, such as a parish council,” it reads.
Most of all, parishes should have an apostolic mission and exist to evangelize.

“An effective parish will be engaged in the life of its local community.”

Vocations

The plan calls on all Catholics to help foster a culture of vocations. That requires Catholics to pray for vocations in families and throughout the archdiocese, not just vocations for priests, but for other ordained ministries and religious life. It also requires effective ways to reach out to young people through parish life, universities, high schools and lay associations. The plan says no young person should arrive at a decision point in their lives without having an opportunity for a discernment retreat or access to a spiritual guide.

But the culture of vocations doesn’t stop at priests. “We will explore new models of formation for training lay pastoral leaders,” reads the plan. These pastoral leaders will be trained to serve in roles such as lay ministers, youth leaders, parish administration, catechists, directors of religious education, parish nursing and volunteer co-ordinators.

Integral to the plan is strengthening support for St. Augustine’s Seminary, the philosophy program at Serra House and other theological schools. The goal will be to ensure that vocations fostered in parishes will be returned fully formed to serve those parishes. Another key area will be engaging Catholic teachers and providing opportunities for them to deepen their faith.

Catholic Outreach in Justice and Love

Catholic outreach envisions Toronto Catholics finding every possible means to serve others, in parishes, lay associations, Catholic institutions, chaplaincies and social agencies.

“The archdiocese will serve as a pathway through which acts of justice and love are realized, and the witness of the Catholic faith will be strengthened.”

To support the work being done by Catholic Charities and agencies funded by ShareLife, a stronger relationship will be fostered between ShareLife and the parishes and Catholic schools of the archdiocese. Much of this happens already in Out of the Cold programs, volunteering at shelters and drop-ins, and at hospital visits. ShareLife supports ambitious and professional agencies that serve Toronto. “Yet we need to do more,” according to the plan.

The plan calls for the continuation and growth of pastoral services and chaplaincies involved in everything from marriage preparation, family support and refugee aid to chaplaincy services in prisons, hospitals and schools. It also places emphasis on collaboration between archdiocesan pastoral offices and parishes, religious communities and lay associations that advocate on social justice issues.

On the question of outreach initiatives, parishes will be encouraged to support a mission parish in the developing world as well as strengthen local initiatives with schools and other parishes, and to support “three or four” archdiocesan initiatives such as ShareLife, refugee sponsorship, local food banks and Out of the Cold programs.

Evangelization of Society

This gives a central place to the theological concept of the Church as theotokos, or God carrier. This ancient idea is given new force in a program of new evangelization.

“Our world today needs the Gospel proclaimed more than ever. The New Evangelization invites us to announce the Gospel through many forms of witness.”

That witness will include proposing Christ in the context of universities, colleges and schools, fostering the intellectual life and engaging all forms of media.

An emphasis will be given to strengthening the connection between Catholic parishes and schools. The plan also calls for improving communications and promoting collaboration with Catholic media in order to present a “unified witness” to the secular media.

Cathedral as sign of our mission

A focal point of the plan is the “Cathedral Block” and physical restoration of St. Michael’s Cathedral.

“The cathedral needs to be made more fully a beautiful icon, a gathering place where those living in and visiting the archdiocese are welcomed,” says the plan. “We intend to transform it to be a place of pilgrimage, a centre for the liturgical life of the archdiocese and a place for the witness of the Catholic faith — a vibrant presence in a vibrant city.”

The plan puts the cathedral at the centre of the archdiocese as a model of parish life connected with 224 other parishes. Most of all the cathedral will be evangelical.

St. Michael’s Cathedral and the rest of the Cathedral Block will “serve as an icon, a sign of the rock of our faith anchored in the heart of a diverse metropolitan city with space to gather, pray, evangelize, teach, serve and inspire.” The cathedral will anchor a block that will include St. Michael’s Choir School and a new Centre of Evangelization, which will be a place for catechesis, music, media, bookstore and art gallery. The intention is to make the block a “gateway of faith and evangelization” in the heart of Toronto.