Seek the City initiative wraps up listening phase

It’s an engaging time to be a part of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Seek the City to Come initiative as it nears the completion of its “listening phase” with its “vision phase” on the horizon.

The program, which seeks to shape the future of the church in the city and the immediate surrounding area, completed its discussion stage this past winter and is in the midst of its Mission and Ministry Group sessions.

Since its unveiling in the fall of 2022, the initiative has engaged hundreds of parishioners from Baltimore City and several nearby parishes at 50 sites with open prayerful discussions and parish visits. It is about three-quarters of the way through visits to all 62 parishes involved in the program.

In addition, more than 650 people responded to a recent survey conducted by the initiative.

Geri Royale Byrd, director of the archdiocesan initiative, said the number of people taking part in the discussions, survey and site visits has impressed her. She also was gratified by parishioners’ willingness to be fully engaged in the program.

She said her committee was worried at first that people would be hesitant to participate.

“We’ve found that hasn’t been the case at all,” Byrd said. “We are meeting people who are onboard with what we are doing and willing to weigh in. It’s been a breath of fresh air that people understand why we are doing this and are willing to roll up their sleeves and get to work.”

She said parishioners understand the stark reality that there are only about 5,000 registered parishioners in the city alone where the archdiocese once counted 250,000 members in that area.

“It was important for us in this listening phase to understand the fabric of the communities,” Byrd said. “It’s about the people and not the buildings. We’ve gotten some of the most insightful perspectives from some of the most unassuming people. The listening sessions allow us to talk to everybody at every level.”

She estimated that from 20 to 65 people have attended each of her team’s site visits, sharing details about parish life, active ministries and ministries that parishioners would like to establish.

“The conversations have been bearing fruit,” Byrd said. “It’s been an intimate conversation because it’s such an important subject.”

Auxiliary Bishop Bruce A. Lewandowski, C.Ss.R., urban vicar, said he also was pleased with the listening phase, but noted that the tough part lies ahead for the initiative when the committee has to decide during the next year how to implement what it has learned.

“The listening phase has really gone well,” he said. “We went at it in a number of ways and the response has been tremendous. But this is the easy part; everyone likes to talk and be heard. The hard part is coming – the decision making. We have to take what we heard and discern what we can move forward with.”

In addition to the site visits, broad regional public discussions were hosted at five sites and two virtual sessions were held, engaging 230 people. Those discussions included an introduction to the program, testimony, reflection, Scripture, sharing, question-and-­answer sessions and worksheet responses.

The discussions revealed the gifts and strengths of the community, including its diversity, inclusiveness, service, charity, social outreach, community bonds and leadership qualities. The discussions also touched on the breadth of services from homilies to music as well as history, traditions and legacy.

The Seek the City archdiocesan leadership team includes John Matera, Nolan McCoy, Julie St. Croix, Lia Garcia, Christian Kendzierski, Monsignor Jay O’Connor, Adrienne Curry, Manuel Aliaga and Bishop Lewandowski. Planning firm Ayers Saint Gross has been working as consultants with the committee to capture data from the listening sessions.

Email Gerry Jackson at gjackson@CatholicReview.org

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