Diocese of Setúbal adopts 2026‑27 pastoral plan to combat new poverty and support youth

The Diocese of Setúbal approved its 2026‑2027 pastoral plan on 29 July 2026, under the motto “Discernir para Servir com Esperança”. The document outlines four priority axes: synodality and co‑responsibility; pastoral proximity and fragility; charity, solidarity and social commitment; and youth, vocations and ministries.

The plan targets “new poverty” and social exclusion, calling for stronger solidarity networks to address labour precarity, migration pressures, housing shortages, loneliness and psychological suffering. Bishop D. Américo Aguiar, who presented the plan, stressed that the Church must act as a prophetic sign of the Kingdom of God, promoting human dignity and the common good.

Specific actions include parish visits to Seixal, Barreiro‑Moita and Montijo, and a focus on empowering young people ahead of the 2027 World Youth Day in South Korea. The agenda also marks the centenary of the first bishop of Setúbal, scheduled for 20 January 2027.