Influence is force. It is compelling force, effecting actions and behaviors, opinions and thinking of others and, eventually, the outcomes they experience. Regardless of anyone’s religious beliefs, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant influence on the history of Western Culture for almost twenty centuries. In some ways, our biggest challenge actually comes in appreciating […]
Recent observations in and around the parish: Over the last ten weeks, we have recorded a modest but steady decline in weekend online attendance, coming at a time of year that would normally (pre-COVID) bring our best attendance. Lenten men’s and women’s retreats that we would normally (pre-COVID) struggle to attract interest in and attendance […]
Every year, and only once a year, we take a whole weekend to invite parishioners to consider getting up out of the pew (or off their sofa at home) and start serving in one of our parish ministries. We call it ministry “push” weekend. Each of our ministries serves an important function in the mission […]
Recently a friend forwarded to me an “OSV Talk” (think Catholic “Ted Talk”) given by Dan Cellucci, with Catholic Leadership Institute. The piece, titled “What If They Don’t Come Back?”, is a candid look at the reality of the ever-shrinking population of church-going Americans and the effect the pandemic will have on this well-established trend. […]
COVID-19 has had an enormous impact on the finances, operations, and sacramental life of churches throughout the world. But one disruption that has not been widely discussed is the disruption to our sense of time. Early on, all we could do was react to ever-changing guidelines and the uncertainty has only continued. Almost all of […]
If then my people, upon whom my name has been pronounced, humble themselves and pray, I will hear them from heaven and heal the land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 Last week, I began our new message series for the new year by highlighting the value in differentiating between our circle of concern and our sphere of […]
We can all warmly welcome 2021, even as we agree we are happy to see 2020 go. For all of us, each in our own way, it was a difficult year. We had the rapid shut down of our lives, constantly unsure of what else would be taken away, daily navigating work and school, family […]
Back in October, when it still seemed like an open question, we made the difficult decision to not host our usual Christmas Eve celebration at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. It was a decision we didn’t take lightly. Christmas Eve at the Fairgrounds has become a defining part of who we are as a parish. But […]
In some ways, the role of the local parish church has not changed through the current crisis. At a basic level, people are still looking for refuge from all the craziness of the world around us. We can be a place of stability and civility, a place of hope and help. In some ways the role […]
Many of the bitter fruits of the COVID crisis can be ignored, at least for a time. But unlike lower attendance, decreased engagement, and smaller reach, parishes can’t ignore the issue of money for long. Bills come due, staff salaries must be paid; maintenance cannot be deferred indefinitely. Giving is down in almost all parishes, […]
