At the recent assembly of priests, Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama shared his pastoral priorities for the Diocese of Raleigh with an overarching message for priests and parishioners both: “My pastoral plan is trusting in you… I trust you, and I love you.”
As the diocese continues its growth into a new century, Bishop Luis framed the priorities not as a bureaucratic program but as a pastoral invitation rooted in trust, missionary zeal, and the dignity of every person. For eight years, Bishop has affectionately called Raleigh, “the best diocese in the world,” and he repeated that conviction while urging priests to place their gifts freely at the service of the Gospel.
He emphasized that the Diocese of Raleigh’s priorities are not a checklist but a shared path of missionary discipleship—an invitation for clergy and laity alike to live the Gospel more boldly and joyfully across eastern North Carolina.
From sacramental moments to lifelong accompaniment
At the heart of the bishop’s vision is a renewed understanding of parish life. Success, he said, will be evident when families no longer experience the parish as a place for isolated sacramental moments rather than as a community that accompanies them in an ongoing life of discipleship.
He pointed to the Gospel account of the paralytic lowered through the roof by his friends as a model for ministry. “All of us, we are the Church," he said. “And all of us must be that friend—doing whatever it takes to bring the people to the healing presence of Jesus."
Forming leaders and accompanying the lonely
Bishop also urged the priests of the diocese to form leaders rather than merely maintain structures and to encourage young people in particular to encounter Christ personally and discover their mission in the Church. He emphasized that parish staffs must reflect a welcoming pastoral vision and that each ministry must meet people where they are—in their cultures, homes, and daily realities.
“The crisis of loneliness is real,” he told the assembly, adding that the Church’s response must be a concrete presence of service and love. Change, he said, will come as we move from a “maintenance” approach to a “missionary” Church like those who helped shape the diocese more than 100 years ago. True change and progress, he emphasized, should come through small, faithful, personal steps which will be more effective than grand but unsustainable plans.
A revolution of love
In closing, Bishop Luis invited his priests to embrace their own freedom and initiative in ministry.
“Use your gifts,” he said. “Take initiative. Make a revolution — a revolution of love, a revolution of kindness, a revolution of presence.”
Bishop’s seven priorities for a missionary Church
Diocese of Raleigh Ministry Priorities (PDF)
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Evangelization and missionary spirit
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Vocations and priesthood
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Human dignity and life
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Marriage and family
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Youth engagement
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Catholic education expansion
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Stewardship and resource management