The very first thing to discern about is whether your group should embark on the process of pastoral planning at the present moment. As highlighted in the principles, it is a pilgrimage journey that renews the group in its life and mission, especially by elucidating the areas for conversion, clarifying the directions for mission in response to changing realities, and facilitating the group’s animation by divine grace towards communion, commitment, and action. Many communities and organizations find it fruitful to go through such a renewal process regularly, perhaps every 5-10 years or so. This is because some groups realize that the path they have previously charted is no longer relevant nor effective in a changing context. Other groups find that they have outgrown the goals that were previously set, and are experiencing stagnation or a plateau in their development, with group members becoming increasingly unmotivated and restless. Certain groups become entrenched in maintaining existing works, structures, and routines without questioning their relevance, and are unwilling to leave their comfort zones.
Some groups may have never had a well-discerned direction, and are consequently grappling with lack of focus and unity, with each member pursuing his or her own interests and goals. Yet other groups may find themselves doing so much that their members are getting burnt out and ineffective. Finally, it is not uncommon to find a group straying from its main mission or its core values and spirituality, due either to neglect and complacency, prolonged distractions, or undue influences from external parties.
If left unaddressed, all these situations can further alienate the group from its true identity and vocation, and eventually plunge members into desolation, withdrawal, and further division. As the late former Superior General of the Jesuits, Fr Adolfo Nicholas has pointed out,
What I consider most important is that each Conference, Province and Region, initiate or continue a process of discerning how or to what extent its institutions are related to its Apostolic Plan, a plan that identifies the goals, priorities and resources for service that a Province or Region contributes to the Missio Dei.
Each Province or Region concretizes the mission of the universal Society through an Apostolic Plan by means of a careful discernment process. In this way the Province or Region shapes its identity, its dreams and hopes, its objectives and priorities in order to help Jesuits and their collaborators—as well as the apostolic institutions themselves—to continually renew themselves and progress decisively on the path toward greater service by putting into practice, with both realism and hope, the guidelines of the recent General Congregations.
Institutions carry with them potential risks. They can become outmoded and irrelevant, lose their religious and Jesuit identity, consume a large number of personnel and financial resources, and thus become obstacles to apostolic mobility, overlooking other creative apostolic initiatives.
It is not enough that the enterprise functions well, offers good service, enjoys prestige and is a place much sought out by people. It is an issue of knowing “how or whether our institutions continue to be primarily apostolic instruments, clear about their primary aim of serving the mission of the Church and of the Society.” (Apostolic Institutions at the Service of Mission, 2014/01)
These words provide helpful points for a self-examination by all types of church communities and organizations, and could perhaps sound out a time for conversion and renewal. Fortunately, the abiding grace of God is ever-present to prompt the needed awareness and support a turn for the better, as evident throughout Scripture and the history of the Church. At a personal level, most people can also recall certain times in their graced history when they experienced such divine intervention and its fruitful effects. For a group, this requires enough members to be open to God's promptings in their present context.
Nevertheless, there are certain circumstances in which a group should not embark on the pastoral planning process as yet. The most obvious is when the group’s attention has to be focused on coping with an emergency situation, such as a natural disaster, social unrest, acute famine, war and conflict, or an epidemic outbreak. Emergency situations can also be internal or institutional in nature, such as a public scandal, a sudden departure of key members, acute communal conflict, a major threat to the group’s continuity or legitimacy, and any other situation that causes significant insecurity, instability, and anxiety. In such situations, the group needs to focus on responding directly to the crisis for as long as needed, and hopefully reach a time of relative stability. Once it does so, it can then reap valuable learning points from such crises, provided a meaningful review is carried out.
Another circumstance in which the pastoral planning process should not yet be embarked upon is when the group’s leader or leadership team is relatively new. The initial period of leadership is often best spent listening, learning, and establishing relationships of mutual trust and understanding. This applies even if the new leaders have been selected from among existing members of the group. This is because assuming leadership roles often changes the dynamics between people, and also entails seeing from new perspectives.
Another situation is one in which leadership credibility has been somewhat eroded. Among other reasons, this sometimes happens when previous pastoral plans were not done effectively or meaningfully, were not implemented, or were made top-down and lacked real consensus. Unfortunately, not a few members of church organizations feel disillusionment, cynicism, and even aversion to pastoral planning for these reasons. In such situations, the group first needs to work on improving leadership, collaboration, organizational effectiveness, and even culture and attitudes, so that members’ confidence, commitment, and mutual trust can be gradually restored.
Finally, in situations in which many people in the group are new, or when the group itself is newly-formed, the pastoral planning process would be best put on hold until adequate learning and relationship-building has occurred. This will enable everyone to participate more meaningfully, and lay the ground for union of minds and hearts, which is a necessary pre-condition for communal discernment. Likewise, when the general level of members' interest, motivation, or morale is relatively low due to particular reasons, these underlying factors need to be addressed first before embarking on pastoral planning.
As mentioned in the Principles Section, pastoral planning is not irrelevant when volatility is a constant in the group's environment. In fact, this makes it all the more necessary to reflect on, discern, and clarify a group’s core identity, values, mission, and fundamental directions. Otherwise the group may be simply swept along by external events or by the agenda of dominant partners, and find itself in paths that are no longer resonant with its true charism and mission. A clarification of such foundations through pastoral planning, along with the strengthening of unity and commitment, can help a group to navigate through uncertain or tumultuous times. To take account of the uncertainty, the pastoral planning can be adapted such that whilst the overall directions and priorities can be agreed upon, specific targets and actions can be more flexibly formulated or put on hold until there is more information or at least a reasonable level of predictability.
Overall, the time and conditions suitable for pastoral planning is similar to that for making a major decision as indicated in the Spiritual Exercises: there must be a reasonable degree of interior freedom, openness to and acceptance of one another in the group, ability to give wholehearted attention to the process, sufficient information and understanding of the matters at hand, and basic skills in spiritual discernment. It is also important to clarify the specific objectives or desired outcomes of embarking on the process. For instance, in addition to having a pastoral plan, other specific aims might include enhancing communal unity, or collaborating better with partners. The period of time to be covered by the pastoral plan, usually in terms of years, should also be determined.
Planning team
Once a decision is taken to embark on the pastoral planning process, it is usually helpful to form a core planning team of about 3-4 persons to steer and organize the whole process. This team can work with the leader(s) of the group to design the process, handle the communications, organize the relevant activities such as retreats and meetings, collate inputs, document deliberations and decisions, and make the transition to implementation. Members of such a core planning team should be persons who are able to maintain a bird’s eye view of the process, understand its underlying principles and dynamics, be sensitive to members’ and stakeholders’ engagement, attend to events and sentiments on the ground, and discern how to steer the process wisely and objectively. They should also be able to dedicate adequate time and attention to the pastoral planning process amidst their other responsibilities, which should in fact be kept to a minimum - if it is not possible, as is usually the case, to put them totally aside. The appointment of the core team should be for a specified fixed time, corresponding to the duration of the pastoral planning process, including the preparation and follow-up work. The appointment should also be communicated to all group members.
Participation and decision-making
An important step in the preparation is to decide about participation in the process. Generally, all members of the group should be engaged in the whole process as it is essentially a renewal of the life and mission of the group. Certain partners, collaborators, and external stakeholders might also be involved in either a part of or the whole process. To this end, it is helpful to note that there can be several levels of participation. Whilst some people might be involved in all steps of the reflections and deliberations, others might be consulted mainly for their inputs, viewpoints, and suggestions. As noted in the foundational principles, every community or organization is an integral part of a larger, inter-related whole, and pastoral planning is not something carried out by a group in isolation. Indeed, the scope of participation is itself a question that needs to be well-discerned by the group leaders. The promotion of authentic, meaningful, and wide participation, in line with the foundational principles highlighted earlier, should serve as an overall guide.
In relation to this, clarity about decision-making also needs to be established beforehand. Typically, the final decision about priorities, goals, and allocation of resources rests with those who have formal governing authority. There might also be intermediate levels of decision-making such as those pertaining to detailed program targets and timelines, and these might fall within the responsibility of intermediate team leaders. However, the underlying principle of communal discernment is that the conclusions reached by the whole discerning body, provided a good process was genuinely experienced, should be the key basis upon which final decisions are made. For large communities or organizations with many members, such as a parish, an educational institution, or a multi-national religious congregation, the final deliberation and decision regarding specific priorities, goals, and allocation of resources can be undertaken on behalf of the group by a smaller number that usually includes the group's leaders and representative members. Nevertheless, this is done only after all group members have had a chance to reflect, pray, deliberate, and share their feedback.
Specific rules about decision-making are usually stipulated in official constitutions or in ecclesial or civil law. Many faith-based organizations have additional norms to abide by regarding decision-making, but where these do not exist - or are deemed to be unsuitable for the pastoral planning and can be revised - then the decision-making structure for the pastoral planning itself needs to be designed and agreed upon prior to the process. All participants should be informed so that the right expectations are established.
(Although pastoral planning is not explicitly dealt with in Canon Law, some excerpts that are relevant to the pastoral planning process, including participation and decision-making, can be found here.)
Schedule
Once the scope of participation is clarified, the pastoral planning process can be designed with the appropriate steps and a schedule that take into account the nature and situation of the group, the capacity and availability of people, the length of time needed for each activity to be undertaken fruitfully, and the events or existing platforms such as annual assemblies which the pastoral planning can be integrated with if appropriate. As a general guide, a total time of about 1 to 1½ years could be set aside. (See sample schedules below). If the allocated time is too short, it would not engender the pilgrimage experience that pastoral planning is meant to be. Spiritual depth, honest reflection, genuine conversion, communal consensus and reconciliation require adequate time and space. On the other hand, if the process takes too long, the group’s motivation and attention would likely dissipate. During the process, there could also be times when a discernment is needed on whether or not to abide by the original schedule, or to make adjustments in response to unanticipated events or perceived changes in the groups’ energies and sentiments. Usually not all such changes need to be pursued, and this is where the group leader(s), together with the planning team, need to make a good discernment.
Resources
The required resources for the whole process need to be anticipated and obtained. Such resources typically include facilities, accommodation, transportation, utilities, food, and materials required for meetings and related activities. Stipends for external facilitators and other resource persons are sometimes needed as well.
Communication
When a decision is made to embark on the pastoral planning process, or even while such decision is being considered, there needs to be communication with the relevant parties. In addition to those being consulted on this decision, it should also be ensured that all members of the group are well-informed ahead of time and understand the reasons for embarking on the process, what it would entail, what outcomes are desired, and how they would be involved. The overall objectives of the pastoral planning need to be highlighted, along with its underlying approach as a spiritual, communal discernment rather than a business-like strategic planning.
Typically, news about embarking on pastoral planning is met with a variety of reactions, ranging from gladness, hope, and optimism to hesitation, reservation, and even anxiety arising from fear of possible change. There might also be cynicism, fatigue, and disinterest. At the same time, a range of expectations and desires about both the outcome and the process would be raised. Hence it is important that the leader(s) of the group communicate clearly and with pastoral sensitivity, providing adequate information and having empathy for members' point of view. Channels of communication should also be kept open, so that members are able to convey their feedback, raise questions, and express their hopes and concerns, if any. Otherwise, if these are suppressed or not sufficiently addressed, they would diminish the freedom, trust, and openness needed for communal discernment. Most importantly, the group's leader(s) can dedicate more attention and care to those members who anticipate potential losses and unwelcome change as a result of a new pastoral plan.
Communications also need to be made with other stakeholders such as persons or entities receiving services from the group, key organizational partners and other collaborators, and where appropriate, those in authority such as governing bodies or relevant ecclesial and civil leaders. Communication to these stakeholders can include sounding them out about the possibility of change, inviting them to give inputs and feedback, encouraging them to journey with the group in prayer, and where relevant, requesting their participation in some if not all parts of the process.
Basic orientation
Sometimes it is necessary to provide a basic orientation for certain members of the group, such as those who are relatively new, or for partners and external stakeholders who are participating in the process. Such an orientation might include pertinent background information about the group (such as its mission, charism, spirituality, core values, brief history, key activities, personnel, organizational structure, etc), terminologies that are relatively unique and often used among group members, and the principles and dynamics upon which the discernment process is based, such as the key points provided in this website. For those who do not share the same religious faith, it would be helpful for group leaders or other members to consult them, hear their views and queries, and even encourage their ideas for the process design.
Communal prayer
Finally, it is important to promote communal prayer for a fruitful process. Special prayers can be composed for this purpose. The graces to seek would include desire for God’s will, interior freedom, courage, generosity, and openness to the Holy Spirit and to one another. External parties can also be invited to join in these prayers as a way of accompanying the group in its journey. Participants or external stakeholders who do not profess the Christian faith can be invited to make similar offerings of hope and desire according to their personal traditions.
Participants can begin the process by consciously disposing themselves to be more fully present in body, mind, and heart to the pilgrimage of pastoral planning. They could set aside time and space from their daily schedule so as to come to an inner stillness, mindfulness, and attentiveness to the significance of the process. A simple examen can be done so as to be more interiorly aware of oneself and of God’s presence. This can include asking questions such as: How am I now? What are my feelings and interior movements as I embark on this process? What events or preoccupations, if any, are affecting me and my participation? What are my anxieties, fears, hopes, and desires, if any? How is God present to me and what might be God’s invitation to me? (Or, what promptings do I feel deep in my heart from the Universal Lifeforce?)
In addition to a personal examen, it is also important for each participant to become more conscious of the reality of the whole group, bearing in mind that this is not just an individual discernment but a communal journey. Indeed, all participants in the process need to see themselves as forming a single living body which is in turn connected with a wider network of people and organizations in Church and society.
Guidelines for this initial activity can be sent to all participants. (See sample) If the group is large and geographically dispersed, the planning committee can coordinate with local community and departmental or team leaders to organize their team members for this activity. In addition to a private personal examen, participants can also be encouraged to share about it with one another in small groups of about 2-4 persons. Such sharing often serves to deepen awareness, enhance clarity, reveal further insights, and promote consciousness about being a group.
Overall, this first step helps participants get in touch with themselves, with God, and with one another. It prepares the ground for a more authentic, honest, God-centered, communal, and interiorly-free discernment.
As can be seen, the questions for the examen in relation to God can be modified for those who profess other faith traditions or do not have any religious affiliation. Authentic presence and interior freedom are important and relevant qualities for all persons in the pastoral planning. In this regard, it is helpful to recall the words of Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, that:
It is possible and necessary also for those who share in our mission but not in our Christian faith to acquire that interior freedom which enables them to divest themselves of self-love, self-will, and self-interests. This interior freedom is the human possibility to grow as persons in gratuitous relationship with others, seeking the greater good of all, even when such a pursuit involves as a consequence personal renunciation and sacrifice. (On Discernment in Common, 2017/11)
After a brief personal examen, participants can then carry out an organizational examen to take stock of the current situation of the group as a whole. This includes acknowledging significant issues and concerns that need to be attended to, as well as important developments and current characteristics of the group that need to be recognized.
Questions for reflection can include the following:
What has been receiving much of our attention has a group? What are some noteworthy events or happenings in recent times? What are some significant feelings or sentiments?
Are there prominent sources of consolation or desolation? What have we found to be life-giving or life-draining?
In what ways has the group been faithful to its core values, charism, and mission? In what ways has it been lacking in fidelity?
What current developments or realities about the group excite us? What worries or disappoints us?
How would we describe the group now? What metaphor or image comes to mind?
What might be some points for celebration or conversion?
Note that the examen at this stage is not an intellectual analysis of organizational data but a reflection that helps participants get in touch with their direct experiences of the group and the affectivities associated with these experiences, whether positive, negative, or neutral. These are legitimate and potentially insightful signposts of the group’s current realities, including those underlying realities that might have gone unnoticed. The examen can also throw light on how God (or a 'universal force of life and truth') might have been present with the group and influencing it. No doubt technical data, organizational statistics, and third-party viewpoints are also important inputs in the discernment, but these are better suited for consideration at a later stage. Fr Arturo Sosa SJ, the Superior General of the Society of Jesus, rightly points out that
“The positive tension between discernment in common and apostolic planning requires, according to the Ignatian vision, a spiritual examen of what we have experienced, so that we continually grow in fidelity to the will of God. Therefore, a systematic evaluation of our apostolates is not sufficient. We must supplement that systematic evaluation with the spiritual perspective of the examen, a practice by which Ignatius invites us to recognize the action of God in history, to be grateful for his gifts, to beg pardon for our failure to measure up, and to ask for the grace to be ever better collaborators in God’s work in the world.” (On Discernment in Common, 2017/11)
There is an additional advantage in enabling participants to get in touch with and express their personal sentiments about the group early on in the pastoral planning process. This opportunity to recognize, name, and express current sentiments, especially strong ones, helps to prevent these sentiments from being too pent up and thus hampering participants’ interior freedom and ability to be open and attentive to other issues. Moreover, these sentiments are very often the starting points for God’s revelation about what the group needs to attend to.
On a practical level, the consolidated feedback serves as a list of key issues that would likely require more attention in the pastoral planning, and will be referred to later in the process. Along with the lights and shadows about the organization, participants should also reflect on their personal role in these lights and shadows; that is, what part they might have played in them.
To carry out this step, participants can pray and reflect privately on a given set of questions (see sample), and then get together in small groups of about 5-7 persons for a group dialogue to share their reflections and to listen to one another. The method of Spiritual Conversation from the Ignatian tradition can be used for the group dialogue. (See sample guideline) As pointed out in General Congregation 36 of the Society of Jesus,
An essential tool that can animate apostolic communal discernment is spiritual conversation. Spiritual conversation involves an exchange marked by active and receptive listening and a desire to speak of that which touches us most deeply. It tries to take account of spiritual movements, individual and communal, with the objective of choosing the path of consolation that fortifies our faith, hope and love. Spiritual conversation creates an atmosphere of trust and welcome for ourselves and others. We ought not to deprive ourselves of such conversation in the community and in all other occasions for decision-making in the Society.” (GC 36, decree 1, para. 12)
It is important to note that this could be the first time for some participants to reflect and dialogue about the community or organization in this manner. Many members of faith-based groups are used to either of two opposites: faith-sharing on spiritual and doctrinal matters, or discussing organizational issues in a 'business-like' way. In contrast, the questions for this organizational examen requires them to consider the faith journey of the group as an integrated whole, without a false dichotomy between spiritual and temporal matters. In this light, the examen process itself can be a new, formative, and enriching experience. Many groups have found it useful to carry out this exercise regularly even when they are not doing pastoral planning.
Another challenge is that some participants may be more used to focusing only on their own responsibilities rather than to think about the group as a whole. Or there may be some competition or tension between different persons or units. Just as important, diverse opinions and even conflict might be explicitly encountered in the group dialogue, especially when participants have different and sometimes contrary experiences and perspectives about the group. However, such differences are not barriers to discernment but are in fact valuable opportunities to attain greater understanding, insight, solidarity, and union of minds and hearts.
Hence, in entering these activities, one of the graces which participants can be encouraged to seek is that of the willingness and ability to transcend their immediate concerns or departmental interests, and to welcome others' reflections, to empathize with their concerns, to see their point of view, and to discern for the group as a whole. In fact, the reflection, prayer, and group dialogue, if carried out well, can already engender the beginnings of greater unity, solidarity, and mutual acceptance. In particular, if a proper method is used in the group dialogue, participants can learn to share more fruitfully and to listen more deeply to one another, with the aid of divine grace. Everyone’s experience in the group, whether positive or negative, can then be accepted as legitimate parts of the whole, thus enriching the overall view. In turn, members themselves will feel more accepted by each other.
It is possible to combine the communal parts of Step 1 (Personal awareness and examen) and Step 2 (Organizational examen) within a single meeting, provided the set of questions for each step is distinctly dealt with. Once again, if the group is large or geographically dispersed, the planning committee can coordinate with team leaders to organize this activity at the team or local level. A common deadline should be set for its completion, and a report of the key points raised by each team should be forwarded to the planning committee. A common template can be provided (see sample) so that the teams know what they should report on.
Thereafter, the committee could make a summary and disseminate this to all participants for their information and further reflection. In addition, all participants should also be encouraged to make a post-activity review, in similar fashion to the Ignatian review of the prayer period (Spex 77). This can include recalling what happened during the individual and communal activity in this step, how one was moved, how the group was moved, what significant points emerged, and what God might be saying or doing through this experience. Such reviews can often lead to greater clarity, further insights, and more openness of heart. It will also cultivate participants' capacity and disposition for subsequent steps in the pastoral planning.
Overall, communal discernment in pastoral planning is often not perfect, especially in this early stage. Communal discernment as a whole takes time to cultivate, and is part of a group's journey towards unity, wholeness, faithfulness, and fruitfulness in the divine mission. Pastoral planning can be a good opportunity to cultivate the necessary dispositions and capacities. (More information on communal discernment in the Ignatian tradition can be found here.)
In this step, participants look back at the past journey of the community or organization, either starting from its very beginning, or from a recent point in history. This can be done by all participants together in a single session. If the number of persons is too large for effective participation (say, more than 100 persons) or if the group comprises local communities that are geographically separated and unable to come together, then this activity can be done in sub-groups, and the key points raised can be reported to the planning committee for collation, as described in Step 2.
The recollection of history should be done in a reflective and prayerful atmosphere. A set of guiding points for this activity can be given to all participants (see sample). In recollecting the past journey of the group or organization, participants can focus on significant milestones, events, and developments. The 'ups and downs' of the group’s history can be recalled. A particular focus can be given to defining moments; i.e. those times, occasions or experiences that have been etched strongly in the communal memory, and which have an impact on the groups' identity, values, and sense of purpose. Sometimes the memory of a specific defining moment emerges on its own during the conversation and invites more attention. Just as important, participants can reflect on how they felt at these events and developments if they were present then, and how they feel now as they look back. They should also reflect on the meaning of each of these events and developments for them. The main points raised can be noted visually in words and/or images.
Participants can then view, in reflective silence, the journey which they have just recalled, and gradually become more aware of how God had been present in the journey, whether there was any emerging 'pattern' of God's interventions, and what God might be communicating. Again, participants with other religious or philosophical leanings might approach this step in more general terms, such as by perceiving the possible presence and influence of a universal driving force towards goodness and wholeness.
Much can potentially be learnt from such a recollection of history, including fresh perspectives on the group’s identity, values, and vocation, as well as its intimate relationship with God. These can then be brought into dialogue with the present issues and challenges at hand.
Just as important, participants can try to become more aware of the gifts that the Divine Goodness has poured upon the group, in such a way that this awareness engenders spontaneous and genuine gratitude as well as confidence in God’s faithful accompaniment. At the same time, the contributions of various group members can be acknowledged and appreciated. These aspects of the third step are important because such gratefulness and affirmation towards group members, as well as the renewed assurance and security in God's faithfulness, help members to move more courageously and freely into the future, especially when the road ahead is not always clear and easy, and may require letting go of former roles and achievements.
With lessons learnt from the past, participants can take a fresh look at the group’s mission in order to renew and deepen their understanding of it. Inspired by what might have emerged from the previous steps, they can describe in their own words what the group's mission is. Creative means can be used for this step, such as the listing of key words and ideas, the drawing of images, the use of symbols, or the composing of desired narratives. Participants can consider how their most important stakeholders, especially those whom the group seeks to serve, would ‘update’ the group’s mission, in line with their present challenges and needs. Alternatively, they can come up with a list of criteria, as implied by the mission, with which they will evaluate competing priorities. They can also think of visible signs that would indicate fruitfulness in the group’s mission in the present context. To guide these activities, excerpts from foundational documents of the group can be resurfaced and prayerfully reflected upon. This can include key portions of its constitution, writings of founders, relevant articles, or excerpts from meetings and letters which articulate pertinent aspects of the group's identity, mission, and charism. For dioceses and parishes, relevant texts from Scripture and magisterial documents can be used, especially those that elucidate the role and mission of the local church, such as Evangelii Gaudium, Christifideles Laici, Redemptoris Missio, and publications of local or regional bishops’ conferences.
Through all these reflections on the group's mission, and after having gone through the preceding steps, fresh insights and even radically new perspectives might arise, which would not otherwise be achieved through a mere recap of the official mission statement, if one exists. In fact, a group’s mission is more than just a written mission statement; it is an experience beyond words, an evolving reality that has a past, a present, and a future.
Moreover, a group's mission is part of a larger mystery, the mission of the Divine Life. Hence, after the above reflections, it is important to 'triangulate' the insights by comparing and fine-tuning where necessary to ensure alignment with other equally important and relevant perspectives. For instance, church organizations need to take into account the overall mission of the Christian faith tradition. Here, it is worth stating once again the words of Pope John Paul II that
a pastoral plan is not a matter of inventing a ‘new programme’. The programme already exists, it is the plan found in the gospel and in the living tradition, it is the same as ever. Ultimately it has its centre in Christ himself, who is to be known, loved and imitated, so that in him we may live the life of the Trinity and with him we may transform history until fulfilment” (2001, 29).
In addition, the group must take into account the unique purpose and role expected of the type of organization that it is, such as a school, parish, or religious congregation. For example, religious congregations are fundamentally characterized by the evangelical vows and this has distinct implications on the nature and emphases of their mission. Some groups also exist as sub-units within larger entities which have an over-arching mission. Taking all these realities into account helps the group ensure that the discernment about its specific mission does not divert from but is consistent with the over-arching saving plan of God, manifested through complementary diverse charisms. This clarified mission of the group then serves as a compass for the discernment of priorities, goals, programs, and resource allocation, even despite a multitude of beneficiary needs, stakeholder requests, funder preferences, societal trends, and members’ own attachments to routines and specific projects.
In this step, the method of Spiritual Conversation can be used, preceded by individual reading, prayer, and reflection. As with the earlier steps, guidelines can be provided to all participants (see sample) and a report on the main points raised should be forwarded to the planning committee for consolidation and dissemination.
It is possible to carry out the communal conversations in Steps 3 and 4 at the same meeting, provided that adequate time is given, and their proper sequence is clearly marked out, such as by incorporating a rest break in between. It is also possible to gather all participants for an offsite retreat to carry out all 4 steps (i.e. Step 1-4), but this should be done over two and a half to three days, rather than all on the same day.
The most ideal pace would be one in which a break of about 2-4 weeks is given between each step (i.e. Step 1-4). As highlighted, pastoral planning is a communal pilgrimage that requires time for reflection, prayer, contemplation, and conversion.
At this point, before moving on to the next step, it would be helpful for all participants to carry out an examen of the pastoral planning so far. This involves recollecting what has happened since the beginning, what the whole group has gone through, what each participant has experienced at the personal level, whether there have been notable consolations and desolations, and how God has been present. Participants could share the fruits of this examen with one another, and see whether the overall pastoral planning process has been carried out well so far. A discernment can be made to either proceed to the next step or revisit some prior part of the process. In the latter case, the underlying causes of any hindrances or inadequacies should be examined and addressed first.
If the steps thus far are carried out well, participants may already begin to experience an interior sense of renewal or even some insight on God’s present invitation to the group regarding its pastoral directions. The readiness for conversion as well as the unity of the group might also begin to grow. Moreover, newer members would learn much about the community or organization. Hence the pastoral planning process is often a formative and transformative experience. For this reason, some groups have found it beneficial to carry out just the first four steps (or some aspects of it) as part of a community bonding and renewal process, even if they already have a pastoral plan.
At this stage, the pastoral planning process takes on a slightly different rhythm. The planning committee should now organize participants to gather more systematic data about the current internal and external context of the group. A basic information gathering plan can be drawn up. (See sample)
Data on the internal context can include statistical snapshots and other pertinent information about the group's programs, services, and other operations, an overview of its financial and personnel situation, and an identification of available resources and key networks. Both quantitative and qualitative data should be included. In addition, observations about the group’s significant features, including its key strengths and weaknesses vis-à-vis the mission and values elucidated in the preceding steps, as well as the group's impact, culture, and relationships should be made.
As for the external context, this includes trends that are relevant to the group’s mission, which usually pertain to a confluence of political, economic, social, cultural, religious, technological, ecological and other issues. Significant current realities in both Church and society, local and global, should be noted. As should be the activities and issues of other organizations which are relevant to the group or with whom the group collaborates closely. In addition, existing pastoral plans of dioceses, networks, or larger bodies that the group belongs to should be taken into account. Most of all, the “joys and hopes, griefs and sorrows” (Gaudium et Spes, GS 1) of people, especially those whom the group seeks to serve, should be examined.
A diverse variety of information sources should be sought, including official organizational records, inputs from group members themselves, recent reports or news articles, specialized knowledge from experts, and feedback from external parties, especially those served by the group. An effort should be made to reach out to those whose voices are frequently marginalized.
In this step, it is important for participants, especially those who are members of the group, to get out of their 'box' and seek wider perspectives beyond their usual circles. This enables them to see the internal and external context with new eyes. Persons approached for their viewpoints should also be encouraged to suggest how the group might improve, what it should maintain, and what changes it could make to better fulfil its mission in the present context.
When gathering viewpoints, a variety of means can be used, such as meetings, focus groups, interviews, visits, questionnaires, letters, and casual conversation, as long as the means employed is most conducive for the persons consulted so that they can give meaningful, honest, and constructive feedback. Some groups that are engaged in social development and other similar work may benefit from specialized forms of information gathering, such as community-based participatory action research.
Whatever the method, the information should be sought with a disposition of openness and interior freedom. Pastoral planning involves attaining a new awareness of the signs of the times. This requires participants to be aware of and endeavor to transcend their biases, prejudices, pre-conceived ideas about the context, and narrow or insular perspectives, with the help of God’s grace. They can then be more open to new, unexpected, or even surprising information.
A pastoral heart is called for when receiving the information conveyed, so that deeper and underlying meanings, concerns, desires, and patterns can be realized. Heifetz and Linsky (2002, 55) highlight the need to “listen to the song beneath the words.” In this vein, active and attentive listening, especially to voices from the margins, entails listening with empathy and endeavoring to see things from the other's perspective. This implies genuinely being with them, not rushing through or patronizing, and allowing oneself to be moved by the other. At the same time, listeners need to be attentive to their own interior movements, and look out especially for what God might be communicating through the encounter.
For these reasons, rather than have these tasks outsourced to third parties, group members should be directly involved in the gathering of information as this is an integral part of the discernment process. It can engender a widening of minds and horizons, a moving of the heart, and further interior freedom to seek the greater good. In general, about 3 months can be allocated for this step.
Once all the necessary information is gathered, the planning committee can sort them out and help participants to reflect on them by providing a summary and some suggestions for reflection (see sample). These can include ways to analyze the information intelligently and employ basic tools of critical thinking or analytical frameworks from various disciplines where needed. Sometimes further data gathering might be required, and the planning committee would need to coordinate the process iteratively yet discerningly, avoiding inadequate as well as excessive research.
Just as important, the guidelines for reflection should encourage participants to attend to feelings and spiritual movements which might arise from receiving the information and conducting the analysis. These might include joy, hope, encouragement, surprise, and desire to commit more, as well as disappointment, fear, cynicism, and discouragement. Sometimes this step brings out strong feelings of disturbance and disequilibrium, especially when participants realize hard truths about the internal and external realities. This need not cause prolonged despondency. In fact, if these tensions are altogether absent, then the information gathering and analysis, or even the organizational examen in Step 2, might have been inadequate or too superficial. Tensions provoked by the stark reality are often requisite windows towards important insights and can be the starting point of conversion and change for the better.
Overall, a disposition of pastoral love, generosity, openness, solidarity, trust, and prudence is called for when beholding the signs of the times. Participants can bear in mind the image of the Trinity looking upon the world as described in the Spiritual Exercises (Spex 102-108). As mentioned above, this step needs to be carried out with adequate time and processes for enquiry, reflection, prayer, dialogue, and grappling with the necessary struggle. The method of individual prayer and reflection followed by small group spiritual conversation as described earlier can be used, with key points from each group collated by the planning committee and disseminated.
The process has now reached the stage where decisions can begin to be formulated regarding the group’s direction and priorities. This is provided that there is adequate satisfaction and consolation over the prior steps thus far. Otherwise, some of the earlier activities and their requisite dispositions may need to be attended to more closely.
Once these are all done with reasonable fruitfulness, key points arising from the prior stages can be brought together, including those pertaining to:
the group’s core values, charism, identity, and mission (especially from Steps 3 and 4);
its current internal context (especially from Steps 2 and 5); and
the trends in the external context (from Step 5).
God’s call for the group in terms of its direction and priorities often lies at the intersection of these three realities.
A group’s direction indicates what its overall focus should be over the determined period ahead. Once again, this is more than just a recap or re-crafting of its mission statement. Rather, in light of the renewed understanding of the group’s mission, there could be a particular aspect of it, or a particular emphasis or way of living it, which the group feels called to focus on for the period ahead, given the internal and external contexts. For instance, a group may discern that it is being called to make a fundamental shift towards marginalized peoples at the peripheries, thus requiring a change in members' attitudes as well as in the group's main programs and activities. Another group may discern a call to focus urgently on the theme of reconciliation amidst socio-political conflict. Yet another group may realize the need to deepen in its own spirituality. Hence, just as how an individual might have a key focus or direction in each stage of his or her life and vocation, a group is also often called to deepen, grow, or change in particular aspects, as part of its on-going journey. Moreover, the discerned direction often entails change in not just external operations but also in heart and mind. As an indication of the effectiveness of the discernment, the resultant direction agreed upon often resonates deeply with participants, affirming their collective identity, and giving them a profound sense of gratitude, joy, and resolve.
According to the discerned direction, a list of priorities then needs to be drawn up. Regardless of the terminology used, these “priorities” refer to particular objectives that will be pursued or areas of life and mission that will be changed, developed, or strengthened during the determined period ahead. Priorities can also include segments of people that will receive more attention in the group’s service, or even new types of services. Sometimes this implies scaling down efforts and resources in other areas, and re-assigning personnel accordingly. In addition, priorities can also pertain to internal aspects of the group that need to be changed or improved, such as those pertaining to formation, organizational structure and processes, quality of community life and relationships, and members’ growth in spirituality. As with the overall direction, a well-discerned list of priorities also engenders strong and sustained commitment, joy, and new energy. Needless to say, priorities need to be realistic and limited in number, especially when they entail substantial effort, attention, and resources. (For some examples of direction and priorities, as well as further points about discerning them, click here.)
Once again, the discernment of direction and priorities entails both intelligent analysis and attentiveness to spiritual movements, as well as group dialogue with personal prayer and reflection. The disposition of interior freedom is especially relevant here because hard choices need to be made. The tendency to be attached or anchored to existing works, structures, and ways of doing things can exert a particularly strong influence and hamper freedom, creativity, and boldness in making radical change where needed. Another tendency is to include too many objectives and target groups, leaving out nothing and no one, rather than face the reality of the group’s limitations or the need for self-surrender towards a particular focus. Participants should thus seek the grace to desire and identify 'the one thing necessary' amidst competing demands and interests, in accordance with God’s will. Various potential directions and priorities can be evaluated against the criteria of the group's mission as highlighted earlier, and their relative pros and cons compared. The realities of the internal and external context can be further examined to attain greater clarity on the more significant needs and urgent gaps, as well as potential collaborators or other alternatives. As highlighted earlier, the priorities of networks, dioceses, and universal bodies which the group might belong to would also have to be taken into account. In addition, some organizations have written norms for prioritizing ministries. (For examples of texts that might help in the evaluation of alternatives, click here.) All these considerations should be weighed within a process of communal spiritual discernment.
For large or geographically dispersed groups, Step 6 could be first carried out at the team or local community levels, and their inputs consolidated for further discernment by the group leaders. Alternatively, a single session could be organized in which various representatives come together with the group leaders to make a discernment. For instance, in diocese pastoral planning, the identification of direction and priorities can be made at a diocesan synod comprising representatives from around the diocese. In any case, the method of spiritual conversation can be one way in which participants have a chance to speak and listen to one another. It is often helpful to have an external facilitator in such meetings so that all participants, including leaders of the group, can fully participate in the discernment. These external facilitators would need to be familiar with communal spiritual discernment.
Once the direction and priorities have been drawn up, there should ideally be a length of time such as a month or even more, before they are confirmed. This allows room for further discernment to address doubts if any, or to affirm or refine the proposals. It also enables relevant persons to be consulted for their reactions and suggestions so that some fine-tuning can be made.
When the direction and priorities are confirmed, it is crucial to translate them into concrete goals with specific timelines. These goals can be in the form of desired milestones or significant targets relating to each priority, such as the creation of new ministries, specific improvements to be made to existing ones, or cessation and any other transition of works. There might also be targets pertaining to desired changes in group structure, personnel, resources, processes, and even culture, collaboration, relationships, and community and spiritual life. In this regard, it is helpful to recall Pope Francis' words that "pastoral ministry in a missionary key seeks to abandon the complacent attitude that says: “We have always done it this way”. I invite everyone to be bold and creative in this task of rethinking the goals, structures, style and methods of evangelization in their respective communities" (EG 33).
The targets can be both quantitative and qualitative. The important thing is that this exercise of setting specific targets helps clarify the priorities and strengthens commitment towards the agreed direction, thus moving the pastoral plan closer to implementation. Otherwise, it will remain at the level of good intent and vague ideas.
Action plans then need to be drawn out for each target, specifying the required tasks, timelines, resources, and persons responsible. The drafting of targets and action plans should primarily involve those who will be leading their implementation at the frontlines, and there should be close inter-unit coordination and communication during this step.
It is important to bear in mind that new priorities and goals sometimes do not fit with existing structures, systems, policies, and even attitudes. In this regard, the group needs to be careful about putting "new wine into old wineskins". The new goals require not only specific action plans to achieve them but also relevant adjustments to other aspects of the community or organization, such as structures, policies, processes, resources, relationships, and culture. These need to be incorporated in the action planning as well. As pointed out by Pope Francis, "a proposal of goals without an adequate communal search for the means of achieving them will inevitably prove illusory" (EG 33).
As with the direction and priorities, the formulation of targets and action plans would engender enthusiasm and energy if done well. It should continue the dynamics of spiritual discernment so that these final and crucial aspects of the pastoral plan are put together under the guidance of God’s Spirit. In particular, participants need to be cautious about an “afterglow” effect similar to that highlighted in the Spiritual Exercises (Spex 336). In the wake of the excitement and consolation from arriving at the direction and priorities, participants may become over-enthusiastic in formulating goals and action plans, or rush to make these plans based on their default, habitual ideas or ways of thinking. Sometimes the Spirit may be leading the group to do things in a different way or to try a new course of action. Hence there is a need to remain spiritually discerning so that this step is carried out prudently, creatively, and in fidelity to God’s will.
As highlighted earlier, even though a neat and comprehensive list of goals and actions is often desired, it is more important to maintain a sense of openness. Sometimes God's Spirit reveals things more gradually, and it is not possible to map out a detailed course for the road ahead. As long as there is a reasonable level of spiritual consolation and confirmation in the group's conclusions at this step, it is alright to proceed to the next step in implementing whatever has been decided, provided an on-going disposition of discernment is maintained.
(For templates, examples, and suggested reflection questions on setting goals and action plans, click here.)
Mechanisms for facilitating implementation should be put in place. For instance, the responsibility for coordinating implementation of the action plans could be formally assigned to a specific person or an existing committee, since the planning team’s role would cease when the pastoral planning process is completed. More coordination is usually needed in the beginning of implementation, especially when new tasks and structures are being initiated. Facilitating implementation includes animating the relevant units and members, providing support, helping to iron out teething problems, ensuring communication, monitoring progress, and organizing evaluation.
It is often useful to have a document that captures the main points that arose from the whole pastoral planning process, summarizing the key insights, considerations, and conclusions from each of the above steps (see sample template). The document can help explain the rationale for the direction and priorities adopted, and briefly elaborate on what is envisaged.
Implementation is often not an easy journey, and requires the group's fidelity to the direction and priorities if these have been well-discerned. On the other hand, there should be some flexibility with regard to targets and action plans. These latter often need to be adjusted in response to dynamic or unforeseen developments, to new information, or even to further insights about God's will as it unfolds.
In this regard, the means for carrying out regular reviews of progress should be agreed upon. All group members should be involved, and the reviews can be akin to the Ignatian examen. Although formal reports and updates are often necessary, it is more important to note the interior movements in the group during the period under review. Members can reflect on the consolations and desolations felt during the period, significant or even unexpected developments, and apparent successes and failures. They should especially note whether the group has been genuinely moving in the direction it has committed to, how the group has grown as a community, and what God might have been communicating or doing during the period of implementation.
Such reflections can be complemented with an examen at the personal level by each individual. Common guiding points for the review can be given. An effective review would reveal the areas for affirmation or conversion, as well as changes that might be needed to the pastoral plan. Sometimes the right course of action might be to continue following the plan faithfully and not be distracted by failure or by unanticipated events. Hence great care in discerning the influences of the good and bad spirits is required, especially when making such decisions about staying the course or changing the plan. Overall, these times of review are important moments of learning and growth.
Finally, the transition to implementation includes communicating the pastoral plan to all stakeholders since its effective implementation requires their partnership and accompaniment. Channels of communication should be kept open so that there is on-going dialogue in the implementation and refinement of the plan. Dialogue is especially important for those who might face more challenges as a result of the new pastoral plan. This can include persons who are re-assigned to new areas of work or who have to forgo their long-held responsibilities. Group leaders need to ensure more effort in attending to and accompanying such persons. In fact, the pastoral sensitivity of the group’s leader(s) is something that needs to be pro-actively exercised throughout the whole pastoral planning process, and directed to various persons at various times where needed.
As can be seen from all the above steps, the journey matters as much if not even more than the final destination of pastoral planning. It is often during the process itself, if done properly, that the renewal of the community begins to become a reality, and the group is gradually transformed by the gratuitous love of God.
1st-3rd month: Preparation
4th-5th month: Steps 1-2 (To be done by parish council; parish committees, ministry teams, and other groups, small neighborhood communities, and other parishioners. Summaries sent to planning team for collation and dissemination)
6th-7th month: Steps 3-4 (As above)
8th-10th month: Step 5
11th month: Step 6 (This can be done at a parish assembly or retreat, preceded by the discernment of the sub-units as above)
12th-14th month: Steps 7-8
1st-2nd month: Preparation
3rd-4th month: Steps 1-2 (To be done by local communities or sub-teams and departments. Summaries sent to planning team for collation and dissemination)
5th-6th month: Steps 3-4 (As above)
7th-9th month: Step 5
10th month: Step 6 (This can be done at a province assembly or general meeting, preceded by the discernment of the sub-units as above)
11th-12th month: Steps 7-8