If you have questions like: How do I evaluate my staff? How do I combine my staff? How do I hire/fire staff? How do I review and update job descriptions? How do I develop a new job description? How do I develop a review process and set goals? What is the process if someone says they want to resign or retire? What do I need to do if someone is coming from another parish to our staff? Contact: Karen Brannon (513) 263-3360 kbrannon@catholicaoc.org

If you have questions like: Our financial records are a mess, what should I do? We haven’t had a business manager for a while, what should I do? How do I work to see all my parishes finances in one place? Should I get on the Gabriel system/how? How do I better handle our debt? Should we have an audit done? How do I handle loans? Contact: Tom Jennings (513) 263-6607 tjennings@catholicaoc.org

If you have questions like: How do benefits work if I’m letting someone go or hiring someone? What benefits does a new hire get? How do I discuss benefits during an interview? What costs/benefits do I need to plan for when letting someone go or retiring? Contact: Jeannine Frank (513) 263-3358 jfrank@catholicaoc.org

If you have questions like: I have a maintenance issue that I would like some advice about. How do I get bids for a repair? How do I get permission for a renovation? Who signs? Is my facility/building usable? What do I do if I want to sell property? How do I get a facility inspection? What building should I use for…….? Contact: Joseph Mangan (513) 263-6602 jmangan@catholicaoc.org

If you have questions like: How do we begin to increase enrollment in our school(s)? How do we handle the split of tuition subsidy and aid between multiple parishes? How do we explore modified forms of governance such as boards? Should we consider consolidating, merging, or closing our school(s)? Contact: Vince Woodall (513) 263-3449 vwoodall@catholicaoc.org

If you have questions like: We need more people involved in the life of our parishes, what can we do? We need help promoting planned giving (e.g. will bequests) to families, what should we do? We are considering a capital campaign for a building/special project, where do we begin? We need to increase our weekly offertory giving, what can we do? What options/vendors are out there for online giving platforms? We need help hosting a special Giving Day, where do we start Contact: David Kissell (513) 263-3381 dkissell@catholicaoc.org

If you have questions like: I need help forming a Worship Commission for my parish and/or Family I need consultation on hiring new music, initiation, or other worship staff I need advice on purchasing a new piano, organ, or sound system I want to explore renovating or reconfiguring my church I want to offer training and formation for my liturgical ministers I need help analyzing our Mass schedule and possibly changing it Contact: Jeremy Helmes (513) 263-6609 worship@catholicaoc.org

Tools

Q: Evangelization/Ministry/Discipleship

If you have questions like: How do I start or improve our parish evangelization work? How do I develop ministry goals? Ways to reach our younger parishioners. I need help with hiring of new parish evangelists (DRE, youth minister, etc.) How do I start to bring my youth ministry, religious education, and sacramental prep for youth together across my family? How do I evaluate it for effectiveness, etc.? Contact: Sean Ater (513) 263-6673 sater@catholicaoc.org

Sample Timeline For Phase 1

While each Family will progress down the Pastoral Planning Pathway at their own pace, this is a recommended timeline for the completion of the Milestones in Phase 1. Each pastor and his liaison should work with their Pathway Team and other Family leaders to craft a timeline appropriate for that Family, using this as a template.

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Beacons Roundtable

Disciple Maker Index

Inventories

Family of Parishes Names

Vision Assessment Tools

Pastoral Planning Data

Pastor Transition

Vatican Instruction July 2020

Contact Info

Disciple Maker Index

The Disciple Maker Index (DMI) is a tool provided by Catholic Leadership Institute that provides a rich assessment on where parishioners are in their faith lives and their experience of parish life, all to help parish leaders in the planning process.

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Inventories

These inventory tools are designed to help parish leaders assess one or more aspects of parish life before pastoral planning takes place within the Family of Parishes.

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FAMILY OF PARISHES NAMES

View the current list of names that have currently been selected by our Family of Parishes.

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VISION ASSESSMENT TOOL

A vision encapsulates inspiration and provides a rallying cry, a clear goal, for parish leadership and members. A clear vision helps prioritize allocation of parish resources, facilities, and funds. This tool is designed to help parish leaders prepare to create a vision for their Family of Parishes by assessing current and future state of parish life measured against the Pathway principle vision points. A separate visioning tool and process will build on this vision assessment as part of Phase 2.

Pastoral Planning Data

View and download data files for each parish and Family of Parishes. The data will help leaders to learn about their parishes and their people as they discern their future together.

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October Count 2023

Read and Download Report

View Past Years Archive

Pastor Transition

Among the many changes in Phase 1 will be a new pastor for many parishes. Here are some helpful resources to managing pastor transition.

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Vatican Instruction July 2020

The Pastoral Conversion of the Parish

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Beacons Roundtable

Beacons Roundtable began in 2020 as a webinar series focused on key aspects of the pastoral planning process. Session recordings and resources are useful as an orientation to Beacons, the six guiding principles, and helpful skills for pastoral leaders.

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