Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez has issued a letter thanking the thousands of Catholics across the five-county Archdiocese of Philadelphia who participated in a months-long series of listening sessions that concluded this spring. The conversations, held in response to his January pastoral letter, aimed to help shape a long-term vision for the Church of Philadelphia’s future.
In his June 25 letter, Archbishop Pérez described the listening sessions as moments of grace where “the Holy Spirit was working through you.” More than 4,500 faithful shared hopes and concerns about parish life, evangelization, and the challenges facing the local Church. While acknowledging experiences of hurt and disconnection, the archbishop emphasized the spirit of “vibrant hope” that emerged through the conversations.
Among the most frequently raised themes were the urgency of evangelizing the 83% of baptized Catholics who are not active in their faith, the need for transparency and sustainable funding for upcoming reforms, and the desire for greater collaboration across parish communities.
The sessions also affirmed the importance of supporting existing ministries and essential leadership, particularly of lay and consecrated women in the life of the Church.
To move the vision forward, pilot “Missionary Hubs”—regional centers staffed to accompany and evangelize through parishes and ministries—will launch this year, with Parish Life Directors appointed in the months ahead.
Archbishop Pérez noted that further updates will be shared in January, marking the anniversary of his original pastoral letter.
The full letter, which includes a summary of recurring themes and outlines next steps, is available here.
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