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Donna Marie
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| Posted: March 10 2010 at 10:46am | IP Logged
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I have been loving the liturgy thread and it really got me to thinking last night as I was listening to a friend talk about our church.
He is on the pastoral council and involved with the youth of the parish with a few people (my kids don't participate as I have seen some concerning issues with it...so have they).
He shared with me and dh what the council has been talking about and I know I can have some kind of input but I am wondering how to approach things with him.
He is talking about getting donations up as things are really lean at the parish right now...
He also talked about stewardship and getting people to participate more in parish life and the Mass. He is also involved with RCIA (and I even wonder if the candidates are receiving the fullness of the faith there) but this friend may be able to make a positive difference in all of these things if he receives the guidance he needs.
I have a strong feeling that he is leaning more towards modernistic and even more protestant ideas but he is still open to my thoughts of being holier, more devout, more adoration, etc.
I am in a unique position. If I can steer him in the right direction he will probably take it. He only became stronger in his faith in the last 10 years and didn't receive the type of formation that he really needs and is very open to other faiths...maybe too much?? He is definitely a people person and a great manager and delegator. I sense, without directly putting my finger on the weird feeling I have, that there is something lacking in his approach and I am afraid of how it will affect things at the parish level in the future.
So my question is this...what type of organizations, books, dvd's ..whatever can I give him to help him develop a more truly authentic thoroughly Catholic identity in his dealings with the parish?
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Donna Marie from NJ
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Finding Elegant Simplicity
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guitarnan
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| Posted: March 10 2010 at 12:19pm | IP Logged
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This is a great question. Nothing is leaping to mind right this minute, but I will think about it and pray hard for this gentleman.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 10 2010 at 1:11pm | IP Logged
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I would encourage at least one thing that is social.. that doesn't require much of people. People often don't want to put in more effort when they feel "alone in the crowd".. and then personally invite people (not just you but whoever is helping invite people face to face, one on one) to come and join.
Also take into account if you have people traveling further distances. A group for praying the Rosary before Mass might work because it's just showing up 30 minutes early.. but doing it on another day altogether might mean an extra trip and so fewer people showing up.
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LeeAnn
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| Posted: March 10 2010 at 1:29pm | IP Logged
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Donna Marie, I am the DRE for my parish and so by default on the parish council. Our pastor is having the parish council read and disscuss "Reclaim the Fire, A Parish Guide to Evangelization," by Rev. Martin Pable. I really like it.
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JennGM
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| Posted: March 10 2010 at 5:14pm | IP Logged
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Tough one, Donna Marie. I'd first get any contemplative order around you to pray for this intention!
So many of the materials written for parishes is quite 
I'll keep thinking on it.
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guitarnan
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| Posted: March 10 2010 at 5:35pm | IP Logged
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Perhaps you'd also like to put this intention on the We Pray to the Lord forum, so we remember to pray for you as this situation develops.
One thing that has helped with our stewardship issues is when our pastor talks at all the Masses and gives concrete numbers - how much the annual electric bill is, how much (percentage) weekly contributions have fallen, the average contribution per week per family - when people realize their money is going to something necessary like the water bill, they can be persuaded to give a bit more per week. Last year our pastor suggested that each family boost its weekly contribution by $5 - $10 and our budget gap filled very quickly.
Also, if your parish does not do direct deposit for parishioner contributions, perhaps that would be another helpful program. When parishioners miss Mass for illness or weather reasons, their contribution still gets there, and they don't have to remember it.
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Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
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Topic: Church and making a postive difference
