By Jennifer A. Gutierrez
for the Register
Bishop James Conley invites the people of the Lincoln Diocese to participate in a first-time listening session experience this spring.
The synodal approach will provide a way for the bishop to learn what the diocesan faithful think about an array of topics, and to use that information to create a vision and a plan for the future of the diocese.
With 130 parishes across 40 counties in southern Nebraska serving 74,000 Catholics, the diocese has 164 priests, 142 religious sisters, 24 Catholic elementary schools and six Catholic high schools. The diocese also boasts St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward, complete with 33 seminarians, a team at the Nebraska Catholic Conference that bears the light of Christ in the public square every day, and the mission-focused Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, to name a few.
The Diocese of Lincoln has also been blessed with an abundance of good, holy, and dedicated religious sisters, both active and contemplative. Sisters serve in administration, teaching, health care, youth ministry, and many other apostolates in the diocese. Some sisters—like the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters and the Carmelite nuns—have as their very charism to pray constantly for the needs of the world.
Hundreds of lay ministries also exist, served by thousands of lay faithful.
“There are countless examples of how the Lincoln Diocese is thriving,” Bishop Conley said. “Now is the perfect time for the diocese to create our vision for the future. We need to build upon our strengths, identify our needs and what we want to accomplish, and then build the plan to bring that vision to life.”
The first step in the process will be to engage the diocesan faithful in listening sessions to assess the current situation and gather valuable information about critical issues that should be addressed. Listening sessions are tools that provide a real-time snapshot of the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for growth in a diocese, with a lens focused on a technicolor-dream coat vision of the future.
“The listening sessions will help identify where we are, where we are going and what we need to do to get there,” Bishop Conley said.
Each listening session will be a structured meeting that provides a way for individuals to share their thoughts, ideas, and concerns on a particular topic. The purpose of the listening sessions for the Diocese of Lincoln is to collect feedback and information from the laity, priests and religious to help discern and establish the pastoral priorities for the diocese. The feedback will inform the creation of a diocesan-wide vision, mission, and five-year strategic plan with concrete, measurable goals, and a path forward that will guide the Lincoln Diocese for years to come. The strategic plan will be completed by the fall of 2025.
“The words ‘listen’ and ‘hear’ appear more than 400 times in Scripture. God wants us to listen to his Word and humbly listen to one another so that together we may grow in love and understanding,” Bishop Conley said. “We must listen carefully and understand what Catholics are saying across the diocese about their experiences in their parishes and communities so that together we can better meet their spiritual and pastoral needs.”
In alignment with the 2025 Jubilee Year, the diocesan listening sessions will take place in February, March, and April. There are 12 one-hour listening session dates and times scheduled for pastors, diocesan staff, ministry leaders, and laity, most of which are virtual to allow for greater participation and flexibility across the diocese.
Facilitated by JAG Consulting, the structured sessions will focus upon strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement across the diocese, particularly in the areas of education, evangelization and outreach, vocations, and a culture of life. Bishop Conley will attend as many sessions as possible, with members of his senior staff filling in as needed. Distinct from a webinar, participants will be the stars of each listening session – with cameras and microphones on, and a willingness to speak from their hearts, while respectfully listening and learning from the others in the session.
Listening session registration may be completed online, beginning Jan. 24 at https://lincolndiocese.regfox.com/lincoln-diocese-jubilee-listening-session. Each participant’s name, email, parish and location will be requested, to ensure that voices from all corners of the diocese are represented. The virtual sessions specifically for laity are scheduled on varied days and times with a limit of 30 participants each. If demand exceeds the number of available sessions, it is possible that additional sessions may be added. While participation in the listening sessions is preferred, comments may also be directed to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8QDZTL2 for those unable to attend a session.
Once the listening sessions are completed, feedback will be compiled into a report for Bishop Conley and the strategic planning team, in order to form a diocesan vision, mission, and strategic plan that, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, perfectly reflects the voices of the diocese.
“The listening sessions, especially during this Jubilee Year, are a great opportunity to embark upon a pilgrimage of hope into our own future, following Jesus every step of the way.”
+++
Share your hopes and dreams for your parish and the Lincoln Diocese
Register today for a virtual Jubilee Listening Session!
Space is limited to 30 participants per session.
1. Monday, Feb. 24, 12-1 p.m. CST
2. Monday, March 10, 7-8 p.m. CST
3. Wednesday, March 12, 7-8 p.m. CST
4. Friday, March 14, 12-1 p.m. CST
5. Friday, March 21, 7-8 p.m. CST
6. Saturday, March 29 10-11 a.m. CST
7. Saturday, April 12 3-4 p.m. CST
8. Wednesday, April 23 12-1 p.m. CST
9. Monday, April 28th 12-1 p.m. CST
Editors Note: Click here for more Diocese of Lincoln Jubilee 2025 Resources
