Overview of the situation in our parishes and an introduction to approaches and resources

1. Talk #1:
Invite and Support Active Membership

2. TALK #2:
PROMOTE & ENABLE
ONGOING CONVERSION
Helping Parishioners Encounter Christ -
Accompanying Them on the Journey

3. Opening Prayer

4. Agenda

5. Step1…
A Dedicated, Intentional PrayerTeam

6. Step 2: Facilities (or else…)
1. Walk-through #1:
• Pastor, Facilities Manager, Business Manager,
Select Parishioners ..
2. Summarize and group your findings.
3. Walk-through #2:
• Include Project Manager, Consultant, Architect,
Builder ..
4. Adjust summary.
5. Attach $$$ figures to each item.
6. Attach priorities to each item.

7. “Promotion
and Support of Active
Membership!”

8. Step3:Knowwhatyourparishreallylookslike?
“SpiritualThresholds”

9. SpiritualThresholds:
Parishes & People
Pre-
Trust
Trust
Curious
Open
Seeking
Disciple
Apostle
+ - 70% of
Parish
+-70% of
Church-Go-ers
3% - 7% of
Church Go-ers ??
Catechesis Only
Effective Here
Actively
Seeking God
Passive
No Connection,
Semi-Hostile,
Hostile
Actively
Seeking Others
St. Monica,
Berwyn, PA

10. SpiritualThresholds
Pre-
Trust
Trust
Curious
Open
Seeking
Disciple
Apostle
+ - 70% of
Parish
+-70% of
Church-Go-ers
3% - 7%of
Church Go-ers ??
Catechesis Only
Effective Here
“Small Groups”
Effective Here
Implications for the
parish?

11. Issue:
Faith Journey
Pre-Evangelization
Evangelization
Faith Formation
Catechesis
In Religious Education:WE’VE REVERSEDTHE ORDER!
We Catechized FIRST –
THEN Sacramentalized –
THEN Evangelized (maybe?)
We Should Evangelize FIRST –
THEN Sacramentalize –
THEN Catechize

12. Issue: Resources Catering to Silos
Evangelization Sacramental Catechesis Service Other..

13. SuggestedStep4:
“DiscernmentTeam”

14. Step 4 ……DiscernmentTeam
• Your “A-Team” Invested Disciples
• First place where you can begin the “Promotion and Support of
Active Membership!”
• Double this group in 5 years 
• Parish will be different.
• Parish will be more dynamic.

15. Step 4: Ask Big Questions:
• What does Jesus Christ want this parish to look like in 5 years?
• If your parish closed tomorrow – except parishioners - would anybody miss you?
• What is your parish “culture?”
• What is your parish “charism?”
• Where is the biggest “gap” in the parish?
• If you don’t know… then start there! Say you don’t know.
• Prayerfully tease out the answers to those questions.
• Allow the Holy Spirit to surprise you.” (Pope Benedict XVI)

16. Kind of

17. Kind of

18. Kind of

19. Step 6: Some Kind of
“LeadershipTeam”

20. Step 6: Some Kind of
“LeadershipTeam”

25. • Good Leaders – Good Shepherds
• Catholic Leadership Institute
• TendingTheTalents
• Catholic Leadership Institute
• Amazing Parish
• Amazing Parish
• Christ Renews His Parish
• DynamicCatholic

26. • Alpha
• Christ Life
• Walking With Purpose (Women)
• That Man isYou (Men)
• Ascension Press

27. • Called and Gifted
• Forming Intentional Disciples
• AnaniasTraining
• Catherine of Siena Institute
• Parish Missionary Disciples
• Catholic Leadership Institute
• Augustine Institute
• Formed

28. • Faith Member Engagement
• Disciple Maker Index
• Reveal

29. Talk #1:
Invite and Support Active Membership