The NPLC programming is currently divided into eight project areas: CHURCH magazine, Publications, Pastoral Services, the Catholic Common Ground Initiative, The Roundtable Association of Diocesan Social Action Directors, Conference for Pastoral Planning and (Parish) Council Development, Consulting Services and Resources and Research Analysis.

CHURCH magazine, the flagship quarterly of the NPLC has been published since 1985 and has a press run of over 7,000 copies. With many of these going to pastoral leaders, it is estimated that each subscription has at least 3 additional readers. It is the parish ministry journal best read by parish priests and religious and is distributed by many bishops to their priests through gift subscriptions. The renewal rate after the second year is 75%. For parish leaders who have their hands full, our award-winning CHURCH offers, four times a year, a mix of theological reflection and practical information, in an attractive format, from a centrist perspective that is conscious of current trends but not interested in being trend-setting. Pastors say they turn to CHURCH when they need refreshment and usable ideas. The Catholic Press Association continually recognizes CHURCH for general excellence.

Publications are an integral part of the NPLC in providing resources for pastoral leadership. In addition to CHURCH these include pamphlets, booklets, and books. These provide practical instruction for religious educators, liturgical ministers, parish life coordinators and pastoral associates. In addition to worship basics (for lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, hospitality, music ministers and altar servers), topics include parish etiquette, raising your children with faith, building unity in the parish, welcoming adults and children with disabilities, and helping priests keep the balance that leads to fulfillment in ministry. A number of titles are available in both English and Spanish.

Pastoral Services provide a variety of conferences for pastoral leaders. One of the longest running is the National New Pastorate Conference. This is designed for new pastors, pastors in transition from one parish to another and for parish life coordinators who administer the parish in the absence of a resident pastor. Several thousand pastoral leaders have participated in this conference. New to this program is the Pastoral Team Conference which is designed for members of a parish team who do not have other specialty conferences to participate in. In the planning is a conference designed specifically for parish life coordinators and one for international priests who are in parish ministry in the United States.

Peter Denio, Director of the Catholic Common Ground Initiative Catholic Common Ground Initiative, begun by the late Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, found its home at the NPLC. Its purpose is to promote dialogue among church leaders on issues that often divide the church in the United States. It was inaugurated with the release of a statement, Called to Be Catholic: Church in a Time of Peril, in 1996. It originated in a concern that unnecessarily polarizing differences among church leaders and members hinder efforts to build the church community and to carry out its mission. The statement proposes working principles for dialogue within the church and expresses the conviction that dialogue will transform those who engage in it as well as strengthen the church for its mission in the new millennium. The Initiative convenes the Annual Cardinal Bernardin Conference and an Annual Monsignor Murnion Lecture on a topic of vital pastoral interest.

The Roundtable is the national association of Catholic diocesan social action directors and their staffs, providing professional support to members through education, formation, professional relationships, and management development. The association is committed to deepening the capacity of social action directors to engage in the social mission of the church

Conference for Pastoral Planning and Council Development (CPPCD) is a professional membership association that promotes and advocates consultative processes that foster effective planning for the pastoral life of the Church. Through its Annual Convention, regional conferences, electronic FORUM on Pastoral Planning and Council Development, Member update newsletter, and the mutual support of members, CPPCD fosters dynamic planning and staffing of pastoral councils throughout the church in North America. The National Pastoral Life Center staffs CPPCD through a special partnership begun in 2008.

Consulting Services and Resources involves a strong commitment by all staff at the NPLC. Parish, diocesan and organization consulting services are available the directors and a cluster of consultants that work closely with the NPLC on a variety of projects. The NPLC also provides referrals and a vast network of resource people from all over the United States.

Research and Analysis is a driving force in the development of appropriate responses to the signs of the times and is vital to providing the best formation and training for pastoral leaders. The NPLC relies on applied research and is involved with various study groups and implementation programs. It also collaborates with others in coordinated studies that benefit the church in the United States.