New plan for the Archdiocese of St. Louis includes themes of evangelization, social justice, youth/young adults, mental health and wellness
The Archdiocese of St. Louis has released a new pastoral plan for Black Catholic ministry, developed over nearly two years by a local implementation team using the National Black Catholic Congress’ five-year plan, “Write the Vision: A Prophetic Call to Thrive,” as its foundation.
The plan reflects input from local listening sessions, insights gathered at the July 2023 national congress and ongoing discernment by a nine-member implementation team, which sought to adapt national priorities to the needs of Black Catholics in St. Louis. The local plan’s priorities include themes of faith formation and evangelization, social justice, youth and young adult engagement, mental health and wellness, leadership development and family life.
“We had one listening session prior to going to congress, and that was important because we incorporated that information into our work,” said Cheryl Archibald, who led the local implementation team. After returning from the congress, the team hosted a day of reflection in November 2023, giving attendees space to share their experiences.
After the national plan was released in February 2024, Archibald immediately recognized that this one felt different. It was more reflective and included the results of a survey of laity, consecrated religious and clergy on major issues facing Black Catholics in the United States. Much of that resonated with what St. Louis Catholics already were discerning, Archibald said.
What followed was nearly a year of steady, sometimes emotional work. The nine-member team met monthly — sometimes more — to pray, process and discern, all while many were simultaneously navigating the parish changes of All Things New.
“Half of the team were in the midst of All Things New, and for the African-American community in north city, seven parishes were on the hook to merge into two parishes,” she said. “So half of our team was going through that and were disappointed and frustrated and in a state of pain.”
“We listened to listen to the pain and frustration,” she said. “It was important for us to keep talking and going and listening to their reflections and encouraging others. We were looking at this as a time of rebuilding — not just surviving but thriving.”
Themes such as youth and young adults and social justice have been ongoing topics in previous national planning efforts. Mental health and wellness, however, were new issues that the team explored.
Action items include developing wellness opportunities, providing parishes with information on mental health services, offering senior programs and retreats for all ages and hosting health fairs.
“We know as African Americans, we don’t often acknowledge mental health,” Archibald said. “But it is very much so needed if you’re going to thrive. If you have experienced racism or poverty, there is trauma tied to that. If you never address that or get help, then it just keeps going and it’s not healthy.”
The National Black Catholic Congress is one of the oldest lay Catholic organizations in the United States. Founded in 1889 by journalist Daniel Rudd to unite and advocate for Black Catholics, it was reestablished in 1985 as a coalition of Black Catholic organizations. Since then it has held congresses every five years to create a national agenda for evangelizing and addressing the spiritual and physical well-being of African Americans.
The local plan gives other action items to be taken back to parishes. Archibald noted that some parishes have already implemented some of the priorities, while others might be just getting started. The Office of Racial Harmony and Black Catholic Ministries will offer ongoing days of reflection in the fall and spring. (One was scheduled for Nov. 22 at the St. Charles Lwanga Center.)
“People need to have a sense of hope and a vision for how we can keep going,” she said. “We still have a story to tell, we still have gifts to share, and we need to pull on that. This plan was a means to offer encouragement and hope and rekindle the flame that’s still flickering in our community. It might be a smaller footprint, but you can do a lot of good things and continue to look forward and plan with and for the next generation.”
Pastoral plan priorities for Black Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Louis
Faith formation and evangelization: These efforts aim to foster a deeper understanding of faith and promote a strong future grounded in historical awareness and community engagement.
Emphasis on social justice: This historical awareness is intended to inspire and equip Black Catholics to take active roles in their communities and churches.
Youth and young adult engagement: Recognize the importance of nurturing the next generation of Black Catholic leaders and ensuring their active participation in the Church.
Mental health and wellness: The NBCC encourages a growth mindset within the Black Catholic community, emphasizing a need to utilize available tools and resources for evangelization and community building. This includes addressing mental health as a critical component of overall well-being and faith formation.
Leadership development: There is a concerted effort to develop and support Black Catholic leaders at all levels of the Church.
Family life: There is a desire to strengthen parish life by affirming the vital role of families in the Church and actively encouraging their full participation in parish activities, worship and ministry.
To read the full pastoral plan, visit www.racialharmonystl.org/nbcc2025plan.
