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Theodora
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Other parishes could learn from this parish in Charlotte, NC.
americamagazine.org/charlotte-megaparish
americamagazine.org/charlotte-megaparish
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Lessons on evangelization from the largest parish in the United States
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tawny
Guest
AMEN.
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Theodora
Guest
I disagree with your assessment. This parish is reaching out with the right approach and tools with the hope and anticipation of expected growth. They are prepared especially because it is in a growing are. It is working.
Many Catholic parishes are just there and let Catholics come to them. Very seldom is there a reach-out to people from the surrounding area who like to know more about the Catholic Faith, but don’t know how to go about it. Also, look at any newspaper with the listing of churches. Catholic churches are listed among the many other Christian denominations without additional information, or distinction, except for the hours of their Masses. No information of the ministries that the parish might have. Outreach programs sometimes get posted in the bulletins, and these ministries are mostly geared towards the parishioners, but first you’d better read the bulletin. Other times the names of Catholic churches are missing from the line-up of churches in newspapers. It is almost that these Catholic parishes expect Catholics to just know how to go about and find them where they are located. However, I can be considered somewhat behind the time. I know, because I do it al the time, when I stay in an unfamiliar are I will look for a Catholic parish on the internet.
Instead of diminishing attendance that so many parishes experience, these parishes could do a better job to prevent that from happening. However, at this point diminishing Catholic presence in a certain area can be used for parishes getting smaller. More reason to find effective ways to evangelize the un-churched looking for a place to worship.
Many Catholic parishes are just there and let Catholics come to them. Very seldom is there a reach-out to people from the surrounding area who like to know more about the Catholic Faith, but don’t know how to go about it. Also, look at any newspaper with the listing of churches. Catholic churches are listed among the many other Christian denominations without additional information, or distinction, except for the hours of their Masses. No information of the ministries that the parish might have. Outreach programs sometimes get posted in the bulletins, and these ministries are mostly geared towards the parishioners, but first you’d better read the bulletin. Other times the names of Catholic churches are missing from the line-up of churches in newspapers. It is almost that these Catholic parishes expect Catholics to just know how to go about and find them where they are located. However, I can be considered somewhat behind the time. I know, because I do it al the time, when I stay in an unfamiliar are I will look for a Catholic parish on the internet.
Instead of diminishing attendance that so many parishes experience, these parishes could do a better job to prevent that from happening. However, at this point diminishing Catholic presence in a certain area can be used for parishes getting smaller. More reason to find effective ways to evangelize the un-churched looking for a place to worship.
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exnihilo
Guest
I think your are right. For comparison there is a multi location Southern Baptist church on the south side of Charlotte called Elevation Church. It has fifteen locations. It has 25,000 attend weekly at all locations. It started with 121 in 2006.
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adf417
Guest
If its just geography, does that mean we should see comparative growth in all other areas of the country with strong economic growth?
Peace!!!
Peace!!!
K
Kielbasi
Guest
Catholic churches in the south have been growing for some time, and North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the sun belt.
Many of the folks moving to the area are from the heavily Catholic Rust Belt as well as majority Catholic Latin America.
Is this really “evangelization”, or just a parish that was ready and able to meet the needs of recently arrived Catholics coming into the area?
Many of the folks moving to the area are from the heavily Catholic Rust Belt as well as majority Catholic Latin America.
Is this really “evangelization”, or just a parish that was ready and able to meet the needs of recently arrived Catholics coming into the area?
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Solomonson
Guest
Giant old-school Catholic parishes or sort of sad in a way. Many (including my own parish) are nothing more than huge “sacramental dispensaries.” Move them in and out, week after week. There really is no life outside of attending to one’s sacramental duties. I think this is due to tradition, low expectations and horrid leadership.Other parishes could learn from this parish in Charlotte, NC.
americamagazine.org/charlotte-megaparish
It’s nice to see a large parish like St. Matt’s thriving. Able individuals obviously put a great deal of effort into it. I suspect politics isn’t tolerated by the pastor – he sounds like a good leader. I still think it would be healthier to have a half-dozen smaller parishes all operating with the vigor that St. Matt’s does, but I understand the limits of Catholic tithing.
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Solomonson
Guest
I live in a town with three Catholic parishes. The one I attend is by far the largest. We have seven Masses every Sunday, each averaging 1/2-2/3 full. We should probably have at least half a dozen churches given the size of the town today, but instead they just kept adding more and more Masses to existing parishes. Some retired priests have proudly mentioned that over the years they rejected offers of free land for new parishes (this would have been in the late 1950s to the early 1970s) in different parts of the town.
Given the make-up of my town, I suspect it loses more Catholics every Christmas and Easter to travel then it picks up in visitors. Yet on both Easter and Christmas Sunday, extreme measures need to be taken to ensure those Catholics wishing to attend Mass are able to do so.
My parish church celebrates four Masses on Easter Sunday (none at night.) In addition, simultaneous Masses are celebrated in our parish hall, and the neighboring Catholic school’s old and (very large) new gyms. That’s 16 Masses from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM. More than 10K receive communion on those days. Yes, it’s a wonderful thing that so many attend Mass on these two special days. It should also be a huge call to look into what’s going on, but it’s not.
That tells me there are a HUGE number of C&E Catholics here locally. I suspect they would respond positively to the evangelization of a parish like St. Matt’s.
Given the make-up of my town, I suspect it loses more Catholics every Christmas and Easter to travel then it picks up in visitors. Yet on both Easter and Christmas Sunday, extreme measures need to be taken to ensure those Catholics wishing to attend Mass are able to do so.
My parish church celebrates four Masses on Easter Sunday (none at night.) In addition, simultaneous Masses are celebrated in our parish hall, and the neighboring Catholic school’s old and (very large) new gyms. That’s 16 Masses from 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM. More than 10K receive communion on those days. Yes, it’s a wonderful thing that so many attend Mass on these two special days. It should also be a huge call to look into what’s going on, but it’s not.
That tells me there are a HUGE number of C&E Catholics here locally. I suspect they would respond positively to the evangelization of a parish like St. Matt’s.
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Solomonson
Guest
That alone is a HUGE form of evangelization. It’s also not as if the Holy See erected St. Matt’s to meet a need. It had to be funded as it grew. Sounds like St. Matt’s has great leadership.Catholic churches in the south have been growing for some time, and North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the sun belt.
Many of the folks moving to the area are from the heavily Catholic Rust Belt as well as majority Catholic Latin America.
Is this really “evangelization”, or just a parish that was ready and able to meet the needs of recently arrived Catholics coming into the area?
S
Solomonson
Guest
Thank you for posting this. All that you say is true. Much of this boils down to hard work, expertise and a willingness not to accept excuses.I disagree with your assessment. This parish is reaching out with the right approach and tools with the hope and anticipation of expected growth. They are prepared especially because it is in a growing are. It is working.
Many Catholic parishes are just there and let Catholics come to them. Very seldom is there a reach-out to people from the surrounding area who like to know more about the Catholic Faith, but don’t know how to go about it. Also, look at any newspaper with the listing of churches. Catholic churches are listed among the many other Christian denominations without additional information, or distinction, except for the hours of their Masses. No information of the ministries that the parish might have. Outreach programs sometimes get posted in the bulletins, and these ministries are mostly geared towards the parishioners, but first you’d better read the bulletin. Other times the names of Catholic churches are missing from the line-up of churches in newspapers. It is almost that these Catholic parishes expect Catholics to just know how to go about and find them where they are located. However, I can be considered somewhat behind the time. I know, because I do it al the time, when I stay in an unfamiliar are I will look for a Catholic parish on the internet.
Instead of diminishing attendance that so many parishes experience, these parishes could do a better job to prevent that from happening. However, at this point diminishing Catholic presence in a certain area can be used for parishes getting smaller. More reason to find effective ways to evangelize the un-churched looking for a place to worship.
D
Don_Ruggero
Guest
Very well said, Deacon.
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Ernie07
Guest
Hi Theodora,Other parishes could learn from this parish in Charlotte, NC.
americamagazine.org/charlotte-megaparish
Thank you for sharing this inspiring story!! How anyone could read it and be so negative as to focus on geography as the reason for growth is beyond me. Does geography play a role? Of course. But to discount the many things this parish does to enhance the spiritual lives of the parish members is just weird. And it looks like they’re evangelizing the Catholic way focusing on ministry and the sacraments. Beautiful!!
I love how they institute programs to make the church feel much smaller than it is. And the survey idea I thought was brilliant especially helping them to understand where their parishioners are at spiritually.
To me, it sounds like many of these ideas could apply to both big and small parishes. I guess people will always have different points of views, but I’m not sure what to not like or criticize from what I read.
Thanks again!!
-Ernie-
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Theodora
Guest
Very well said Ernie.Hi Theodora,
Thank you for sharing this inspiring story!! How anyone could read it and be so negative as to focus on geography as the reason for growth is beyond me. Does geography play a role? Of course. But to discount the many things this parish does to enhance the spiritual lives of the parish members is just weird. And it looks like they’re evangelizing the Catholic way focusing on ministry and the sacraments. Beautiful!!
I love how they institute programs to make the church feel much smaller than it is. And the survey idea I thought was brilliant especially helping them to understand where their parishioners are at spiritually.
To me, it sounds like many of these ideas could apply to both big and small parishes. I guess people will always have different points of views, but I’m not sure what to not like or criticize from what I read.
Thanks again!!
-Ernie-
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Ernie07
Guest
Weird to me that we’re getting caught up in the definitions of “evangelization” but whatever. Per the Catholic dictionary at therealpresence.org site the term “evangelization” is defined as:
EVANGELIZATION. Zealous proclamation of the Gospel in order to bring others to Christ and his Church. In the words of Pope Paul VI, “Evangelizing means to bring the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new, ‘Now I am making the whole of creation new’ (Revelation 21:5). But there is no new humanity if there are not first of all new persons renewed by baptism, and by lives lived according to the Gospel” (Evangelic Nuntiandi, 18). Evangelization, therefore, includes three distinctive elements: 1. interior conversion to Christ and his Church; 2. affecting not only the individual person but the whole culture; and 3. as a result, changing this culture and its institutions to make them Christian and Catholic. (Etym. Latin evangelium; from Greek euangelion, good news, reward for bringing good news, from euangelos,bringing good news: eu-, good, + angelos, messenger.)
The bold text are my emphasis as there is this disturbing practice by many Catholics to define evangelization as only Christianity as if being Catholic is not that important. As Catholics we need to remember that evangelizing without teaching the core tenets of the Church is not what we’re called to do. We are not Protestants and many seem to forget that. It’s as if anything outside the core teachings of who Jesus is, is now considered catechesis rather than evangelization. Christ and His Church are and should be evangelized as inseparable. If we aren’t evangelizing with that in mind then something is wrong. And we don’t have to get into the minutia regarding our Catholic faith when evangelizing. Keep it simple at first.
And that is why the story that Theodora published is so powerful! Not only are they evangelizing to Catholics who now feel alive in their faith, but also to non-Catholics who will see the fruit of these “alive” Catholics. Evangelizing in both words and actions. A beautiful thing!!
-Ernie-
EVANGELIZATION. Zealous proclamation of the Gospel in order to bring others to Christ and his Church. In the words of Pope Paul VI, “Evangelizing means to bring the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new, ‘Now I am making the whole of creation new’ (Revelation 21:5). But there is no new humanity if there are not first of all new persons renewed by baptism, and by lives lived according to the Gospel” (Evangelic Nuntiandi, 18). Evangelization, therefore, includes three distinctive elements: 1. interior conversion to Christ and his Church; 2. affecting not only the individual person but the whole culture; and 3. as a result, changing this culture and its institutions to make them Christian and Catholic. (Etym. Latin evangelium; from Greek euangelion, good news, reward for bringing good news, from euangelos,bringing good news: eu-, good, + angelos, messenger.)
The bold text are my emphasis as there is this disturbing practice by many Catholics to define evangelization as only Christianity as if being Catholic is not that important. As Catholics we need to remember that evangelizing without teaching the core tenets of the Church is not what we’re called to do. We are not Protestants and many seem to forget that. It’s as if anything outside the core teachings of who Jesus is, is now considered catechesis rather than evangelization. Christ and His Church are and should be evangelized as inseparable. If we aren’t evangelizing with that in mind then something is wrong. And we don’t have to get into the minutia regarding our Catholic faith when evangelizing. Keep it simple at first.
And that is why the story that Theodora published is so powerful! Not only are they evangelizing to Catholics who now feel alive in their faith, but also to non-Catholics who will see the fruit of these “alive” Catholics. Evangelizing in both words and actions. A beautiful thing!!
-Ernie-
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