Building the Engaging, Welcoming Parish
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
What are your hopes and dreams for your parish?
Invite!Thank!Serve!Give
Pray !Forgive!
Live Faith!Find Meaning!
Take a Stand!Find Inner Peace!
Speak Words of Kindness
Believe!!
What does an engaged community look like? People…
Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
Engaged Parishioners
Engagement is a deep emotional and psychological connection to the parish
More likely to be more spiritually committed.
More likely to invite friends, family and coworkers to parish
events.
Giving significantly more in both time and
talent.
People who are engaged are vastly more likely to be:
Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
Not Engaged Parishioners
Attend regularly but are not psychologically connected to their parish family.
Less likely to invite friends More likely to leave Less likely to give & volunteer
People who are not engaged are vastly:
Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
Actively Disengaged Parishioners
Two Groups
Mostly Absent Consistently Against Virtually Everything▪ Physically present; psychologically absent ▪ Insist on sharing their unhappiness with
EVERYONE.
The Flower People C.A.V.E. Dwellers
Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
Engagement in the Catholic Church Today
Engaged 16%
Not Engaged 49%
Actively Disengaged
35%
Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
Engagement reflects a sense of Belonging
NOT BELONGING
How has belonging made a difference in your life?
BELONGING
!They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and the prayers.
-Acts 2:42ff
The Fellowship of the Believers
What Do I Get?
What Do I Give?
Do I Belong?
How Can We Grow?
How? Key Questions we ask…
First step: Expectations & Materials
Second step: Making a contribution
Third step: Being part of the community
Fourth step: Mission!
Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
First Step: What do I Get?
“As a member of my parish, I know what is expected of me”✝ Meeting Needs
First step:
What Do I Get?
What Do I Give?
Do I Belong?
How Can I Grow?
Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
First Step: What do I Get?
“In my parish, my spiritual needs are met.”✝ Meeting Needs
First step:
What Do I Get?
What Do I Give?
Do I Belong?
How Can I Grow?
Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
1. Participation in Mass
2. Daily Prayer 3. Belonging to my
Parish
Highlights from an International Focus Group
What helps you grow spiritually?
What helps you find meaning or purpose in
life?
For faith that needs strengthening, you
would participate in:
▪ Good friends who share faith with me
▪ Holiday/Holy Day Traditions
1. Family 2. Faith 3. Friends
1. A faith mentor 2. Parish gatherings
to explore spiritual life
▪ Reaching out to others ▪ My parish
©Catholic Life and Faith. All rights reserved.
Second Step: What do I Give?
“In my parish, I regularly have the opportunity to do what I do best.”
What Do I Get?
What Do I Give?
Do I Belong?
How Can I Grow?
Second step:✝ Making a
contribution
Source: “Growing an Engaged Church”, Albert Winseman 2006
©Catholic Life and Faith All rights reserved.
What Are You Thinking?
What are your initial thoughts? !What one thing stands out as something that likely contributes to engagement in your parish now? !How might you build on that for the future?