2024 Pastoral Plan

Overarching Priority
Each member of the community will deepen their understanding and commitment to Mary, Queen of Peace Covenant focused on the call of missionary discipleship (evangelization).

Priorities:

• Worship
• Unity
• Evangelization and Next Generation Parish

Goals:

Worship

1. By December 31, 2024 develop and celebrate (implement) at least 3-4 creative and diverse experiences of worship and prayer ex. A diverse experience of the Stations of the Cross.
   • Living Stations March, 2024 -surpassed goal of 50 attendees
   • Taizé and Tenebrae Services-March, 2024 -surpassed goal of 40 attendees   
   • Mary Celebration May 30, 2024-to honor parish namesake goal 40 attendees
   • Ethnic Slavic Mass October 30, 2024- to honor many of the parishes that are now part of Mary, Queen of Peace, with one ethnic community to per year.
2. By March 31, 2024 educate parishioners on the significance of Baptism as a communal celebration and explore the options for the Rite of Baptism inside and outside of the liturgy evidenced by attendance at Baptisms.
   • By June 2024, assemble a committee to review current Baptismal preparation in light of continuing evangelization by incorporating a dynamic accompaniment process. Goal fulfillment will be measured by the dynamic process that will be implemented by January, 2025.
3. By December 31, 2024 increase ministerial engagement by 10% of parishioners who are not currently involved in liturgical roles.
   • In early March, PPC leadership conducted ambo talks to encourage participation in areas where parishioners feel skilled or are called
   • Baseline current number of parishioners involved in liturgical roles to identify target number of new parishioners
   • Incorporate invitation opportunities into existing strategies ex. Synod sessions, 
   • Develop and execute 2-3 invitation ideas with current liturgical volunteers ex. hosting a recruitment event with personal invitations (and general invitation in the bulletin, email, social).
4. By December 31, 2024 develop a plan for engagement and radical hospitality for all congregants (members and non) with implementation for liturgies to be implemented by Lent 2025 such as
   • Invitation to church grandparent ministry
   • Invitation to dialogue before Cantor announcements
   • Creation of a symbol to give to visitors at Mass (e.g., button that says “You are loved.”

Unity

1. Continue MQP’s work of the Synod which began in early 2022.
   • Through December 31, 2024, keep the parish informed of developments of the Global Synod through presentations and parish communications.
   • Through December 31, 2024, engage parishioners in 4 synodal sessions focusing both on the local Church as well as the global synod, as appropriate. Topics of the four synod listening sessions include:
     • Welcoming and Community (May)                      
     • Lay Involvement (July)
     • Formation and Religious Education (November)
     • Liturgy and Community (December)
2. By December 31, 2024 continue to strengthen our parish unity and Servant discipleship by implementing 1-2 projects focusing on food insecurity through education and action.
   • Provide ongoing opportunities for MQP parishioners to volunteer:
     •  The Mt. Washington Ecumenical Food Bank
     •  Fresh Fridays
     • Making food deliveries to the elderly ad homebound
   • Expand emergency food availability by 7/31/24
   • Explore partnership with Living Stones Ministries to offer monthly dinners to the poor, elderly, lonely, struggling college students at the South Side Parish Center.
   • Develop and implement a Food Insecurity Call to Action Education Plan, focusing on the Corporal Works of Mercy, See the Face of the Poor, no later than July 1, 2024.
   • Initiate ’as-needed’ selected item solicitation campaigns to help mitigate challenges of the MQP Food Banks. E.g.  Souper Bowl Sunday and plastic bags
   • Concretize a partnership with the Urban Farm, design the Plan and implement no later than May 31. 2024.
3. By December 31, 2024 celebrate MQP as the diocesan Parish of the Deaf Community by developing and implementing a Communications and Operations Plan by (to increase visibility and numbers of participants by 10%).
   • Continue to effectively utilize the Catholic Deaf Pittsburgh page of MQP Facebook to publicize all Deaf activities (Deaf confession, dates/times of signed and interpreted Masses and special events that are ASL accessible).
     • By September 30, 2024, install signage at the entrances/vestibules of St Mary of the Mount church as being equipped with an auditory loop, and publicize this in all parish publications
     • By June 30, 2024, liaise with the diocesan communications director to publicize information about the MQP Deaf Ministry on the diocesan website and in the diocesan communications magazine  
     • On an ongoing basis, work with the appropriate diocesan individuals who are interested in restoring a diocesan-level ministry for persons with disabilities
     • By December 2024, plan and publicize a major Catholic Deaf Community event. Suggested event is the showing of “Where There is Darkness”, a film about the much-loved advocate for the Pittsburgh deaf community, Fr. Rene Robert

Evangelization and Next Generation Parish

1. By December 31, 2024, establish both internally and externally focused programs/campaigns aimed at the under 45 age group.
   • By September 30, 2024, establish the template for our “College Touchpoint Program” by forging relationships with faculty, staff, students at two Pittsburgh universities (Duquesne and Point Park). This will include Duquesne’s American Sign Language club.
   • By December 31, 2024, expand our marriage preparation program, to include social events for marriage preparation participants to build this network. This will include two events by 12.31.24.
2. By December 31, 2024, optimize our parish digital marketing channels to increase engagement through search engine optimization (SEO). This campaign will direct people to a landing page which will highlight parish information appealing to this generation.  
3. By December 31, 2024, create a digital marketing campaign targeting local graduating seniors and those moving to the Pittsburgh area.  Focus is on increasing engagement with key content related to search queries like “where to get married in Pittsburgh” or Catholic Pittsburgh”.
4. By December 2025, facilitate the formation of 20-25 parishioners to form a group that will engage new and inactive members by sharing and practicing the basic skills and values of faith-sharing.
   • As a Next Generation Parish, partner with CLI to complete this goal.