Note: Response form is located at the end of the text.

Goal Five: Promote excellence in Catholic formation and education for all ages to build up the Body of Christ, the Church.

The purpose of this goal is to promote excellence in Catholic formation and education so that we build up the Body of Christ, the Church. Since the continuing formation and education of our members is essential to the growth of the Church, the objectives and goals of this goal focus on the lifelong process of formation and education of Catholics in the Archdiocese of Louisville and the importance of responding to the needs of the Archdiocese through various programs and resources and making these available to all.

Objective 1: Evaluate formation and education initiatives to insure effective practices and results consistent with the mission of the Archdiocese of Louisville.

Action Steps:

1. Develop a systematic way to assist all parishes to evaluate the formation and education needs of senior adult members.
2. Evaluate the state of adolescent catechesis and identify or design methods and strategies for strengthening its effectiveness.
3. Evaluate how parishes currently address young adult needs and identify improvement strategies in efforts to integrate young adults into parish life.

Objective 2: Improve existing formation and education programs by making changes to program guidelines, content, professional development, and implementation to better meet the needs of lifelong learners.

Action Steps:

1. Increase differentiated instruction opportunities for students and teachers by incorporating “best practices” into school curriculum and educator professional development opportunities.
2. Implement district accreditation for archdiocesan schools to create more rigorous standards, greater alignment between archdiocesan and school improvement plans, and improved achievement for students.
3. Develop, publish, and disseminate to parishes and senior care facilities a guidebook/manual that addresses the unique spiritual formation and educational needs of older adults.
4. Design a process for parishes to develop a catechetical plan to guide catechesis in alignment with the expectations outlined in the National Directory for Catechesis.

Objective 3: Explore new formation and education initiatives to identify additional methods of meeting the needs of lifelong learners.

Action Steps:

1. Identify avenues, venues, and opportunities for current Catholic college students and other young adults to expand their theological knowledge and skill for ministry.
2. Study avenues and opportunities for young people in the Archdiocese (grades 7– 12) to experience effective and comprehensive youth ministry in their parish settings.
3. Study and report on the feasibility of new opportunities for the Archdiocese to gather high school youth.
4. Investigate and promote best practices for adult faith formation in parishes.
5. Compile current research on increasing cultural diversity in Catholic schools to identify desirable characteristics of Catholic schools that are effective in serving the needs of children and families.

Objective 4: Promote the excellence of formation and education programs by more effectively communicating the opportunities and benefits of lifelong learning.

Action Steps:

1. Develop interactive communication opportunities and tools to increase the participation of young adults in archdiocesan programs and services.
2. Implement enrollment management practices to provide consistency among schools and the Archdiocese in the areas of branding, marketing, and student recruitment to maintain and increase student enrollment in Catholic schools.
3. Investigate and secure alternative sources of funding for formation and education programming.
4. Create a marketing plan for the Archdiocese of Louisville Ministry Institute (ALMI) to increase awareness of and participation in the programs by the broader Catholic community.