Moncton Archbishop Guy Desrochers has urged staff, parish priests and their congregations to join him in committing their archdiocese to an ambitious renewal process.

At the heart of this missive, shared with Catholics in a pastoral letter released by Desrochers last month, is a call for each churchgoer to contemplate if they will embark or disembark on this journey.

“Without this reform, we risk entering a phase of mere survival, passively awaiting the end, as if sustained only by an artificial lung or heart that can prolong life for a few more years at best,” wrote Desrochers.

The first step of this unfolding journey is already complete. A pastor from each pastoral unit conducted a preliminary administrative review. All 46 member parishes were evaluated on their financial state, attendance, building integrity, fundraising capacity and overall vibrancy.

The clerics also proposed restructuring projects for parish units that could “perfect them more,” Desrochers told The Catholic Register.

After refining these proposals through communal prayer and brainstorming, the Archbishop will sit down with various assemblies of parishioners so they can provide feedback on the suggested restructuring project and offer their ideas.

Desrochers was asked if parish closures are an inevitability during this reorganization. He suggested a presently quiet parish community could secure their future by becoming enlivened during the evangelization process. He does expect that “eventually some of the churches will be closed” if certain realities persist.

“If they have a structure that's in peril in some way, needs a lot of money to be invested, there's not too many people actually going to that parish and there's another parish 15 minutes away,” outlined Desrochers. “Most of our parishes are 15-20 minutes away, even in the rural areas.”

Desrochers emphasized “there is no fire” and “there is no need to rush into things.” He expects this to be a lengthy undertaking because he wants each step “to be done correctly.”

The letter delineates that one of the next initiatives to launch is a regular counting of the faithful attending weekday and weekend liturgical celebrations. The compiled statistics will help archdiocesan leaders concentrate “evangelization efforts, particularly in areas experiencing significant decline or where small communities are struggling to sustain their spiritual and financial viability.”

In the coming weeks, Moncton-area Catholics are expected to be introduced to the members of the archdiocesan evangelization team led by Dr. Pierre-Alain Giffard, who also guides the Office for the New Evangelization in the Diocese of Pembroke. Desrochers formerly shepherded the Pembroke diocese from 2020 to 2023.

Phase one of the evangelization project will be centred on establishing prayer groups in each parish to implore God to manifest fruits of the Holy Spirit that will inform their next steps toward renewal. This stage will include the sick, elderly and isolated, who will receive a prayer booklet so they, too, may pray for the success of the new evangelization.

Plans are developing to significantly expand the presence of Alpha and RENEW International groups throughout the archdiocese. Alpha is an 11-week course that brings together people either online or in-person to encounter Christ, while RENEW trains lay leaders on how to transform their parish into “a community of communities.” 

The archdiocese is expected to make a concerted effort to evangelize with the plethora of immigrants moving into the area.

Nearly 18 months have passed since the Archdiocese of Moncton experienced an apparent act of providence as the required $5.4 million was raised within a 72-day timeframe to conclude settlement payments for historical abuse claimants.

By mid-January 2024, the plaintiffs received their compensation and the archdiocese began turning the page on 13 trying years.

Archbishop Guy Desrochers, who pushed the fundraising drive over the finish line with a letter-writing campaign to potential Canadian and U.S. donors within weeks of his Oct. 18, 2023, installation, was convinced his flock received a fresh slate for a purpose.