Since 2022, our parish has participated in a synod process ordered by our then bishop, the purpose of which was to evangelize Catholics, specifically those who had strayed away from the Church. Our synod committee would meet once a month to plan a presentation to be given to our parishioners. The monthly presentations usually consisted of a video on various topics about our faith, followed by discussion. To entice attendance, there was always food and beverages provided.
After taking a break during June, our committee met last week to assess our progress and plan for the future. In doing so, we all agreed that we are no nearer our objective than when we started. Oh, the monthly sessions were fairly well attended, usually by the same crowd that already attends Sunday Mass faithfully, along with whoever was assigned to bring the refreshments that day. Pressed to name one Catholic who returned to the Church as a result of our efforts, we came up empty.
Someone then mentioned the often-used definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. We all decided to stop doing what we have been doing. While those attending our presentations were benefitting, we were not reaching those who needed to hear the message. It just was not working.
One committee member said we need more person to person contact. True, but how do we approach people about their faith? Frankly, most of us Catholics aren’t very good at evangelizing. Our pastor suggested something called the Friendly Visiting Guidebook. I would cite the website he provided to us, but it seems to no longer exist. A few days following our meeting, he gave me a printed copy of the Guidebook. This is a program for building a relationship with the elderly. Most of us on the Synod Committee are ourselves elderly! Building such relationships is a great idea, but I still doubt it will help meet our goal.
I believe the best strategy is to keep people from leaving the Church in the first place. Keeping people involved is the secret to making them feel connected. We need community. We are social beings. The Catholic faith is very focused on Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. The catechism calls the Eucharist the source and summit of our faith. When we walk into church, we address the Blessed Sacrament to the point of ignoring others worshippers around us. Our worship experience is vertically oriented as opposed to the more horizontal social element of many non-Catholic denominations. While this is a good thing, it doesn’t always lend itself to social interaction with our fellow worshippers. A weak social structure can result in individuals feeling detached or alienated.
That is why parish organizations are very important. This sense of community develops when people work with others to achieve a goal. Ironically, the Synod Committee itself was beneficial to those on the committee because it provided an opportunity to work together in a social setting, even though the goals of the committee were never realized. We have a very active Society of Saint Vincent DePaul Conference in our parish. I cannot envision anyone in that group ever leaving the Church.
Our pastor started a men’s group in our parish several years ago. It doesn’t even have a name; they just call it the men’s group. At the synod meeting, Father said he never expected the men’s group to be as successful as it has been. The guys get together once a month to study the faith and socialize. There might even be a little alcohol involved.
Knights of Columbus, Christian Mothers, Sodalities, Choirs, these are all organizations that can provide cohesiveness among parishioners. The secret is to make these groups inviting, to ask outsiders to join or assist with a project. I am reminded of the Charlie Brown Christmas cartoon where Lucy tells a depressed Charlie Brown that he needs involvement. We all need to be involved. Growing in faith and commitment will naturally follow.
