Dear Parishioners,
The coronavirus pandemic has largely stopped affecting our daily lives, but there is one area where the pandemic’s effects are still visible: church.
After pandemic-imposed pauses, our Masses and events have yet to return to their numbers from 2019. We are not alone. Restaurants, museums, and even swimming pools, where I often hang out, are still trying to make up for lost ground.
Yes, in some areas, we are holding our own, and here at St. Patricia we are even slowly growing more than other parishes, but you know things are certainly not the same. So this spring we will review the results of the Disciple Maker Index (DMI), the survey that many of you filled out.
In fact, the DMI Survey, which was closed on April 4th, ended up with 222 online and 27 paper surveys completed. Our estimated Parish participation is 31%. The Archdiocese had set a goal of 20%-30% for each parish. Hopefully, the results will help us have a better idea of the direction we need to go.
Last fall and early winter, I participated in 8 hour and a half sessions with other pastors and Archdiocesan officials in a program called “Building the New Reality” (BNR), which is the second phase of the “Renew My Church Process.” BNR begins after the reconfiguration of the parishes has been completed. BNR tells us that the focus in the parish now has to move away from simply maintenance to mission.
What does that mean? We need to reach out more into the community at large and not think that everyone will come to us. No longer can our efforts to invite new parishioners be done when we have spare time. Rather, it must become central to who we are. Simply maintaining existing programs and ministries is not enough to sustain us into the future. We need to engage those outside our present circle of Parishioners.
Part of this BNR strategy to move us forward is to look closely at our present ministries and at our present staff job descriptions and to make adjustments to meet our new situation.
Meanwhile, we hope you can be ambassadors of our Parish and all the fine programs, ministries, and people that make St. Patricia such a wonderful community. Please help us grow by spreading the good word about our school, religious education program, and our Parish.
If you, yourself, are not presently that involved, maybe now is the time!
Happy Easter Season,
Fr. Mike Meany
