Saturday 2 February 2013

Archdiocese of Toronto's Pastoral Plan: Cardinal Collins' invitation to the faithful

The following is Thomas Cardinal Collins' statement on the newly released Pastoral Plan. Please pray for him. Please pray for the local church in Toronto.
To the faithful of the Archdiocese of Toronto:
H. E. Thomas Cardinal Collins
Archbishop of Toronto
This brief summary of the pastoral plan for the Archdiocese of Toronto offers us the opportunity to reflect prayerfully on how Jesus asks us to live as His disciples.
Our pastoral plan is deeply rooted in prayer, the foundation of our efforts.
Our mission is two-fold. Our pastoral (inward) mission is to nurture and strengthen the faith experience of committed Catholics, drawing on the model of St. Peter, to whom Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Our apostolic (outward) mission is to announce the Gospel, both to the faithful and to those outside the Church. Our model for this effort is St. Paul, who first encountered Christ through conversion and then proclaimed Him throughout the world.
Our pastoral plan invites each Catholic in the archdiocese to reflect on our role as stewards of God's many gifts, calling us to a profound inner conversion that leads us to a spirit of generosity, most fully revealed in the sharing of time and talent with others. We live every moment in a spirit of gratitude, looking for ways to use fruitfully all that has been given to us, in the service of God and neighbour.
We are mindful of key threads that will be woven throughout the pastoral plan. To do our work effectively we must ensure that we: engage the family, especially youth; celebrate our cultural diversity; use resources wisely; and communicate effectively.
This summary will draw on the biblical image of the vine (Jesus) and the branches (his people). Five key priorities will help guide us on the journey.
I invite you to learn more about our “roadmap” for our journey by visiting a special online space: visit www.archtoronto.org/pastoral to access the complete pastoral plan in addition to other resources and tools for reflection.
I am grateful for the role that you play in strengthening our community. Be assured of my prayers as we joyfully labour together in the vineyard of the Lord.
Sincerely in Christ,
Thomas Cardinal Collins
Archbishop of Toronto
Resources: www.archtoronto.org/pastoral

http://www.archtoronto.org/pastoral/

2 comments:

Santa said...

Wait a minute! Let's not be too hasty in endorsing this "pastoral plan". I want to see more details first.

Freyr said...

There were no comments beyond the brief introduction to the letter. Perhaps you should read the pastoralplan.pdf file and contact the chancery if that proves insufficient.