A future for Catholic evangelization: effort builds on what parishes are already doing

The team anticipated what might cause people to reject the program. They guessed that some of the older people would shy away from the faith-sharing, but would like the scripture study, so they played up that part of the program. They didn't want people to think they had to be a scripture scholar, so they emphasized that the discussions would be about how the readings apply to each person in his or her life.

Out of a parish of approximately 550 families, 130 people signed up. Throughout Lent, 17 small groups met in members' homes. People joined groups that met at a time that was convenient for them, which meant parishioners who hadn't been acquainted before got to know one another. Thirty-two families also used the Family Activity booklet at home. These booklets provide children's activities for various ages and a way for families to participate as a small group. As people read the scriptures and shared their thoughts and experiences, momentum built within the parish. And the negatives were overcome. For example, even though the faith-sharing wasn't appealing to older parishioners at first, "I think that's what they like the best," Scully said.

For Thompson, one of the benefits was how the parish seemed to draw together through the program. "I have a much greater sense of community than before," she said. She sees people lingering over coffee and doughnuts after Mass and has heard comments about the number of parishioners who met new people.

Disciples in Mission has also given some people a different idea of what parish life should be. Scully said, "With so many older people, and I consider myself one of them, our background was such that you came to church and you knelt down and prayed. You didn't speak to everybody in church. That's the way we were trained. So it's a matter of continuing education to get all of us more comfortable with the fact that the church is a place of community, not just worship."

Paulist Fr. Kenneth Boyack, director of the evangelization effort, said that building community was a logical place to start for an evangelizing effort. He said that Jesus trained his own disciples by first spending time with them in a group before sending them out on their own. Drawing people together with a common vision is a first step for a parish to "reach its own evangelization potential," he said.

As he has spoken with leaders from the six dioceses and received reports about their first year, Boyack said, "Some people are getting involved in the small groups as participants or leaders who have never really been involved in parish activities before."

At St. Paul's, Thompson said Disciples in Mission participants have come forward to fill parish leadership roles. One participant decided to start a Family Life Ministry for the parish.

As these first-year participants go into a second year of preparation and practice, Boyack expects that their courage and conviction will deepen so that they will go beyond the church community with their evangelization efforts. "Learning to become a truly evangelizing parish takes time," he said.