Strategic Pastoral Plan
- Letter from Bishop Gregory Aymond
- Mission Statement of the Diocese of Austin
- Current realities which mandate planning
- Plan components
- Priest availability and vocations
- Parish religious education, formation and evangelization
- Social concerns ministries
- Family life ministries
- Pro-life activities
- Black Catholics
- Hispanic ministry
- Catholic schools
- Stewardship
- Diocesan staff
- Facilities
- First steps
- Ongoing activities
- Gratitude
- A prayer
Strategic Pastoral Plan of the Austin Diocese
A message from Bishop Gregory Aymond
Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
As we begin this New Year, we have a strong and vibrant diocese blessed with dedicated, hardworking priests, deacons, religious women and men, and laity. Together they spend countless hours to bring pastoral care to the more than 400,000 members of our Catholic diocesan community and the larger communities in which we live.
Our church community is expected to double in size over the next 25 years. This growth comes from the natural vibrancy of growing families and the inflow of new members to our area from both this country and other countries.
We are acutely aware that priestly vocations have not been keeping pace with the general population growth. The number of Catholics per priest ratio is rapidly increasing, demanding new approaches to ministry and a renewed encouragement of vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
We will continue to experience greater ethnic diversity within the diocese with immigration from every continent in our world, especially Central and South America, Asia and Africa. These demographic changes will have a major impact on the size of the Hispanic Catholic population in particular, and will invite us to cherish the diversity of the cultures that make up our local church.
Challenged by growth, change in ethnic diversity, and the slower pace of priestly and religious vocations, we will continue the mission of Christ in Central Texas by finding new ways to minister. We must find new and better ways to develop roles for deacons, expand participation by our laity in all phases of parish life and utilize diocesan staff.
We must create new parishes and build beautiful, functional and durable churches. We must provide more retreat facilities with adequate meeting space for our growing diocesan community. Over the next 25 years we anticipate the need to open 35 parishes, double retreat center accommodations, enlarge diocesan office space, and open more Catholic schools.
Although the mountain of challenge may seem high, we can climb to the top with the help of the Holy Spirit, a clearly defined roadmap in the form of this Strategic Pastoral Plan, and hard work by all of us.
This plan is the product of intense work by more than 85 people. The original report is more than 270 pages long and is very much “on target.” It is the framework for several years of important strategic action within our diocese as we strive to continue the work of Christ within Central Texas.
I have given prayerful thought to the significant challenges we face in our growing diocese and to the recommendations in this study. Remembering that God is faithful, I invite you to join me as together we prepare to meet the challenges ahead.
Sincerely in Christ,
Most Rev. Gregory M. Aymond
Bishop of Austin