What does it mean to be a vital parish in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester?
In some ways, it is impossible to answer this question fully and completely. The diversity of our diocese and its faith communities makes a simple answer unrealistic and deceptive. Yet, there are some common elements that are indications of life. First, a vital parish in this diocese actively supports the ongoing mission and vision of the diocese. Second, a vital parish actively engages with its local community, seeking to bring God’s peace and justice to the life of its community and especially to those who are marginalized. Third, a vital faith community has the physical, human, and financial resources to support its liturgical, sacramental, and pastoral life. To the extent that a parish or faith community finds itself lacking sufficient life in any of these areas, it must ask itself challenging questions about its ability to sustain an appropriate level of vitality by itself, whether it can achieve that level through collaborative actions with other faith communities, or whether it
