Message from Bishop Richard J. Malone on
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Bishop Malone observes that with 70% of Catholics today being inactive, we had all better be more evangelical (with a small "e"). "You and I live in a truly missionary moment." He invited parishes to commission all faithful Catholics as missionaries for New Evangelization starting on World Mission Sunday, October 21, 2012 using the dismissal rite and mission passports which can be found at www.evangelizebuffalo.org
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What Can a Parish Do?
What can a parish do in the Year of Faith? Consider our Lord. Having accepted His mission (Lk. 4: 16-20), Jesus did not wait around for people to find Him. Jesus reached out to them. He connected with people. He welcomed them with an open heart. And He engaged people in a God-sized purpose for life.
Connect, Welcome and Engage
Jesus continues His saving mission today through us. We connect with people. We welcome people into our community, our mission and our ministries. We engage people in a God-sized purpose. And we equip them to share the hope that they share in Christ Jesus.
Connect
Many people are disconnected from church for a variety of reasons but most have just drifted away, still have profound spiritual hungers and are open to an invitation to reconsider participation in the church. The first step is to connect.
Welcome
Even if people come in the front door does not insure that they will not go out the back door. Churches that want to keep people start with warm welcome.
Engage
Belonging leads to believing. Some of us have trouble making friends and feeling a sense of belonging. How can we help Catholics to get better acquainted, share their God-given talents, and give expression to their values? Consider these possibilities for engaging people:
Contact the Office of Parish Life for more on sponsoring a Catholic and Confident parish leaders workshop or God Awaits Us... in Our Stories parish retreat:
God Awaits Us in our Stories will renew Catholic enthusiasm for faith in Jesus, awareness of our baptismal the Spirit lead in life
My Faith Story – It is often said that Americans are experience rich and reflection poor. In a post-modern age, the perennial question remains: ‘Is God with us or not?’ Like Moses (Ex. 33:11), Elijah (1 Kings 19:12) or the first disciples of Jesus (Luke 24: 13-35), we sense God, out of the corner of our eye. We only have to use peripheral vision to see the burning bushes of our lives. Life brings us to our knees, if we pay attention.
A Confident Faith – Those who miss God are those who expect to see God in our world. Actually, it is the other way around. It is we who are in God's world. The most fascinating people are not the most self-confident. The most fascinating people are those who draw from a deeper well. Their confidence can be quiet, but larger than life. What difference does God make in my life? What has knowing Jesus done for me? Where is God leading me? What does that change about my life? Is that evident for all to see?
A God-Sized Faith - The life of Jesus tells a story that is bigger than any person or group of us. It unites us across all divides. And everyone gathered at the Lord’s table is gathered to be sent. What does it mean to be a church gathered and scattered? How can everyone be an ambassador of God's mercy. How does my story connect me with the stories of others? How does the parish sustain me in a God-sized purpose?
After the retreat, the parish can gather interested parishioners to meet in small groups to grow in heart, mind and spirit together. Parishes that use the retreat God Awaits Us in our Stories will be given an outline for God Awaits Us in our Questions - a resource with six additional sessions for use in small groups. All sessions examine different aspects of spirituality for daily living. The session touch on important topics for faithful living including: a purpose-driven life, forgiveness, managing time, managing money, conflict, and practical mysticism.
For help in discovering how God Awaits Us... in Our Stories, contact Dennis Mahaney or call 716-847-8393.
What can I do?
Consider: 12 Practical tips on how you can be more effective in New Evangelization.
Connect, Welcome and Engage
Jesus continues His saving mission today through us. We connect with people. We welcome people into our community, our mission and our ministries. We engage people in a God-sized purpose. And we equip them to share the hope that they share in Christ Jesus.
Connect
Many people are disconnected from church for a variety of reasons but most have just drifted away, still have profound spiritual hungers and are open to an invitation to reconsider participation in the church. The first step is to connect.
- Reach out to Catholics living in the neighborhoods closest to the parish with a “door-hanger” invitation to contact someone at the parish, stop in to talk or just visit the family or spirituality resources at the parish website.
- Add conspicuous links to the parish website with words of welcome and introduction to the parish (e.g. “Just Checking Us Out?...”, “Ready to Get Connected?...”, “Make faith work for You”, “See What God Has in Store for You”, “Join us for…”).
- No parish website? Then put up welcoming signage around the parish campus.
- Conduct a digital census among parishioners online. Enhance the parish online presence through a parish social network (e.g. Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest).
- Form a “New Evangelization” team dedicated to the task of asking the question: Who is missing (inactive)? And how can we reach out to them?
- Host a forum discussion on religious freedom and intolerance in society.
- Sponsor an open house aligned with any popular local event or festival for inactive Catholics or inquirers.
- Tailgate! Host a tailgate party at an upcoming Bills game complete with free food, booming Christian music, and give away sponge footballs printed with the contact information for the parish, and worship schedule.
- Identify young adults leaving home for college or employment and present them with a care package with spiritual support, a local parish contact person and an invitation to return for the holidays with contact information.
- Take advantage of the College Connection initiative sponsored by Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.
- Contact the Office of Parish Life for more ways to connect, welcome and engage people at your parish.
Welcome
Even if people come in the front door does not insure that they will not go out the back door. Churches that want to keep people start with warm welcome.
- Preach on welcoming the stranger in our midst.
- Give a special welcome to visitors and returning Catholics at the holiday season and on significant holy days.
- Establish a parish hospitality team.
- Form a visitation team to provide a welcome to all newcomers to the area with a welcome packet (plate of cookies, discount coupon book, parish pictorial directory and a parish brochure.
- Exercise the “Three Minute Rule” – parishioners spend the first three minutes after Mass visiting with someone that they do not already know.
- Host occasional receptions for newcomers and have a parish greeter follow up with them.
- Sponsor an evening of married couples with inspiration, communication and prayer.
- Greet people in a special way at weddings, baptisms, and funerals.
- Offer support for any personal needs or faith issues and provide contact information.
- Establish a welcome center just inside building entrances to the church, office and hall (include a display of CareNotes - Abbey Press and informational pamphlets - Our Sunday Visitor along with information on parish activities and services).
- Conduct an accessibility survey and encourage parishioners who are differently-abled to accept visible roles in liturgical leadership.
- Welcome visitors as part of gathering rite of Mass on the last weekend of each month.
- Offer an anointing for those in need of healing at a Sunday liturgy on a quarterly basis.
- Observe family milestones at Sunday liturgies (e.g. bless graduates and new drivers, bless sport players at start of sport season, vacationers before summer, couples for key anniversaries, bless backpacks for return to school, first responders).
- Provide welcome cards and ask newcomers to fill them out and drop them in the collection basket or another designated receptacle and follow-up with them.
- Ask a friend from another church to visit yours and report back on the experience.
- If you have a late evening Mass for the convenience of a particular population - communicate it widely.
- Teach regular attendees how to respond warmly to visitors and guests. (The easiest way to let people know that they are unwanted is to ignore them or avoid smiling). and equip parishioners with skills to get acquainted with newcomers (e.g. know more about the parish, introduction skills, share interests and why they love this church).
- Contact the Office of Parish Life for more ways to connect, welcome and engage people at your parish.
Engage
Belonging leads to believing. Some of us have trouble making friends and feeling a sense of belonging. How can we help Catholics to get better acquainted, share their God-given talents, and give expression to their values? Consider these possibilities for engaging people:
- Provide families with materials for a retreat-on-the-go. Inquire about the story behind each person’s given name. Invite each person to share what makes them most proud of the family. What does the family do that makes God most proud? Create a family motto together or generate family beatitudes.
- Adopt a Lawmaker – make a personal connection with a local legislator (especially one who is Catholic) and see what support and advice you can provide to the legislator in making faithful decisions.
- Equip Catholics to witness to their faith in Jesus in homes, workplaces, and marketplaces with confidence (cf. Forming Intentional Disciples by Sherry Weddell, Our Sunday Visitor, 2012 or Catholic and Confident by Henry Libersat, Servant Books, 2012).
- Host a panel presentation on the reasons to stay in an imperfect church.
- Publicly commission those involved in the explicit outreach efforts of the parish.
- Give renewed attention to the role of young Catholics in parish ministry leadership and decision making.
- Host a Strengths-Finder night to let people name their talents using either the popular tool from Gallup (note the per person cost for that tool) or use a simple (no cost) inventory (available from Office of Parish Life, Diocese of Buffalo).
- Support faith formation at home 24/7/365 through personal sharing and regular prayer resources and activities. Observe the parish anniversary (even on an off year) in a public way.
- Celebrate it with an intergenerational learning event or act of service in the community inspired by the patron saint (e.g. blood drive, park beautification, care for immigrants).
- Host an appreciation event for all ministry leaders with a presentation on a theme from Second Vatican council (e.g. the universal call to holiness, religious freedom, evangelization in world).
- Initiate small church groups (consider using one of many published materials: Arise Together in Christ, JustFAITH, Living the Eucharist, Longing for the Holy, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, Spirituality@Work, or Quest).
- Occasionally, invite a parishioner to share why they are Catholic or a member of the parish at the website or newsletter and incorporate it in a homily.
- Preach on the role of lay people as disciples and witnesses over a few weeks (see USCCB document: Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization (cf. the reflections questions in particular).
- Ask parish organizations to start their meetings in the Year of Faith by taking a few minutes to consider a focus question (e.g. Who is missing?, How can we be more responsive to young families? How do we equip our members to reach out?).
- Tithe as a parish in support of a specific work of Catholic Charities or Catholic Relief Services which is related to the life and witness of the patron saint of the parish.
- Conduct a parish vitality survey and consider the implications with the parish leadership (staff, pastoral council and ministry leaders). A customized survey including free analysis is available through Office of Parish Life.
Contact the Office of Parish Life for more on sponsoring a Catholic and Confident parish leaders workshop or God Awaits Us... in Our Stories parish retreat:
God Awaits Us in our Stories will renew Catholic enthusiasm for faith in Jesus, awareness of our baptismal the Spirit lead in life
My Faith Story – It is often said that Americans are experience rich and reflection poor. In a post-modern age, the perennial question remains: ‘Is God with us or not?’ Like Moses (Ex. 33:11), Elijah (1 Kings 19:12) or the first disciples of Jesus (Luke 24: 13-35), we sense God, out of the corner of our eye. We only have to use peripheral vision to see the burning bushes of our lives. Life brings us to our knees, if we pay attention.
A Confident Faith – Those who miss God are those who expect to see God in our world. Actually, it is the other way around. It is we who are in God's world. The most fascinating people are not the most self-confident. The most fascinating people are those who draw from a deeper well. Their confidence can be quiet, but larger than life. What difference does God make in my life? What has knowing Jesus done for me? Where is God leading me? What does that change about my life? Is that evident for all to see?
A God-Sized Faith - The life of Jesus tells a story that is bigger than any person or group of us. It unites us across all divides. And everyone gathered at the Lord’s table is gathered to be sent. What does it mean to be a church gathered and scattered? How can everyone be an ambassador of God's mercy. How does my story connect me with the stories of others? How does the parish sustain me in a God-sized purpose?
After the retreat, the parish can gather interested parishioners to meet in small groups to grow in heart, mind and spirit together. Parishes that use the retreat God Awaits Us in our Stories will be given an outline for God Awaits Us in our Questions - a resource with six additional sessions for use in small groups. All sessions examine different aspects of spirituality for daily living. The session touch on important topics for faithful living including: a purpose-driven life, forgiveness, managing time, managing money, conflict, and practical mysticism.
For help in discovering how God Awaits Us... in Our Stories, contact Dennis Mahaney or call 716-847-8393.
What can I do?
Consider: 12 Practical tips on how you can be more effective in New Evangelization.
Web Resources
New Evangelization - Resources from the U.S.C.C.B., 2012
Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization - U.S.C.C.B., 2012
Porta Fidei - Pope Benedict XVI, 2011
New Evangelization, Synod Preparatory Materials - Vatican, 2012
Pouring New Wine Into New Wineskins: The New Evangelization and What It Means for the Way We Do Catechesis by Bishop Edward Clark, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, 2006
Disciples Called to Witness: The New Evangelization - U.S.C.C.B., 2012
Porta Fidei - Pope Benedict XVI, 2011
New Evangelization, Synod Preparatory Materials - Vatican, 2012
Pouring New Wine Into New Wineskins: The New Evangelization and What It Means for the Way We Do Catechesis by Bishop Edward Clark, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, 2006
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