ALL THINGS NEW – Steadfast in Faith - Forward in Hope

Strategic Pastoral Planning Initiative for the Archdiocese of St. Louis

Why do we need "All Things New"?

      We all know that the Church of today is not the same that it was 50, 100 or 150+ years ago, and yet we are still functioning in many ways out of the same mode of evangelization.  We have inherited 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.

We are closer now to 2050 than to 1950. 

      We need to ask ourselves what our parishes, ministries and institutions need to look like in order to effectively share the faith in a way that is suitable and sustainable for our children and generations to come.  All Things New will evaluate the effectiveness of the Church in St. Louis in proclaiming the Gospel and will identify opportunities for improvement and renewal within all parishes, schools and curia offices and agencies.

Disciple Maker Index

      Every parish in the Archdiocese of St. Louis will be participating in the archdiocesan-wide Disciple Maker Index (DMI) Survey between Ash Wednesday, March 2 and April 4, 2022.  This nationally-recognized survey has been administered at parishes around the United States and Canada since 2013. The results from the survey will not only be used for information and planning for parishes, but will also be included in the national results which track trends, growth and Church-related opportunities nationwide.

About the Disciple Maker Index

• · The Disciple Maker Index was developed by Catholic Leadership Institute in 2013 with the guidance and input of bishops and priests nationwide, and the expertise of professional survey teams to be an instrument that is statistically sound while at the same time focusing on important aspects of our Catholic Faith.
•   The Disciple Maker Index (DMI) is an anonymous survey of parishioners that provides insights into the level of missionary discipleship in the parish in addition to the effectiveness of the Mass experience, preaching and other aspects of parish life.
•    The data results are visualized for parish and archdiocesan views, and include benchmark information based on all parishes in the national database.  The benchmark of parishes of similar size or in similar environments provides a national perspective to local results.  The survey and results were designed so       that parishes can repeat the Disciple Maker Index every two to three years to see changes over time through longitudinal data comparison.

When will the DMI results become available?

      Archdiocesan-wide and parish-specific results will be available in summer 2022.  Parish-specific results will be shared individually by each parish, and the collective results for the entire Archdiocesan will be shared on the All Things New website and through other archdiocesan mediums.  This data is being used to determine how each parish and the archdiocese as a whole can "make All Things New" by Gospel renewal, enhance our evangelization efforts and secure a vibrant future throughout the Archdiocese of St. Louis for future generations.

How can I learn more and stay informed in order to better understand all of this?

Information regarding All Things New is available at www.allthingsnew.archstl.org and will be updated as the process continues.  Special editions of The St. Louis Review and Catholic St. Louis magazine will be published during the initiative.

 Sincerely yours in Jesus,    Fr. John Seper