St. Bonaventure Catholic Community A Parish Plan For Making Disciples

Each Roman Catholic Parish Has the Same Mission, One Provided to Us By Jesus Christ

Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age. (Mt 28:19-20)

Parish Mission: Handing on the Faith to Others to Make DisciplesAs Christian stewards, our mission is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to people through

Word

Sacrament

Service

Community Life

Essential Question: How Can a Parish Community Ensure Effective Handing On of Our Faith?

Informally through modeling Christ-like behavior

Formally through a thoughtful, planned effort tailored to the unique needs of our parishioners: a Catechetical Plan

Catechesis is teaching and learning how to follow Jesus’ directions to us to make disciples

Catechesis uses written and spoken words, plus visual and audio aids, to pass down the Gospel of Christ.

Catechesis is based on scripture and tradition, as well as the liturgy, the wisdom of the saints, etc. It is a lifelong process.

Each Roman Catholic parish has the same goal, but each parish’s approach to catechesis is unique, because each parish community is unique, with unique needs.

In 2011, the Diocese of Orange Published a Catechetical Plan and Asked Each Parish to Make a Plan

To support the larger diocesan plan goals

To ensure each parish’s catechesis and evangelization is effective and meets the UNIQUE needs of each parish community.

St. Bonaventure Parish Has a Vibrant, Diverse Approach to Catechesis

Our parish offers a variety of experiencesto address the needs of each of our parishioners, from early childhood through old age.

To Ensure Our Parish’s Approach to Catechesis is Effective, It Would be Helpful to Have a Parish-wide Plan of Catechesis

Each ministry has the same goal, yet each ministry focuses on a specific faith formation need of parishioners.

A parish-wide plan is a resource for ensuring each parishioner and each ministry effectively supports our mission to make disciples of Christ.

Parish (Catechetical) Plan Purpose As a parish community, we

all need to be sure we share a common understanding of how to be disciples and make others disciples.

Each of us must figure out how to be a disciple and make others disciples.

Each ministry must figure out how to be disciples and how to make others disciples.

Essential Question: How Well Are We Making Disciples? Our parish has scores

of ministries. How well are those

ministries serving the needs of EACH of our parishioners?

How well is each ministry following Jesus’ directions to us to make disciples?

Where does the Parish Catechetical Plan come from? Beginning in 2011 a team of

St. Bonaventure ministry leaders attended several workshops to learn about developing a parish-wide catechetical plan.

Throughout 2012 and 2013 the Pastor and a committee of diverse ministry leaders have met regularly to form an approach for developing, writing, and implementing the St. Bonventure Parish Catechetical Plan.

Now, it’s time for YOU to share in developing the plan.

We Will Need Your Help, Guidance, and Input in Making Sure Our Plan Serves Our Community’s Unique Needs

Each parish has the same goal: make disciples

Each parish is unique, so achieves the goal uniquely

How can we SERVE you best?

How are we doing in making disciples?

What support do you need to be a disciple and to make disciples?

Strengths We are a large parish,

so there are lots of hands and feet to carry out Jesus’ directions to us to make disciples.

We are a mature parish. We have lots of experience and wisdom in how to make disciples.

Strengths We are a

beautifully diverse parish.

We have many wonderful ministries already in place.

Essential Question: What Are Our Growth Areas? ?????????????

Functions We Assess to Discover Growth Areas Knowledge of

the Faith Liturgical Life Moral Formation Prayer Communal Life Missionary

Spirit

Next Steps The Catechetical Plan

Committee will continue to meet.

We welcome new members. We will be soliciting

parishioner and ministry participation through surveys and ministry meetings.

We value your experience, wisdom, guidance, and feedback as we formulate a plan to . . .

Please fill out Index Card

Your Index Card Feedback 1. How many years have

you been a parishioner? 2. One strength of our parish 3. One growth area of our

parish 4. Opportunities for

effective catechesis and evangelization

5. Threats to effective catechesis and evangelization

THANK YOU for Your Participation YOU are the heart

of our parish! YOU are a Christian

steward! YOU are an

evangelist! You are a catechist! You are a disciple!