Pastoral Plan 2022=2027

Dear Parishioners,

We are excited to announce we’ve completed our Pastoral Plan, on the St. Matthew website.

The Pastoral Plan is the fruit of 2+ years of work. It is essentially a response to what we’ve heard from parishioners through surveys and feedback sessions, along with what the Pastoral Council sees as priorities for St. Matthew (which is our primary job!)

Our Plan is different than in years past.  Instead of a 30 -page “behemoth,” it’s a very readable 3-pages.  We’ve provided pastoral priorities & strategic direction, but no specific actions with dates & owners like in the past.  This gives ministries, staff, and individual parishioners the chance to implement the plan in the best way they see fit for their circumstances.

3 Priority Areas:

1. Community – we heard a strong desire for us to reconnect as a St. Matthew community, especially after the pandemic
2. Education/Communication/Evangelization – in line with Archbishop’s sample priority to move the archdiocese to have a more missionary/evangelization focus
3. Liturgy/Prayer

To achieve our plan, we need everyone to help.  In today’s world, we cannot and should not expect the priests or staff to carry out the Pastoral Plan. However, vibrant communities need everyone to contribute, and just like Jesus’ Parable of the Talents, we each have been given talents to share with others – we need each other to build the Kingdom of God.

What do we want St. Matthew to be in the years to come?  A growing community where all are welcome? A vibrant Catholic parish in the heart of Hillsboro? We can do it – I invite you to read our Pastoral plan and imagine how achieving it will reinvigorate our community!

Thank you!

John Mikitka

Chair of the Pastoral Council