Parish Catalyst

WE ARE A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION HELPING PASTORS AND LEADERSHIP TEAMS WHO ARE GROWING VIBRANT CATHOLIC PARISHES. WE SERVE AS A PLATFORM FOR CREATIVE IDEAS IN PARISH MINISTRY THAT WILL INSPIRE THE DEVOUT, RE-ENGAGE THOSE WHO HAVE TURNED AWAY FROM THE CHURCH, AND DRAW OTHERS TO THE JOY OF THE CATHOLIC FAITH FOR THE FIRST TIME.

PARISH CATALYST ENCOURAGES CATHOLIC PASTORS AND PARISH LEADERS TO THINK CREATIVELY AND ACT COURAGEOUSLY SO THAT THEY CAN RENEW THE CHURCH. WE DO THIS THROUGH LEARNING COMMUNITIES, ON-SITE WORKSHOPS, WEBINARS AND PRESENTATIONS. WITH THE CHANGES AND CHALLENGES OF 2020, WE WERE ABLE TO TAKE ALL OF OUR OFFERINGS ONLINE AND OFFER THEM IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT.1. LEARNING COMMUNITIESTHE HEART OF PARISH CATALYST'S WORK IS ITS LEARNING COMMUNITIES OF PASTORAL LEADERS. PARISH CATALYST IDENTIFIES PASTORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO ARE SERVING VIBRANT CATHOLIC PARISHES AND WHO ARE EAGER TO GROW THEIR PARISHES IN INNOVATIVE WAYS. THESE PASTORS AND KEY MEMBERS OF THEIR LEADERSHIP TEAMS ARE RECRUITED TO JOIN LEARNING COMMUNITIES, WHICH CONSIST OF NO MORE THAN 12 PARISHES. PARTICIPANTS MEET FOUR TIMES OVER EIGHTEEN MONTHS. EACH OF THE FOUR SESSIONS IS STRATEGICALLY ORGANIZED WITH SPEAKERS, FACILITATION, AND EXERCISES. THE PROCESS ALLOWS TIME FOR PARISHES TO CAPITALIZE ON ONE ANOTHER'S INSIGHTS AND LIVED EXPERIENCES, IGNITING NEW IDEAS AND STRATEGIES FOR PARISH MINISTRY.THE THEME OF EACH LEARNING COMMUNITY IS DYNAMIC DISCIPLESHIP. PARISH TEAMS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VIEW THEIR MINISTRIES, FIRST THROUGH THE LENS OF DISCIPLESHIP. THIS THEME CARRIES THROUGH ALL OF OUR LEARNING COMMUNITIES, SOME OF WHICH FOCUS SPECIFICALLY ON MINISTRY TO YOUNG ADULTS, SOME ON MINISTRY TO MULTI-CULTURAL PARISHES, AND SOME ON GENERAL PARISH DISCIPLESHIP. THIS YEAR WE ALSO LAUNCHED OUR FIRST LEARNING COMMUNITY FOCUSED ON HELPING UNDER RESOURCED PARISHES IN LOS ANGELES.AS IT WAS FOR MOST ORGANIZATIONS, 2020 WAS A CHALLENGING YEAR THAT REQUIRED CREATIVE THINKING AND COURAGEOUS ACTION. IN TOTAL WE FACILITATED 4 LEARNING COMMUNITY SESSIONS. PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC WE HELD TWO LEARNING COMMUNITY SESSIONS IN PERSON IN LOS ANGELES. AFTER THE QUARANTINE WAS DECLARED WE SHIFTED TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT, HOSTING TWO MORE LEARNING COMMUNITY SESSIONS ONLINE. THE SCHEDULE WAS AS FOLLOWS: DYNAMIC DISCIPLESHIP 4 (FOURTH SESSION - FEB 27-29, 2020)UNDER RESOURCED LA PARISHES (FIRST SESSION - MARCH 9-11, 2020)DYNAMIC DISCIPLESHIP 5 (THIRD SESSION - MAY 27-28) VIRTUALUNDER RESOURCED LA PARISHES (SECOND SESSION - SEPT 21-22, 2020) VIRTUAL2. PARISH ON-SITE WORKSHOPSON-SITE WORKSHOPS BRING THE PARISH CATALYST EXPERIENCE ON LOCATION TO INDIVIDUAL PARISHES OR DIOCESE, ADDRESSING THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. FOR AN ADDITIONAL FEE, PARISH CATALYST PERSONNEL TRAVEL TO PROVIDE CUSTOM WORKSHOPS FOR STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS. THESE SITE VISITS HAVE PROVEN TO BE EXTREMELY HELPFUL IN ADVANCING THE STRATEGIC PLANS DEVELOPED IN LEARNING COMMUNITIES, AND HAVE BECOME A SUBSTANTIAL PART OF OUR PROCESS. SOME PARISHES HAVE HOSTED MULTIPLE ON-SITE WORKSHOPS.IN ADDITION, PARISH CATALYST STAFF ALSO CONDUCT WORKSHOPS FOR PARISHES OR DIOCESE THAT ARE NOT YET MEMBERS OF A LEARNING COMMUNITY, AS A WAY OF INTRODUCING THEM TO OUR WORK. AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, WE OFFERED ON-SITE WORKSHOPS VIRTUALLY FOR THE FIRST TIME.IN 2020 WE FACILITATED 7 ON-SITE WORKSHOPS. THREE WERE IN-PERSON AND FOUR WERE VIRTUAL(V).JAN. 2019 GROWING VOLUNTEERS WORKSHOP ST. VINCENT MARTYR, MADISON, NJJAN 2020 DYNAMIC DISCIPLESHIP WORKSHOP ST. JOHN VIANNEY, HOUSTON, TXJUNE 2020(V) VIRTUAL STAFF RETREAT ST. MONICA, SANTA MONICA, CAJULY 2020(V) ADVENT & CHRISTMAS INNOVATION ARCHDIOCESE OF NEWARK, NJAUGUST 2020(V) MINISTRY INNOVATION WORKSHOP HOLY APOSTLES, MCHENRY, ILOCTOBER 2020 STAFF HEALTH & HARMONY HOLY SPIRIT, LAS VEGAS, NVOCTOBER 2020(V) ANNUAL MINISTRY TRAINING DAY DIOCESE OF ROCKFORD, IL3. WEBINARSIN 2020, PARISH CATALYST CONTINUED OUR WEBINAR SERIES. THESE ARE FREE TO ALL AND HAVE ATTRACTED LISTENERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. THE WEBINARS FEATURE ONE-HOUR CONVERSATIONS WITH PRACTITIONERS AND EXPERTS FOCUSED ON TOPICS RELEVANT TO MAKING DYNAMIC DISCIPLES. WEBINARS ARE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT AND A RESOURCE FOR EQUIPPING VOLUNTEER LEADERS. WITH THE CHALLENGES FACED DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE SHIFTED OUR CONTENT TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES THAT PARISHES WERE FACING EACH MONTH. THE RESPONSE TO THESE WEBINARS WAS UNPRECEDENTED, WITH ONE TOPIC RECEIVING OVER 1,000 REGISTRATIONS.WEBINARS AND TOPICSJANUARY: REAWAKEN YOUR PARISH @ LENTFROM ASH WEDNESDAY THROUGH EASTER SUNDAY WE HAVE AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO REACH PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT REGULARLY ENGAGED IN PARISH LIFE. HOW CAN WE BETTER USE THIS HOLY SEASON TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE AND STIR SPIRITUAL AWAKENING?FEBRUARY: STAFF HEALTH AND HARMONYLEARN HOW TO DEVELOP A HEALTHY STAFF CULTURE, WHERE PEOPLE GROW AS DISCIPLES WHILE WORKING TOGETHER TOWARD A COMMON VISION. TOPICS COVERED INCLUDE: LEADING FROM A HEALTHY SOUL, AVOIDING BURNOUT, STAFF DISCIPLESHIP, COMMUNICATION AND UNITY.MARCH: LIVE STREAMING - BEST PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGYLEARN FROM PARISH LEADERS AND EXPERTS AROUND THE COUNTRY: INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR LIVE STREAMING MASS, ONLINE GIVING AND DIGITAL DISCIPLESHIP.APRIL: REIMAGINE EASTER ONLINEHOW WILL YOU REIMAGINE EASTER ONLINE THIS YEAR? JOIN US TO DISCUSS HOW TO BETTER ENGAGE WITH PEOPLE THROUGH YOUR ONLINE HOLY WEEK AND EASTER MASS. HEAR CREATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR COMMUNICATIONS, FAMILY LITURGY AND ONLINE GIVING.MAY: FROM CRISIS TO CALLING : HOW WILL WE MAKE DISCIPLES AS WE MOVE AHEAD?HOW WE CONNECT HAS CHANGED, BUT OUR CALLING REMAINS THE SAME. LEARN HOW PARISHES ARE USING NEW MODELS AND METHODS TO ENGAGE PARISHIONERS AND MAKE DISCIPLES IN THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT. TOPICS INCLUDE LEADING STAFF ONLINE, VIRTUAL SMALL GROUPS AND CREATIVE WAYS TO MINISTER THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.JUNE: REOPENING THE PARISH - A NATIONAL CONVERSATION (PART 1)HEAR HOW PARISH LEADERS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE APPROACHING THE CHALLENGES OF REOPENING. EVERY DIOCESE WILL BE DIFFERENT, BUT WE CAN LEARN FROM HOW OTHER LEADERS ARE NAVIGATING THIS COMPLEX ISSUE.JULY: REOPENING THE PARISH - PART 2WE CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION WITH PARISH LEADERS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND HEAR WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING AS THEY REOPEN FOR PUBLIC MASS. WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT AND WHAT'S NEXT?AUGUST: STAY THE COURSE!IN AN EVER CHANGING CRISIS, WE MUST STAY ON MISSION. LEARN KEYS TO KEEPING YOUR STAFF AND PARISHIONERS FOCUSED ON THE MISSION OF MAKING DISCIPLES, AS WELL AS CREATIVE WAYS THAT PASTORS AROUND THE COUNTRY ARE CONNECTING WITH THEIR PARISHIONERS.SEPTEMBER: WHAT ARE VIRTUAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES?A PARISH CATALYST/RENEW VIRTUAL LEARNING COMMUNITY BRINGS PARISH LEADERS TOGETHER TO LEARN, COLLABORATE AND CREATE A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR PARISH RENEWAL. WATCH THIS WEBINAR TO HEAR FIRST-HAND FROM PARISH LEADERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED GROWTH AND RENEWAL THROUGH A PARISH CATALYST LEARNING COMMUNITY.OCTOBER: RETHINK ADVENT & CHRISTMAS 2020THIS ADVENT AND CHRISTMAS WILL BE LIKE NO OTHER. HOWEVER, THIS IS THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO RE-ENGAGE WITH PARISHIONERS. HOW WILL YOU CONNECT WITH THEM, BOTH ONLINE AND ONSITE? GET FRESH IDEAS FROM PARISHES AROUND THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS BEST PRACTICES FOR STREAMING AND SOCIALLY DISTANCED PUBLIC MASS.NOVEMBER: MENTAL HEATH AND THE QUARANTINE HOLIDAYSTHE HOLIDAYS ARE A DIFFICULT TIME FOR SOME. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR WE ARE ENTERING INTO THAT SEASON WITH MANY ALREADY EXPERIENCING ISOLATION, DISAPPOINTMENT AND DEPRESSION. HOW CAN WE BETTER PREPARED FOR THE UNIQUE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES OUR PARISHIONERS WILL FACE THIS HOLIDAY SEASON? HOW CAN WE BETTER CARE FOR OURSELVES?4. SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIESFEBRUARY 2020 - DEANERY OF MONROVIA, CA - JOHN POITEVENTMARCH 2020 - ARCHDIOCESE OF SAN DIEGO DEACONATE (CANCELED) - JOHN POITEVENT