The Seek the City to Come initiative is making strides in reshaping and revitalizing the Catholic presence in Baltimore. Now in its second year, the initiative continues to engage the diverse voices of the city’s 61 parishes to collaboratively shape the future of the Catholic Church.
The initiative kicked off in October 2022 with a comprehensive listening phase, involving visits to each of the churches in the urban vicariate. These visits, spanning an entire day for each parish, featured staff meetings and open listening sessions. Approximately 3,800 parishioners actively participated, offering valuable insights and fostering a nuanced understanding of the city’s Catholic community.
Geraldine Byrd, director of Community and External Affairs at the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and a lead of the initiative, highlighted the significance of the listening phase, noting, “There had been a lot of distrust with regard to the archdiocese. Our listening efforts built a lot of goodwill among parishioners to the point where people were engaged.”
The core priorities identified during the listening phase were rooted in principles such as liturgy, welcome, encounter, accompanying, sending and mission support. These priorities were then presented during a prayerful vigil service at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in June 2023, emphasizing unity among parishes despite their differences.
Moving into the next phase, November marked a significant milestone with citywide visioning workshops. Divided into two parts, these sessions focused on people and ministry, followed by discussions on where these ministries would be impactful in Baltimore — utilizing maps that included schools, libraries and neighborhoods.
Byrd shared insights into the process, stating, “These workshops are an opportunity for us to weigh in on three important things – the people we minister to, impactful ministries in our communities and where we are called to worship.
Key dates have been outlined for the upcoming months in the Seek the City timeline:
- Jan. 7, 2024: Citywide Visioning Workshop at St. Matthew Parish (2 p.m.-5 p.m.), with an opportunity for parishioners to engage in visioning activities, contributing to the shaping of the city church model.
- Feb/March 2024: Pastors and parish leaders will engage in a period of prayer and discernment, reflecting on the visioning feedback to craft the first iteration of the new city church model.
- Feb. 8: Citywide Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which intends to lift the community in prayer and foster unity as the city church vision takes form.
- Feb. 21 (and each succeeding Wednesday during Lent, 7-8:30 p.m.): Lenten/Easter Pilgrimage Journey, reflecting on the Lenten season and engaging participants at various locations, fostering spiritual reflection. Locations include the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Bernadine, Sacred Heart of Jesus/Sagrado COrazón de Jesús, and the cathedral.
- April/May 2024: The first iteration of draft models will be shared for feedback from both leadership and parishioners. Regional town halls will provide opportunities for public comment.
- June 2024: Draft recommendations will be provided to Archbishop William E. Lori, and final models will be presented, marking a crucial milestone in the Seek the City initiative.
The Seek the City initiative remains a collaborative effort, inviting parishioners to actively contribute to shaping the future of their city church. Byrd emphasized the importance of collective decision-making, underlining that the process ensures the new model resonates with the diverse needs and aspirations of the Baltimore Catholic community.
Email Adriana Montes at amontes@CatholicReview.org
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