After the promulgation of the Priorities and Goals on the Ninth General Synod on the Feast of St. Louis, King of France, in August 2015, the Office of Pastoral Planning and Ministries convened twenty-one task groups of archdiocesan staff and other resource persons in order to develop implementation strategies that would allow the vision of the synod to be fulfilled over the next few years. These task groups met from September 2016 through July 2016. As implementation strategies for each goal were developed, they were reviewed at a series of meetings of the Archdiocesan Ministerial Council in April, June, and August 2016. Additionally, clergy feedback was sought at various times, and then the archbishop gave a final approval.
As a result of the work of the people of the Archdiocese and the Synod participants, over the next several years the Archdiocese of New Orleans is committed to the following five priorities.
Priority 1. Form Welcoming Communities Who Celebrate our Unity in Diversity.
Priority 2. Embrace Christ in Every Family, Parish and Ministry.
Priority 3. Minister to Families, Youth and Young Adults.
Priority 4. Prepare Servant Leaders for the Church.
Priority 5. Be a Voice and Witness for Catholic Social Teaching.
The overall theme is Encountering Jesus, Witnessing with Joy. These five priorities and corresponding goals were included in the Implementation Strategies, Plans & Resources document published in the Clarion Herald in September 2016. (Click -Att. A)
In April 2018, Synod Implementation Strategies, Plans & Resources document was updated for distribution to church parishes. (Click - Att. B)
Source: Archdiocese of New Orleans, Office of Pastoral Planning & Ministries
St. Mary Magdalen Parish formed several ministry teams to address the priorities and goals of the Synod (click each for details):