Catholic Review 5 Faith-related New Year's Goals

As we say goodbye to 2025 and begin 2026, we have the chance to set the stage for a year of positive growth in all kinds of ways, including spiritually. A new year presents a beautiful opportunity to grow closer to God.

Whether you’re setting resolutions or just looking for a way to take intentional steps on your faith journey, here are a few ideas for how to set the stage for a fruitful new year.

Pick a saint for the year. As you look at the year ahead, you might know that you have some health challenges or a child receiving a sacrament for the first time. Maybe you want to focus on a particular relationship. You might find yourself Googling “patron saint of parents with children starting college.” Or you might just find that a certain saint has been popping up for you. I usually choose a saint randomly through Jen Fulwiler’s Saint of the Year generator. However you pick a saint or two to walk with through the year, it’s great to remind yourself that none of us are going through life alone. We have people on heaven and on earth who are on our team.
Choose a word or phrase for the year. There are so many possibilities that this can be overwhelming to me. Again, I tend to turn to the random Word of the Year generator. But I do love the idea that a word or a concept or a phrase might come to you, and that you might use that to frame the year. One year my word was “Home,” and it really helped me focus my energy on my family and our time together.
Pick a faith-related goal. You might like to see how many Rosaries you can pray, how much time you can spend reading the Gospels, how many times you can get to Confession this year, or how many days you can spend 10-15 minutes in silent prayer. For 2024 and 2025, I have set Mass attendance goals for myself, and I’ve had so much fun achieving them. Last year I aimed to attend 100 Masses, and I surpassed that. This year I aimed for 150, and I have attended 214 Masses so far. Setting a numeric goal for something faith-related felt initially a little strange to me, but it has really been a gift.
Create a faith-related bucket list. See how many different churches you can visit. Read a papal encyclical or a book written by a saint. Learn a new prayer like the Memorare or the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel. Take on a role volunteering at church—or in the community. Go on a retreat or take a personal pilgrimage. Get together with friends to pray—or text them on Sunday evening and ask how you can pray for them that week. I am hoping that this year I will finally visit the National Shrine of St. Rita of Cascia in Philadelphia. This is your list! Choose some goals and see what the year brings.
Have fun. God loves you and wants you to experience his love. Life is hard enough without the extra burden of homework assignments related to faith. Look for ways to grow that you will enjoy—ways that will bring you a few moments of peace and hope in a chaotic day. If you are craving alone time, give yourself the gift of time with just you and God. If you are craving community, invite friends and family to be part of your 2026 faith journey.

The promise of a new year stands before us. Here comes 2026 with everything God has planned for us. As Pope Leo said when he realized he was probably going to be coming out of the papal conclave as the pope, “Here we go, Lord. You’re in charge, and you lead the way.”