Excellent parishes inspire excellent stewards
Vibrant parish atmosphere can encourage involvement among parishioners
By Scott Alessi
Staff Writer
PISCATAWAY — The success of a Catholic parish is often achieved through the effort and dedication of its parishioners. According to Paul Wilkes, author of Excellent Catholic Parishes, a truly outstanding parish is created when the extra efforts of a few inspire the enthusiasm of many.
Wilkes described the characteristics that constitute an excellent parish and the changes that can be made to become one at the 2007 Stewardship Symposium,
sponsored by the Office of Stewardship. Over 200 people from around the diocese gathered at the St. John Neumann Pastoral Center Feb. 3 to hear Wilkes, as well as several other speakers, offer suggestions for improving their own parishes to encourage greater involvement of parishioners.
Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski presided at a morning prayer service to begin the day, which featured a spiritual reflection on stewardship from Father Brian J. Nolan, pastor of St. Mary-Stony Hill parish, Watchung. Father Nolan discussed the importance of encouraging people to not only give financially to their parishes but to devote their time and unique abilities to make a parish prosper.
“The great hope of this day,” said Father Nolan, “is that each of us will walk away with greater confidence and courage in our role in establishing a culture of stewardship in our respective communities.”
In the symposium’s feature presentation, Wilkes discussed the ways in which an excellent parish community is formed through simple acts that foster a more welcoming community. By creating such an atmosphere, Wilkes said, other parishioners become more likely to devote their time and talent to the church. “Good stewardship does not come to parishes that are not healthy,” said Wilkes. “Unless the parish is a vital and happy place, stewardship is really a lot of heavy lifting.”
Wilkes described two different types of parishes that he encountered in his research: “yes parishes” and “no parishes.” A “no parish” is one that turns people away or that makes it difficult for people to become a part of parish life and activities. A “yes parish” accepts a person wherever they may be in their faith journey and attempts to take that person to “a new level of being Catholic,” Wilkes explained.
Wilkes also discussed the spirit of a parish as being a very important part of its growth and success. He stated that a lively, fun atmosphere is vital to inspiring people to give themselves to the church. “The spirit of a parish is the thing that is going to not only keep people there but bring new people in,” Wilkes said.
Both priests and laypeople attending the workshop were encouraged to find at least three “easy fixes” to improve their own parishes. Wilkes discussed ideas such as encouraging ushers to be more welcoming, having parish staff walk through the congregation before Mass to speak with parishioners personally and having a monthly dinner with the pastor at the parish rectory. He also stressed the importance of addressing people by name to make them feel more welcome and integrated into the parish community.
A parish that offers a clear vision and a sense of excitement is also likely to entice more people to become involved, Wilkes said. He stated that parishioners must feel that they have some stake in the parish and that their involvement will make a difference in a tangible way.
“When people know that there’s a vision for a parish, that’s when they become good stewards,” said Wilkes. “If there are exciting things going on, people will donate to things that they believe in.”
Wilkes also addressed the importance of a parish being “mission-driven” rather than “committee driven.” He stated that a parish which has many parishioners serving on committees that are focused on procedures will not accomplish much, but a parish dedicated to a mission will succeed through using less structure and taking more action.
Father Sylvester J. Cronin, director of stewardship for the diocese, was hopeful that the ideas given by Wilkes and other speakers at the symposium would give attendees the tools necessary to increase stewardship in their own parishes. “These ideas will help our parishes grow,” Father Cronin said. “It is something we can go home with to really make things happen, or continue to make things happen in our local parishes.”
What makes a Catholic parish excellent?
In his book Excellent Catholic Parishes, Paul Wilkes discussed the traits he discovered in the 300 outstanding parishes he visited. According to Wilkes, an excellent Catholic parish should:
- Be a missionary outpost, understanding the needs of the surrounding community and adapting its message to the specific people it is trying to reach
- Scrutinize themselves to address what is and is not working and be able to make changes to their approach when needed
- Have a “Habit of Being” that welcomes new people who will enjoy being a part of the lively parish community
- Accept new people regardless of where they are in their own faith journey and be forgiving of their faults
- Be innovative in utilizing Catholic tradition, not hindered by it
- Take risks and not be afraid to make mistakes
- Apply church rules intelligently and pragmatically to their own situation
- Avoid battles over controversial issues within the church and not force parishioners to agree on these issues to be a part of the parish
- Have a long-term pastor who understands the parishioners and the community
- Foster a special relationship between parishioners and the parish
- Be at the center of its parishioners’ lives, acting as a source of strength and encouragement for them to carry God’s message forward
- Allow small faith communities within the parish that may better address specific needs of people with common interests
- Encourage laypeople to use their talents to go above and beyond what is expected of them and increase their role in the church
- Be committed to quality in choosing its staff, purchasing worship materials and assigning volunteers to the tasks that they are best suited to perform
- Keep spirituality and prayer at the center of all of their activity
- Be a place where people can enhance their relationship with God
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law