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- Read and reflect on Cardinal Seán’s Pastoral Letter: A New Pentecost: Inviting All to Follow Jesus.
- Offer witness opportunities to current attendees.
- Freshen parish census. Update all parishioner records. Publish a list or directory of parish families to allow people to get to know each other.
- Identify members of the parish over the past 50 years who have become priests and/or religious brothers or sisters. Recognize them in a special way during the year.
- Offer a parish “service day” to beautify the parish/school grounds and buildings in the spring.
- Offer opportunities to welcome newcomers/seekers well:
- Form teams of volunteers to visit homes of newcomers throughout the year (e.g. blessing of homes).
- Refresh parish website graphics and content.
- Easy to find section for “newcomer”
- Easy to find registration information for parish and faith formation programs
- Catechetical links
- Reach out to meet people where they are:
- Send press releases to local papers, news media and websites to publicize and extend invitations to parish events and to promote good things that are being accomplished by parish.
- Host a parish mission/retreat during Lent.
- Publicize occasions to live out the Church’s call for justice as presented in Catholic social teaching (see Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church).
- Conduct a major neighborhood canvas, particularly through the use of local organizations (e.g. Knights of Columbus) to invite neighbors to join together at Mass.
- Celebrate a “Catholics Come Home” Sunday to welcome home returning Catholics and those seeking faith.
- Encourage parishioners to actively invite a family member or friend to consider engaging the Person of Christ.