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Parish Support during COVID-19
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January UpdateThanks be to God! We can now say that there is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel. Vaccine distribution has finally begun. It is now possible to imagine a Post-Covid 19 world!
So it is now time for parish leaders to plan for a post-pandemic re-entry into parish life. Of course, it is very tempting to simply “plan to get back to normal.” After all, we had to navigate through stormy and unchartered waters these many months, and who wouldn’t want the comfort and safety of the calm seas of normalcy. We all can pray that the Father not lead us into this temptation.
It is precisely because things have been abnormal for so long that we need to lead toward something other than “getting back to normal.” The norm has been broken. The regular is irregular. Habits are no longer habitual. The community has been scattered and, for some, even Mass has become optional at best and irrelevant at worst. Things are not normal so we need to lead and plan accordingly.
With all of this in mind, pastors, councils, and parish leaders should use the coming few months to intentionally and strategically plan toward two critical questions. The first relates to re-building the parish community: “What new things will we do to build and rebuild communal relationships of unity, belonging, and friendship?”
The second question relates to the Church’s primary task of evangelization: “What will we do NEW, to help people discover and rediscover that Jesus is Good News for their lives?” This question points to “Kerygmatic Preaching,” that is, inviting people to encounter Jesus in a personal & life-changing way.
We invite you to read the ACYS XXIX white paper below, "Re-Imagining the Catholic Parish".
Remember the Holy Spirit is blowing boldly in and around us. We can do this with God’s help! But we need to plan and lead toward the newness that God wants to bring forth. It’s a cliché, but it is true that “failure to plan is a plan to fail.” The Lord is counting on us. We are called to go and make disciples, especially now when people long for Good News in a lost, suffering, and broken world.
Join us in a live webinar from Revive Parish on February 4th at 1pm for lively roundtable discussion.
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Parish Resources
- Archdiocese COVID News
- USDA Food Box Program
- ACTS XXIX - Reimagining the Catholic Parish
- REVIVE Leadership Training
- Reconnect Groups
- Faith Formation in COVID
- From Digital back to In-Person
- Key Parish Resources
- Stay connected with the faithful
- Family "at Home" Resources
- Healing & Support Resources
- Español- English Resources
- Oregon Health Authority Info
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The Archdiocesan COVID prayer:
(English) (Spanish) (Vietnamese)
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Re-imagining the Catholic Parish
To be a disciple of Jesus is not to see some things differently, but to see everything differently — to see reality as it truly is. Please read this Acts XXIX white paper.
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Tips for Parish Staff
- Creating a culture of prayer.
- Engage in a culture of teamwork.
- Grow a culture of discipleship
- Communicate - Communicate
- Attentive to fears and anxieties
- Give hope & inspiration
- Be creative & try new things
- Learn technology
- Seek help from volunteer leaders
- Call ALL faithful once a month
- Act on staff formation HERE
- Think ahead....and plan.
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Archdiocese Podcast
Join this weekly evangelization podcast with leaders in our Archdiocese and throughout the country.
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