SEATTLE – On Pentecost Sunday, Archbishop Paul D. Etienne launched the next phase of a pastoral planning effort, inviting all Catholics and Catholic ministries in Western Washington to begin rethinking how they carry out the Church’s mission. 

That re-envisioning is the focus of the archdiocese’s multiyear pastoral planning process, “Knowing Jesus Christ, Embracing His Mission.” 

“There are a number of signs that the providence of God is at work in the timing of this pastoral planning effort,” Archbishop Etienne said. “We’re living in a time with a lot of social unrest and coming out of a global pandemic, so it’s the perfect opportunity for us to re-envision how we live our faith more concretely in our parishes, schools, Catholic Community Services, Catholic Housing Services, in our homes and families.” 

This phase of the planning process draws attention to Christ and the central mission of the Church. The Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, appointed by Archbishop Etienne in 2020, listened to local Catholics to gain insights that helped the shape the framework for the planning effort. Nearly 10,000 Catholics participated through more than 90 listening sessions and an online survey. Additional listening sessions will begin in the fall and continue in future years. 

“Because the Church is not a building or the hierarchy, but the people of God, the council dove right into listening to the people who, in very candid and often moving ways, shared the contents of their hearts and minds,” said Tim Hunt, executive director of the office for Planning and Mission Effectiveness. 

“The council witnessed deep faith rooted in close relationship with God, which our Church wants to renew here and now,” Hunt added. 

The result is a set of focus areas and values for prayerful reflection (see box) as people discern how to apply them in their lives and share the joyful message of Christ with their communities: “How do we bring Christ to others, and lead others to Christ?” Archbishop Etienne said. 

Through an ongoing process, the vision and values will begin to take shape at the personal, parish and ministry levels. 

“How the plan is enacted with each person, parish or ministry will be different, which is good,” the archbishop said. “We want people to make these focus areas relevant for their communities and the needs of their people.”  

“I want to invite everyone to join us in praying that we can be the people of God, the Body of Christ, the Church in Western Washington that God is calling us to be,” said Archbishop Etienne. “Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to inspire us, to lead us, to guide us that we can live the faith, live in Christ, and bring Christ to the world.” 

Read more about the pastoral planning process in the June issue of Northwest Catholic. 

Read the full news release here. 

Pastoral planning focus, values 

These are the focus and values of the new Archdiocese of Seattle pastoral planning process, “Knowing Jesus Christ, Embracing his Mission”: 

Focus  

• Encounter Jesus Christ and one another.  

• Accompany each other, as one human family, on the journey of discipleship.  

• Live the unconditional love and joy of the Gospel.  

Values 

• Faith in Action 

• Hope in Resurrection 

• Truth in Love 

• Unity in Diversity