Involvement: Not only have a great number of parishioners been involved in parish life in the past, but repeated enthusiasm is being expressed for fresh opportunities of involvement to be extended anew. (53)
Events: Events of both a social and a spiritual nature are needed at St. Mary Parish and will be sure to draw more people into the parish and deeper into their faith. (63)
Stewardship: People’s time, talent and treasure made an impact at St. Mary in the past and are the resources needed to grow a vibrant parish life into the future. (104)
Involvement, activity, and participation were the most often used words during the November Listening Sessions. This theme was raised in discussions that looked back on the good days of old as well as in hopes expressed of what the future can bring to parish life ahead. Our Catholic faith teaches us that, made in the image of God, we are born with the desire to cultivate and nurture the world around us. The only way that such caretaking can be done is by stewarding the gifts that God shares with each of us in a unique way. Indeed, we come to the fullest expression of ourselves upon the very donation of ourselves, for “man cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself” (Gaudium et Spes, 1963). To that end, with the wide voice given to support this aspect of our spiritual lives, our future parish planning will have to include an aim to address this great need!
Listed below are the various comments from the Listening Sessions on “participation.” Some comments will be repeated and appear under multiple themes.
Great pool of community that can’t wait to get back involved, waiting for YOU as great shepherd to lead
As we come out of COVID, you have an opportunity to transform and hopefully return the vibrancy back to this church
Parishioners are looking for relationships and activities to participate
Opportunity to rebuild and institute new programs. Parishioners are looking for strong, inspired leadership to teach structure of the faith and to define new faith directions.
People are open and excited to bring positive change and support Fr. Scott. We are ready to follow a strong leader. We care.
Lots of potential.
Parish has a vibrancy that needs to be awakened.
People are so anxious to come back, be involved, make this place vibrant AGAIN!
There is an increase in daily mass attendance! We feel that is a reason to be excited!
There is still room for growth in this community.
This parish has an open Catholic heart to new ideas!
We are all here because we want this to be a thriving parish
We will work for growth of our parish with Fr. Scott. We are open to continued growth and change of our parish.
You have a lot of adult seniors willing to work and support.
You will have a lot of support and help. We are excited that you are motivated and vibrant and open to moving forward. The Veteran Recognition Sunday was awesome!
Again, we need to learn “what” the faith really is and then “how” to share this with others.
Late night catechism, opportunities to socialize
Parishioners are looking for relationships and activities to participate
Expand into the community
Fellowship growth after Mass (like our non-Catholic churches)
Good core group
The parish has a solid group, but some need to be brought back to church
To have Eucharistic processions – not just on our grounds but to walk around the square
Age – vibrancy
Community activities
Community Eucharistic processions.
Community events for entertainment targeting different age groups, demographics
More activities for families to interact
More community outreach like Trunk or Treat, Purse Bash (PTO) to bring in more of the community to grow church
“I miss social events. I enjoy talking to everyone and catching up, meeting new friends in our parish.”
100% participation by every parishioner
Abundance of volunteers
Activities for all ages: seniors, working moms, teens, parents
Activities that combine spiritual learning
Alumni reunion type of event? Might get some people a reason to come visit
Annual appeal for ministry work – Fr. Gilles used to add a card to each pew yearly to solicit volunteers for various ministries. This has not been done in years but is a great way to solicit for volunteers.
Annual events in the past but the parish has moved away from this
Be excited that we are financially generous! J
Because you (and we) have the challenge here to get more parishioners to weekly Mass and contributions
Blessing of items once/month
Bring back events annually (spiritual and social)
Bring back the festival (start small)
Bring the festival back! It brings people here!
Bulletin blurb each week on different volunteer opportunities. Make them original and personal invitations to join
More technology options for communication of parish activities
Caroling
Catholic Fun = Catholic beer making.
Celebrate saints on specific days
Christ Renews His Parish and Renew – were important for personal connections among parishioners
Church has great support from all sorts of groups (once something is initiated, it seems like there are always people to step up)
Communication!!!!
Community outreach
Community outreach.
Community service days
Community service program – outreach
Confessions during the week
Confessions should be encouraged more
Continue the Blue Army, first Tuesday
Contributions from the Church? Then? And Now?
Couples ministry would be beneficial
Despite many challenges in the past, we are here to give you a chance. WE are very loyal to the church and will be here for the long haul.
Donuts from Pattersons J
Dynamic and energetic community
Energetic
Ensure proper training is provided to new folks who volunteer so that they are comfortable doing what they’ve volunteered to do.
Eucharistic processions
Every registered parishioner contributes financially
Families used to be very heavily involved and it was really lovely to see
Festival or fun fundraiser
Financial support is usually exceptional in fundraising
Fish fries
Fish fries during Lent
Food ministry of less fortunate
For all 2,000 families to participate.
Fun – need more fun!
Greg Wasinski (retreat) has some very good books
Grow the parish community
High level of volunteerism
Emphasize altar server program
Increase church participation
Large number of ministries already functioning
Encouragement by pastor to attend events after a speaker, e.g. women’s retreat
Stable financially and strong staff
Less apathy
Less than ½ of parishioners attend mass. Should Evangelization be a theme?
Families come to mass on weekends
Like to see the 20 and 30 year olds come back to church
Lots of traditions such as Giving Tree
Many active ministries here – with good attendance
Matching gift funds need to be re-addressed here.
May crowning
Ministry Fair! To get the word out about our various ministries.
Ministry/Volunteer Fair
Mom and Toddler Group
More access to spiritual programs: webinars, self-study
More groups! E.g. singles, hike with a priest, date night
More involved parishioners – how do we promote this?
More involvement of parishioners
More older parishioners than young – In the past more parishioners attended Mass.
More outreaches per our bereavement group and Monthly Thursday Communion Dinners.
More singing – youth choir, church choir (not necessarily to do a mass)
More social activities
More social opportunity events to bring community together in banquet hall
Nice facilities for the size of the church. They need to be maintained.
Now, a huge decline with attending Mass, PSR, Catholic Schools, etc.
Offer babysitting during activities to encourage families to attend
Opportunities
Opportunities to mingle (after Mass and other)
Parents MUST be more involved in their children’s Faith Formation. If the parents are not involved in parish life, regularly going to Mass and confession, it’s very unlikely that children will want anything to do with the parish or their faith in general
Parish picnic or ice cream social (things like that)
Parish picnics
Parishioners are open to renewals.
Parishioners here are willing to monetarily support parish.
Participation and engagement = growth
People should be personally asked to help with church activities.
Perpetual adoration chapel
Planning Group
Possible car show, 5K for festival
Project homily and songs on screens
Promote services in the church (active) ministry
PTU events: color run, purse event
Publicize activities to whole parish list, rather than just those who read the bulletin. A parish-wide email, for instance.
Put sheets out for signups for volunteers for various needs
Quarterly and annual events
Recently attendance is dropping.
Reenact the stewardship areas and be specific on each of the needs
Reinstitute old “community” programs like Donuts after Mass.
Reverence of church
Reverse Raffle at LaMalfa was stopped.
Rosary – pray everyday – encourage
Rosary walk
Family activities for school and parish families
Full capacity school attendance. Full capacity church attendance. Full donations for more than (…?)
Loss of vibrancy last 10 years. School declining enrollment. School brings a lot of life to the parish! Need to nurture this.
SRO Masses; waiting list to get into the school
Same people plan same events with no variation – need new events/ideas and new people
Seder Meal
Seniors seem to have things to do, the younger parishioner do not.
Social justice – outreach to the community
Spiritual social events
Spiritually motivated parishioners
St. Mary’s Mission! Not just give, we want to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty
Start simple and see what sticks
Stations of the Cross walk outdoors
Stopped doing Casino Night and get togethers.
Succession planning in groups and organizations
Summer festival (return of)
Summer festival: bring community and parish together
Support groups with childcare option during group meetings
The church has financial stability
The parish is financially sounds.
The people we know are eager to learn and grow in holiness
There are a small number of core supporters who answer the calls to stewardship
There are amazing young people in the parish!
There are many young people in the parish, lots of potential for making the parish better.
There have been extra activities that added variety, for example: pet blessing, K of C, outdoor mass, festival
There is a lot of talent that just needs to be tapped.
There used to be fish fries, picnics and renewals
Very stable financially
Bring back all of our loved ones!
Evangelization by friendship
Evangelizing ourselves, and evangelizing the young (with events that allow for this)
Have events to invite neighbors and friends
Help with transportation for those who need a ride
Increase our parish
Intentional outreach to get more involved
Learn to invite people in – people ask people
More announcements
More intimate/social events to bring people together
More out-reaching, evangelizing
Need to draw people who have left or walked away over the years. We can’t wait for them to return on their own.
Outreach to parishioners who have lost their way to be active parishioners.
Personal invitation
Personal invitations and activities (NOT JUST IN THE BULLETIN)
Personal invitations are key! General invitations do not draw people as much. There is a sense of importance, care, joy in personal invitations.
Talk about the different ministries available; to invite people into the ministries (perhaps at the donut and coffee, tea, milk) after Mass
Volunteers should be more welcomed and appreciated
We need a program to build community. Our main mission needs to be to “draw people in.” We need more ways to do this.
With the family structure changing, still seeing individuals connect to church with a lot of our kids not marrying younger and starting families and not connecting to the church
Would like to have people come to church because they love God and need community than to go out of fear or guilt.
Would like to see people flocking to Mass
Younger parish – friendly parish
Was a very active parish when children were in school and connection with parish but looking for more vibrancy with devotionals
We are a fairly active parish!
We are faith-filled, we will learn, we will back him.
We are willing to help you, Father, with your ideas
We have a great Lenten Fish Fry – keep doing it!
We have a vibrant, caring, growing parish family that is willing to be involved
We have a wealth of skilled professionals and trades people to help with projects
We have significant resources that could be used for good projects for our church and our society. I would love to see community-wide projects focused on human rights, health, ecology, and advancement of the faith
We’re a large parish – active
We’re a very passionate parish; we like to be involved at events (e.g. fish frys, trunk-or-treat)
Weekday confessions.
Where does every penny come from? How does it come in? How do we increase $$ coming in? What correlation is there with who gives?
You already are – and we’re loving it! We are energized at the re-population of the Masses.
Younger families should be invited to get involved
Invite them to event and then also invite them into the church, too
Inviting – feel invited to be here
Church community to a soup kitchen, neighbors’ day (volunteering), Habitat for humanity.
We want people, especially youth, not to feel pressured or forced to be involved in parish life