Parish Renewal

Parish Spiritual Renewal

Parishes are families of faith where we grow spiritually – both personally and as a community; where we experience a profound and personal encounter with Jesus Christ through His Church; where we can fulfill our desire for mission and service; where we need to feel welcome, loved and a deep sense of belonging.

Our parish formation programs and activities were created for a different age, not built to respond creatively to the needs of current generations. It is a time for parish renewal and transformation. Based on what has worked in transformed parishes throughout the world, we know that the following five strategies will help our parishes meet the challenge of our “new missionary age”:

How do we make it all happen?

The work of parish renewal is carried out by missionary disciples who are on fire with the Holy Spirit, collaborating with the pastor in inviting others to a life of faith, in building the parish community and in serving others in need. Parish renewal depends on parishioners taking up the call to co-responsibility alongside the pastor and staff.

Every parishioner who is willing to listen to others, who is open about their faith story, who intentionally invites others to grow in their faith, who prays for and with others, and who is welcoming to all helps to foster a Culture of Evangelization, which is essential to renewal. We evangelize by being authentic followers of Jesus who are willing to share our lived experience of how Jesus transformed our life because we want to help someone know of God’s love and have their own encounter with Jesus.

This will take time. This will take energy. This will take you answering the call (consider this your sign) to be a part of the renewal of the Church today.