ARTICLE – Key Takeaways for Evangelization

February 27, 2025 by Pierre-Alain Giffard News, Recommended Texts

Paul F. Peri is a Catholic priest and educator who has served in various administrative roles within the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, including as vicar general and vicar for finance. He is also an educator at Mount Angel Seminary, where he teaches parish administration.

His book “Catholic Parish Administration: A Handbook” provides a comprehensive overview of the administrative aspects of managing a Catholic parish. The book offers practical advice on topics such as finance, personnel management, and property maintenance, aiming to support both seminarians and laypeople in effectively administering parish life.

Although our context is somewhat different and not everything in this work necessarily applies to us, we can draw lessons from it to evangelize and build the church.

Here are some key takeaways:

Focus on Relationships:
- Build Strong Relationships: The foundation of parish growth is building and sustaining relationships among the pastor, parishioners, and the broader community. This includes fostering a sense of koinonia (communion) within the parish.
- Pastoral Leadership: The pastor should be a leader who can relate to others and build emotional connections with parishioners. This involves being present for the sick, the dying, and those in need of spiritual guidance.
Collaborative Decision-Making:
- Involve Parishioners: Encourage collaboration in decision-making processes. Use pastoral and finance councils to seek input from parishioners and ensure that decisions reflect the community’s needs and aspirations.
- Pastoral Planning: Engage in pastoral planning to define the parish’s mission, goals, and strategies for achieving them. This includes understanding the demographics of the parish and addressing both spiritual and corporal works of mercy.
Effective Administration:
- Stewardship of Resources: Manage the parish’s resources—including people, finances, and property—with care and transparency. Ensure that administrative tasks are handled efficiently and ethically.
- Financial Management: Maintain accurate financial records, create a budget, and ensure transparency in financial reporting. Use the finance council to oversee financial matters and provide guidance.
Community Engagement:
- Outreach and Evangelization: Engage with the broader community, including non-Catholics, to build bridges and foster a sense of belonging. This can involve social outreach programs, community events, and interfaith dialogues.
- Volunteer Involvement: Recognize and support volunteers as essential ministers in the parish. Provide them with the necessary training and express gratitude for their contributions.
Spiritual and Sacramental Life:
- Liturgy and Sacraments: Ensure that the liturgy is celebrated with reverence and that the sacraments are readily available to parishioners. This includes being attentive to the spiritual needs of the community.
- Faith Formation: Provide opportunities for ongoing faith formation, including religious education, RCIA, and other programs that help parishioners deepen their faith.
Property and Maintenance:
- Care for Parish Property: Develop a maintenance plan for parish buildings and grounds to ensure they are well-maintained and safe. This includes regular inspections and preventative maintenance.
- Long-Term Planning: Plan for the future needs of the parish, including potential expansions or acquisitions of property, to support the parish’s mission and growth.
Communication and Transparency:
- Clear Communication: Keep parishioners informed about the parish’s activities, financial status, and future plans. Use various communication channels, such as bulletins, newsletters, and the parish website, to share information.
- Transparency: Be transparent in all administrative and financial matters to build trust and accountability within the parish community.

By focusing on these areas, a parish can create a more vibrant, welcoming, and spiritually enriching environment that attracts and retains parishioners, ultimately fostering growth and strengthening the community’s faith.

Pierre-Alain Giffard, Director of Pastoral Work
Email: pierre.alain.giffard@gmail.com

Book on parish revitalization and gowth:

BOOK – Revive and Thrive: Transforming Parishes into Mission Driven Communities provides a blueprint to breathe new life into parish communities and engage in the core principles of evangelization and disciple-making.

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