The ParishVision Model

Without a vision the people perish. (Proverbs 28:19)

What is ParishVision?

ParishVision © is a process to counter the falling numbers of active Catholics at the local parish level.

Current research reveals that active Catholics continues to fall:

  • Only 30% of Catholic parishioners are actively engaged in parish activity
  • Only 42% of Catholics attend Mass weekly
  • Only 68% of cradle Catholics still identify themselves as Catholic
  • 18% of Catholics seldom or never attend Mass
  • 20% of Catholics regularly attend services of other faith

(Source: Pew Foundation)

These numbers are difficult to accept but if trends continue the future will be even worse.

The ParishVision LLC Model © is designed to counter these trends by increasing both the engagement level of parishioners and the number of actively attending parishioners. The ParishVision LLC Process © employs four principles:

  1. Significant growth occurs only when significant numbers of parishioners become committed to the process of growing (evangelizing) the parish.
  2. Spiritual content and continuing spiritual growth is essential to both engage and evangelize parishioners.
  3. There is a correlation between spiritual growth and active ministry participants.
  4. The best candidates for increased engagement are those who already attend occasionally.

The ParishVision LLC Model © includes eight steps that will transform the parish to understanding and delivering its mission:

  1. Mission and Vision Seminar – educate parishioners on how the parish mission is realized in individual ministries, and how evangelization occurs through parish ministries.
  2. Foundations Course – catechize adults into being full participants in the parish mission and evangelization.
  3. Lifestyle Ministries – direct specific demographics to ministries designed to foster spiritual growth for that phase of your lifetime spiritual development.
  4. Ministry Development – provide the content to include prayer, faith sharing and spiritual activity in all parish ministry meetings
  5. Spiritual Leadership Training – provide ministry leaders with the skills to include spiritual content in meetings so the Parish Mission is present in all ministries.
  6. Evangelizing Web Site – revitalize the web site from a maintenance to a mission directed media.
  7. Social Media to Expand the Mission – develop social media for evangelization and catechesis.
  8. For the Ride Home – weekly bulletin content that connects the weekly scripture readings to the Parish mission.

 

The ParishVision LLC Model © is based on the Theology of Evangelization and the Three Goals of Evangelization from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops document Go and Make Disciples. It is also based on The Mission and Models of the Church, an interpretation of Avery Cardinal Dulles Models of the Church.