Numbers don’t reform a parish, prayer does. Today, Gomer responds to a listener’s email on building community in diverse parishes.
Snippet from the Show
“Connection is more important than perfection.”
Shownotes
“Pray for renewal, work for reform.”
Shownotes
Please keep Amber VanVickle in your prayers as she fights the devastating effects of cancer
Listener Email
I have a question about parish ministry. My parish is in Sweden (on the very fringes of the Catholic world), and it is poor financially. The only ministry we have is a children’s catechism group that is somewhat working. Besides that, any other faith formation is basically non-existent. I’m worried that we are slowly falling apart. We have lost a lot of parishioners who have left the Catholic faith and our parish, barely no young adults left and teenagers are now almost non-existent.
Complicating matters is that our parish consists of people from (if I remember correctly) about 30 or so different countries and different traditions. Some speak only a bit of Swedish, some speak only a bit of English, and so everything has to be done in at least those two languages at the same time, and parishioners tend to group together with only their own fellow countrymen. We tried to form a young adults group but I think because of language difficulties and lack of form it fell apart.
Myself coming from a protestant background before I converted to the Catholic faith, feel disheartened at the lack of community and saddened at the loss of fellow catholics and fellow potential converts, that are left to fend for themselves and usually leave before even getting close to joining the church.
What would be some practical tips on how a parish like ours can get started to at least build some sort of community and ministry once our country opens up after covid restrictions? Where could we start and how? Especially since our access to faithful Catholic programs and resources here in Sweden are very limited. Thank you for your show, I love it!
Kind regards,
Linnéa
Things you can do to strengthen your faith
- Pray every day for conversion
- Fast at least once a week
- Go to confession often and receive the Eucharist as soon as you can after
- Throw yourself into Mark’s Gospel
- Meet weekly with your faith support group
Practical Takeaways
- Devote yourself to the Apostles Teaching: Study the Gospel of Mark
- Devote yourself to weekly fellowship: Prioritize your small group
- Offer up mass for your parish
- Go to places of darkness in your town and pray
Resources
- Email us at eksb@ascensionpress.com
- Text “EKSB” to 33-777 to subscribe and be added to Gomer and Dave’s email list
- Visit Dave’s website at www.thecatholictruthaboutangelsanddemons.com and www.artofevangelization.com
- Visit Mike’s website at www.layevangelist.com
- Ascension is pleased to offer our new and improved online bible study programs and sacramental preparation programs digitally to help you minister with flexibility. Go to ascensionpress.com to view all our offerings!
Meet Your Hosts
Michael “Gomer” Gormley
Michael spent 17 years in full-time parish ministry and is now the Mission Evangelist for That Man Is You!, a men’s apostolate for Paradisus Dei. Michael is a frequent speaker at conferences, retreats, and parish missions all over the US and Canada.
He is the founder and creative director of LayEvangelist.com, and hosts two popular Catholic podcasts: Catching Foxes and Every Knee Shall Bow.
He is married to his college sweetheart, Shannon, and has four beautiful and hilarious children: Kateri, Cecilia, Noah, and Thomas.
Dave VanVickle
Dave VanVickle fell in love with the Lord at the age of fourteen and has since dedicated his life to bringing others into a radical relationship with Christ.
He is a speaker and retreat leader who focuses on proclaiming the universal call to holiness, authentic Catholic spirituality, spiritual warfare and deliverance. Additionally, Dave has over ten years of experience assisting Priests with their ministries of exorcism and deliverance.
Dave married his late wife Amber in 2010. He now resides in Pittsburgh with his five children: Sam, Max, Judah, Josie and Louisa.
