St. Leo the Great Church in Fairfax has embraced initiatives from the diocesan strategic plan, updating its pastoral plan to incorporate them, according to Father Juan A. Puigbó, pastor.
After a parish-wide consultation, an ad-hoc working committee created a pastoral plan in response to the needs of the parish and in line with the diocesan strategic plan, released in 2021.
Reflecting initiative No. 11, to encourage and equip pastors to develop staffs spiritually and in evangelization approaches, Father Puigbó has undertaken several measures to support parish employees.
He hosts monthly, “non-work” meals with his staff to build camaraderie, and a monthly staff retreat. For nine months, the prayer and reflection are done locally at St. Leo. Three times a year, the retreat is held offsite. Every day, the staff prays together, led by parish priests.
In line with the plan’s goal to strengthen parish and family life, the parish has built several programs.
“Parish Sunday” events invite parishioners to gather for community around a theme, such as welcoming new parishioners, fall festival or Easter. They started with 200 people attending, and now draw as many as 1,200. The parish’s first Hispanic Marriage Ministry was formed in February, and 120 couples attended the first meeting.
With Father Puigbó’s encouragement, parish council and lay leaders have built ministries that are supervised but aligned with strategic goals. As a result, ministries serving the community have grown from 27 to 63.
