Our archdiocesan pastoral planning process, Making All Things New, which officially got under way this past September after 3 years of preparation, reached another milestone this past week.
Our 40 member advisory group, composed of pastors, permanent deacons, religious, and laity, met from March 25-27 at the Maryknoll Seminary in Ossining and reviewed the suggestions presented by all 75 clusters.
The advisory group was impressed by the obvious dedication and hard work done by the parishes and clusters, which led to the insights and proposals that were the basis for the advisory group's positive and thorough discussions.
The advisory group's preliminary recommendations will soon be returned to the clusters for their further review and deliberation. We ask that these on-going discussions among the cluster and the advisory group take place in confidence, so that all members will feel free to express themselves openly, as the final recommendations are developed for presentation to Cardinal Dolan at the end of June.
After carefully reviewing these final recommendations, and seeking the input of the priest council and other advisory bodies with whom he must consult, the Cardinal will announce his decisions in September.
