Journey of Faith
Journey of Faith is a pastoral planning initiative in the Archdiocese of Omaha.

Pastoral Planning Videos

Journey of Faith

Watch videos created by Fr. Kevin Vogel explaining various aspects of the Journey of Faith pastoral planning process.

Archdiocesan Vision

This video playlist explains the background in which the Pastoral Planning process is set. It gives a positive vision for the future.

Vision of Hope
There is great hope for our future.
Encountering Jesus
First part of the Archdiocesan vision.
Equipping Disciples
Second part of the Archdiocesan vision.
Living Mercy
Third part of the Archdiocesan vision.
One Church
Summary of the Archdiocesan vision.
The Big Goal
Becoming missional parishes.
Uncertainty in Transition
We can experience fear in uncertainty.

Three Current Realities

This video playlist explains the three current realities that require this extensive pastoral planning process involving the entire Archdiocese.

Why Change? Three Realities
These videos explain why we must change in response to the current reality.
Declining Church Participation
There has been a decline in Mass attendance.
Shifting Regional Demographics
Population has shifted from rural to urban centers in Nebraska.
Declining Priest Availability
We have fewer priests available to for ministry.
Recent Planning History
An overview of the pastoral planning that has occurred in our area since 2016.

Priest Vocation Questions

This video playlist addresses a number of common questions asked about priestly vocations.

Praying for Vocations
Can’t we just pray for more vocations, rather than making such radical changes?
Give Priests More Parishes?
Why we can’t continue to simply give more parishes to a single priest.
Assign Retired Priests?
What about using our retired priests?
Allow Priests to get Married?
Why can’t the Church let priests get married?
Why can’t Women be Priests?
Wouldn’t we have more priests if we allowed women to be ordained?
Get Priests from other Dioceses?
Can’t we bring in priests from other dioceses or countries?
Actual Solutions for More Priests
Actual Solutions to the Vocation Crisis

The planning process should involve personal prayer. You are invited to pray with the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. Included are reflections related to this Journey of Faith.

Download Rosary Reflections

Planning Parameters

The following videos walk you through the parameters given to the Families of Parishes to ensure that resources are ministry and mission-focused.

Download Parameters Document

Parameters Introduction

This video playlist explains the planning process timeline and parameters given by the Archdiocese of Omaha to be applied by each Family of Parishes.

Planning Process Timeline
Explanation of the timeline of pastoral planning.
Planning Parameters
An introduction to the initial planning parameters in the parameters document.
Family of Parishes Model
Approach adopted by the Archdiocese for parish collaboration.

Mass Parameters

This video playlist looks at the parameters relating to Sunday and Weekday Masses.

Sunday Mass Parameters
Parameters relating to Sunday Mass.
Sunday Mass Parish Stats
Sunday Mass statistics from our Family of Parishes.
Weekday Mass Parameters
Parameters relating to Weekday Mass.
Weekday Mass Stats
Weekday Mass statistics from our Family of Parishes.

Priest Workload Parameters

This video playlist looks at the parameters relating to priest workload – what parishes should expect of their priests.

Priority of the Sacraments
The highest time priority is given to what only priests can do.
Sacramental Stats
Sacramental statistics from our Family of Parishes.
Leadership for Evangelization
Pastors must lead the faithful in becoming evangelizers.
Oversight of Temporal Goods Administration
Pastors must oversee the administration of a parish’s temporal goods.

Mourning a Loss

The following videos are meant to assist us in processing the experience of mourning and grief related to the changes and loss of our old way of doing things and acceptance of the new reality in our Family of Parishes.

Four Tasks of Mourning

This video playlist explains the four tasks of mourning for processing the experience of loss.

Tasks of Mourning
Introduction to the Four Tasks of Mourning.
First Task
The first task of mourning is to accept the reality of the loss.
Second Task
The second task is to process the pain of grief.
Third Task
The third task is to adjust to a world without the deceased.
Fourth Task
The fourth task is to find an enduring connection with the deceased in the midst of embarking on a new life.

Ritual and Prayer

This video playlist considers the role that ritual and prayer has in assisting our processing of mourning a loss.

Ritual and Grief
Ritual can assist us in our emotional acceptance of a loss.
Prayer and Grief
Prayer can assist us in our emotional acceptance of a loss.

Prayers of Lament

Pray with the Psalms, Book of Lamentations, and the Sorrows of Mary.

Community Laments
Psalms 10, 44, 60, 74, 77, 79, 80, 106, 137.
Individual Laments
Psalms 3, 13, 22, 31, 53, 54, 55, 56, 86, 88, 142.
Penitential Psalms
Psalms 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143.
Imprecatory Psalms
Psalms 35, 58, 59, 69, 70, 109, 137, 140.
Seven Sorrows of Mary
This devotion recalls the Sorrows of the Virgin Mother of God.

Our Family of Parishes

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