Obviously, we are living in some perilous times. Parishes more than most institutions are experiencing tremendous levels of stress because states have closed down Sunday Masses, where parishes receive most of their revenue. In addition, other fundraisers such as carnivals, golf tournaments, bingo, inter alia, have been cancelled. Unlike other institutions, and even businesses, parishes still provide services, despite declining or absent revenues. To provide for parishioners’ spiritual needs, parishes have live-streamed Masses, rosaries, Divine Mercy chaplets, morning and evening prayers, Adorations, Stations of he Cross, and even missions. Some priests have traveled throughout their parishes blessing homes with Holy Water, or carrying a Monstrance containing the Holy Eucharist to bless the faithful. One priest even flew over the Diocese with the Eucharist to bless us all.! Clearly, our priests, deacons, and staffs have been working very hard, but this is a new type of work with new routines. Furthermore, this is new type of work is being done with much less revenue.
Many are looking forward to reopening the churches and truly that will be a blessing. Nevertheless, often our most faithful parishioners are the ones who are most at risk from this Coronavirus and may chose to stay home for a while, maybe even for months more. Consequently, some parishes are going to be in pretty desperate circumstances.
Monsignor Charles Kosanke, pastor of the Basilica of St. Ann’s in Detroit had predicted at the beginning of the crisis, “A parish can probably take a hit in their offertory for 2 or 3 weeks,” Unfortunately, we are well past that now! Prior to the pandemic, we had to change our approach to generating revenue as it was. This virus has just magnified the salient need for that transformation.
Matthew Manion, the Director of the Center for Church Management at Villanova University suggests, “Every pastor has to be communicating many times more than what they were before. I think the people need to hear from their pastor, if not daily, than pretty close to it.”
Sadly, we already see a drop in outreach in many parishes since Easter. Likewise, we’ve seen a commensurate decline in people viewing the live-streaming events. Many parishioners were eager to support live-streaming and online Masses and Lenten activities when the lock-down began. It was our holiest times of the year and people also wanted solace during the early weeks of the lock-down. Since Easter, however, the weather is getting better and people’s attention spans are slowly dropping off. We need to change this up a bit. We need to get more people tuning in so that when we do reopen it will be a massive celebration of thanksgiving for Our Lord’s mercy.
We at Kerygman have a number of ways pastors, priests, deacons, and parish ministers can regularly communicate with parishioners on a nearly daily basis, without seeming too pesky.
We can show you how to create an e-mail, text, and/or twitter campaign with links to the pastors’ online messages. We can show you how to schedule regular robocalls, to check in and give the parishioners news. Of course, many parishes are already using Facebook to transmit Masses and other services to their flocks. We must keenly focus on the parishioners’ needs, but we also have to let them know we need their support too.
The messages from the parish must always emphasize genuine concern for the parishioner. We need to find out whether they are OK and if they have concrete needs. Some may have lost their jobs. Some may be hungry. Some are incredibly lonely. Some miss receiving the our Lord’s Body and Blood each week. Others may be in desperate need of Absolution and worry about unconfessed sins.
The parish should especially reach out to those who regularly put an envelope in the basket, but haven’t mailed any in during the lock-down. Fellow parishioners should make these calls and ask their neighbors whether they are OK. They can tell parishioners what’s on Facebook and what’s on the web. Then, they can approach them about the envelope, explaining the parish still has operating expenses. Pastors and priests can follow up these calls to check on their spiritual needs and then also thank them in advance for their much needed contributions.
Pastors can also have their finance ministry or the parish council call the top contributors and ask for a one time donation of $1,000 or more. These people know that the parishes are suffering and may welcome the opportunity to help out.
To help outline and organize these type outreaches and many more, Kerygma can provide you with polished campaigns to generate immediate income. We can also help you increase revenue from normal Masses once the lock-down is lifted. More important, we will help your ministries evangelize and bring more brothers and sisters into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, within your parish community. We will reach out to current parishioners, former parishioners, those who have children receive the Sacraments, but don’t attend Mass, those in other religions, and those who claim affiliation with no religion. We place the Holy Spirit at the center of our work and look to help parishes inaugurate a great awakening of their local community.
These are certainly trying times; however, we are being forced to try new methods to serve the faithful and to evangelize those outside the flock. The pandemic may just force us to undertake fortuitous opportunities for monumental growth and rebirth. It will help us identify these opportunities and take full advantage of them.
We ask that you contact us, at Info@KerygmaConultants.com and let us know how you are doing and how we may help you through these hardships and beyond.
God Bless you and thank you for serving Our Lord and His Holy Church so well.