The mission of the National Federation of Priests’ Councils Priest-Labor Initiative is to  form, train, coordinate and encourage online community of priests across the United States who stand with and advocate for workers, especially immigrant workers, according to the principles of Catholic social teaching.

Form: The Initiative seeks out priests through the various channels open to the NFPC by identifying and inviting priests to participate (with the permission of their Ordinaries). It is structured in accord with The National Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests, to develop pastoral skills for applying the New Evangelization to workers in the context of their work situations.

Train: The Initiative provides an initial training session that immerses priests in Catholic social teaching pertaining to workers and the pastoral care of workers. The Initiative provides an annual opportunity for continuing education and formation in conjunction with the annual NFPC conference.

Coordinate: The Initiative facilitates communication and collaboration among priest-members, administered by the NFPC national office in Chicago.

Encourage: The Initiative honors the call and talents of the priest-members in the pastoral care of workers, urging and helping each priest to do his best.

An Online Community: While there will be annual opportunity for the member-priests to meet face-to-face, the primary means of communication and fraternal support will be online. All priests in the dioceses of the United States are welcome. Priests of other countries are not necessarily excluded: The Initiative recognizes that the pastoral situation in every country will be unique and specific, however, and focuses on the United States.

Who Accompany and Serve: The Initiative recognizes and respects the fact that priests minister to workers in various ways. It encourages its member-priests to practice pastoral presence to workers and groups of workers: to listen, accompany them, discern and then act in pastoral care by standing with and advocating for them.

Workers: The Initiative’s member-priests minister to workers who are employed and unemployed, with sharpened attention given to immigrant workers, who are often in the most vulnerable of situations.

Catholic Social Teaching: The Initiative is guided by and promotes the fullness of Catholic social teaching as it comes from the magisterium through councils, the popes, synods, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and local Ordinaries.