A personal pastoral plan for Christian action
Sacramentum is a series devised by the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, exploring the sacraments of the Catholic Church and other aspects of parish life and Catholic devotion. In this reflection, pastoral intern Rudy Jerome Mallannao reflects on the theme of pastoral planning, drawing on key points that the OEC have shared in the numerous pastoral planning workshops held across the archdiocese in 2024. Specifically, Mallannao looks at how we can apply these insights to a ‘personal’ pastoral plan.
Making plans is an integral part of our day to day living. From the time we wake up, we plan what clothes to wear, what food to eat, and the tasks we have to do for the day. Such a plan is more than just a matter of habit or a roadmap, it is a compass that guides us towards our aspirations and dreams.
We can compare planning to a knitted sweater, where each thread represents a choice, a decision, or a step forward. A well-crafted plan weaves coherence, purpose, and direction into our journey. In our faith journey, it is the same thing as well.
In the book of Jeremiah, God says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11). God invites us daily to respond to His plan and His love. We, in turn, should respond with concrete steps. Hence, a step-by-step intentional decision should be made to direct our faith journey into a more coherent and purposeful one – a plan that is in line with God’s plan.
In this reflection, let us look at a particular plan that sheds light into the bigger plan of our lives. That plan is our personal “Pastoral Plan” – a Christ-centered faith plan to live purposefully as a Christian.
It is an all-inclusive plan connecting every aspect of life. It aims to enhance the faith life of the Christian – to nurture, to guide, and to help the Lord’s flock grow in faith. Similar to a parish community, where a pastoral plan serves as a compass guiding the pastoral activities and mission of the people and the community, the Church invites us to live a life that is pastoral, a life centered on nurturing and growing our faith in a holistic way.
Building a personal pastoral plan is very simple. But it requires time, prayer, discernment and the virtue of patience. This plan can be short-term, long-term or seasonal – such as “My Pastoral Plan for the Summer”. Whatever choice you make, make a plan that is simple, realistic and achievable. Hence, I would like to share three steps in creating a pastoral plan for yourself:
Step 1: Prayer and Self-Reflection: Do a Spiritual Inventory: Take time to assess your current spiritual practices, strengths, weaknesses, and areas where you desire growth. Like in business, we should also set spiritual objectives and goals. To know not only where we are going but also to assess if we are still growing in our faith journey.
Step 2: Identify Key Areas of Focus:
· a) Spiritual Life: (Nurturing our relationship with God): We can grow in our spiritual life by attending Mass regularly especially on Holy Days of Obligation, establishing a routine for daily prayer. We may want to make time to pray the Rosary, join local pilgrimages in our Diocese (the Girouxville Assumption Pilgrimage, Queen of the North Pilgrimage, Little Red River and Eleske Pilgrimage), to develop special devotions to Mary or the saints, we may wish to seek Spiritual Guidance with a spiritual director or mentor to support and guide us along our spiritual journey.
· b) Scripture Study: (Deepening our knowledge and understanding of God’s word): We can grow in this area by being available to read and understand the Scriptures by joining Bible studies in our parishes. We may develop an interest to study with others in procuring a copy of the Catechism of the Catholic Church or to become familiar with different encyclicals and letters released by the popes.
· c) Sacramental Life: (Integrating grace into my daily life) We can grow in our sacramental life by going to confession regularly or at least meeting the minimum requirement of an annual confession. We need to be aware of the grace of the sacrament as we strive to live out our baptismal promises. We aim to reject sin and live a life of virtue according to the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes, focusing on such virtues as charity, humility, and patience.
· d) Stewardship and Sustainability: (offering our God-given gifts – time, talents, and treasures – to others). One can grow in this area by doing volunteer work in your parish or mission, with the mentality that your parish is a ‘second home.’ Volunteering in charitable works and institutions also in your local community (soup kitchens, donations to the evacuees, etc.) can be a way of sharing and serving others.
· e) Community and Relationships: (integrating oneself in the community) We can grow in this area by getting involved in our local parish, through activities and ministries, joining Catholic groups like Catholic Women’s League (CWL), Knights of Columbus (KOC), Cursillo movements, or volunteering as reader, greeter, or usher at Mass.
Step 3: Carry-out Your Plan: As followers of Jesus and His teachings, we are encouraged to fulfill our personal pastoral plan, to integrate its actions into our day-to-day life. As the famous psychologist Carl Jung once said: “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” The value of having a personal pastoral plan is far reaching. It opens up more opportunities to be self-reflective, and helps for regular spiritual self-checks and balances. Apart from enhancing our relationship with God and spiritual friendship with others, it has the capacity to increase our parish community involvement in an intentional way. The uniqueness of this plan is the overall goal: the holiness of life – “Be holy, because I am holy” (I Peter 1.16) – and living purposefully in the world.
In summary, making a personal pastoral plan has to be intentional, affirming our beliefs and moving towards our life and faith goals. It should empower us to dream boldly, to act decisively, and to embrace our faith journey with courage and optimism. So let us embrace the art of personal pastoral planning, not just as a means to an end, but as a profound testament to faith and determination. Realizing this plan is part of living life to its fullest, St. John reminds us in his Gospel that such a plan may help us achieve what Jesus desires of us: “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
Written by Rudy Jerome Mallannao
July 2024