The Diocese of Columbus announces Real Presence, Real Future, a strategic initiative aimed at expanding the presence of Christ throughout the Diocese over the next two years and preserving the Faith for future generations. Watch the message from Bishop Brennan:
This initiative aims to re-imagine how the Church serves her people through a process or listening to the needs of the people, hearing their ideas, concerns, and desires. This planning and consultation phase will be held throughout 2021 and the findings will be implemented over the next few years. The full scope of the Real Presence, Real Future initiative will prepare the Diocese to increase its Catholic presence over the next 10 to 20 years and is intended to meet the many needs of the Diocese of Columbus’ diverse areas and ethnicities, emphasizing the utilization of active diocesan priests and deacons, mission-oriented parishes and schools, and all other available resources.
Real Presence, Real Future Priorities:
- Engaging all Catholics to reflect upon the real presence of the Lord in their lives and how they can share that presence with others.
- Articulating a plan for a comprehensive Catholic presence for each county/deanery by integrating missionary outreach, parish and school footprints, and leadership requirements for the next five years.
- Defining and developing the necessary Diocesan resources structures to support priests, deacons, and lay leaders in parishes and schools.
Real Presence, Real Future will be driven by six evangelization subcommittees:
- Forming parish missionary disciples
- Increasing the Catholic presence and outreach to university campuses
- Using digital and social communications for evangelization
- Deploying lay missionaries in parishes and schools
- Forming Catholic school faculty and staff in missionary discipleship
- Creating a soft-entry center focused on outreach to the religiously non-affiliated
We Want Your Feedback!
Throughout Lent, parishioners at every parish are being given the opportunity to participate in diocesan-wide survey called the Disciple Maker Index that looks at all aspects of parish life. This 75-question survey is available in hard copy at all parishes and digitally on all parish websites as a survey link between now and March 22. Don’t miss your chance to participate!
Stay informed about Real Presence, Real Future
- Log on to the Real Presence, Real Future website. As the primary source for information about this initiative and will be routinely updated to provide the latest information and opportunities for feedback and consultation.
- Attend parish-level consultations in the fall to hear first-hand how this will impact your parish and grow the presence of the Church throughout the Diocese of Columbus.
- Read information in The Catholic Times, as well as other news sources such as St. Gabriel Radio AM 820/FM 88.3.
- Subscribe to the monthly Real Presence, Real Future e-newsletter. This monthly email will provide updates about this initiative and keep people informed throughout this two-year process.
