Today's Parish | Ideas and Inspiration for Pastors, Parish Ministers, and Leaders

By Rev. Robert Howes

Becoming an active parish is always a work in progress, a continuing effort to involve and commit more and more parishioners in faith initia­tives. In short, we must work continually to diminish the “we versus they” divide to the point where most everyone be­comes a “we,” and there are minimal “theys.” Here are some steps to make that happen.

1. Rediscover (step one)
You may think you know your people. You do know something about them, but only by asking them can you really find out who they are and how they feel.

The best way to learn more is to prepare a simple, back-to-back survey form. Sex and age should show in distinct boxes, but no names. Ask parish leaders to check an “L” box, visitors to check a “V” box. List all parish activities and ask each parishioner to check each item as she or he has experienced it in this parish-excellent, good, fair, or poor. Leave room for comment on each item line and on back of the form.

The best way to get the widest response is by designating a satu­ration input weekend in your parish. Advise people in advance from the pulpit, by telephone brigades, and your bulletin, newslet­ter, and website. Then at all Masses ask all attendees to fill out the forms and hand them back as they leave church. (This survey method has weaknesses, but I know of none better calculated to pick up the largest response.) Tabulate the responses carefully, making sure you place “L” box ballots and “V” box ballots in their special categories. You will also want to categorize in terms of age and sex.

2. Rediscover (step two)
Compile the returns and publish the findings in a clear, double­-spaced report, signaling important data, particular detail, etc. Dis­tribute this report at an open meeting. What does it tell you? Again use lots of prayer and newsprint. What are your local strengths? In what areas do you need to improve? Remember, with Jesus there are no weaknesses, only opportunities and challenges for us to do bet­ter.

3. Commit
Agree on some specific goals and begin to work toward them.

• Convene an all-day Saturday, all-member parish assembly.
• Strongly encourage attendance.
  • Provide a noon agape lunch.
  • Begin with Pentecost prayer.
  • Ask your pastor to deliver (with written copy) a state of the parish address.
  • Provide each attendee with a resume copy of the parish data gathered in your rediscovery phase.
  • On newsprint and in written copy enunciate the proposed goals and objectives.
  • Spend the rest of the morning discussing all this in general and group sessions.
  • In the afternoon, use Robert’s Rules until you concur on each goal and on most of the objectives.
  • Transmit your decisions to your pastor and parish council to re­view, discuss, and approve. As approved, edit it and put it to­gether with the earlier data in your initial pastoral plan.
  • Commission this in a memorable parish liturgy.

4. Keep on
Chart your progress in implementing the plan for one year. Then hold another parish assembly to update your resource commit­ments, targets, or processes. You’ll need to keep holding assemblies and establishing task forces year after year as you go and grow. As the adage says, pray for a good harvest, but keep hoeing. And remember always as you plan, no parish is an is­land, especially in a global village. You are benefitting from, and must also be contributing members of, your area community and diocesan church.

*This article is excerpted from the September 2001 issue of Today’s Parish.

Rev. Robert Howes

Rev. Robert Howes is a priest of the diocese of Worcester, Massachusetts, and a professional pastoral planner.