Seek the City to Come (HEB 13:14)

Where are we today?

Read this message from Archbishop Lori regarding Seek the City to Come

The general types of parishes being considered…

Mosaic Parish 

  • a series of medium and larger campuses with a church, parish hall, meeting spaces, rectory, community space, open space, parking, and, in some cases, a school will instill a renewed sense of vibrancy bringing multiple parishes together and a “one stop shop” for parish and community needs
  • A new campus may be more appropriate than an existing campus for this type
  • Requires a large and active parishioner base to sustain.

Radiating Parish 

  • outreach to the broader community through a series of affiliated ministry sites
  • Uses new and existing community resource locations
  • Requires large parishioner base and vibrant volunteer participation

The Catholic Commons 

  • Community center that can provide different ministries, be a meeting place for the community, and would also be able to provide Mass
  • The space should serve many purposes

Our Eucharistic Vision for the City Church of Baltimore

en español

  • Centered in Christ, with liturgies and sacraments fully alive with the Gospel
  • Filled with engaged parishioners and constantly growing in Faith
  • Forming, nurturing, and sending Missionary Disciples
  • A Church where everyone feels welcomed and a strong sense of belonging that includes their ethnicity, culture, background, individuality, those who are struggling with their faith, or relationship with God
  • Where the “Sunday experience” is transformative
  • Where parishioners are rooted in and concerned about the City, neighborhoods, and surrounding area, and reach out with Christ’s love to address community needs and bring hope and healing
  • Where there are abundant human and material resources for ministry
  • Where the campus facilities are suited for the Church of today

Seek the City’s Guiding Questions

Seek the City to Come will allow us to prayerfully discern and envision our future, as we thoughtfully and prayerfully answer important questions:

  • Are we willing to open our hearts, minds, and imagination to the prayerful guidance of the Holy Spirit to welcome a new vision for the future?
  • Are our parishes ready to respond to the challenges of the mission in our times?
  • What decisions need to be made so that we can marshal our resources in new ways to better serve the needs of our communities?
  • Are there ways we can collaborate as a Catholic community to better proclaim the Gospel in the city of Baltimore and the surrounding area?
  • How can the Church reach out more dynamically to those who have left and those who are searching?

What Is Our Purpose?

After answering the important questions, we developed a set of goals for Seek the City to Come:

To REIMAGINE

together the Catholic Church’s ministry and presence in and around Baltimore City.

To REASSERT

strengthen and adapt pastoral ministry, evangelization and outreach in Baltimore for the 21st Century, by following “A Light Brightly Visible.”

To REALIGN

pastoral and temporal resources effectively with current and future pastoral, spiritual and evangelization needs.

To RE-ENGAGE

and attend to the pastoral and evangelization needs of historical and diverse communities and generations.

To REVITALIZE

and be thoughtful stewards of the resources of the faithful to support welcoming, worshiping communities that are characterized by the virtues of faith, hope and love.

Why Are We Doing This Now?

We recognize that the Church of today is not the same as it was 75 years ago. We have been working to understand what our parishes, ministries and institutions require to thrive in the present day. We have a great treasure of Catholic institutions from previous generations, but as the Catholic population and society have shifted over the past several decades, they are no longer as effective or sustainable as they once were.

Want to Get Involved?

Check out Seek the City to Come events near you.

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