Relational Outreach is about building relationships of trust with non-practicing, fallen away Catholics, and non-believers. This includes parish ministries with the explicit purpose of building relationships of trust with non-believers and then helping these people to take the next step in their relationship with Jesus.  We are going to continue to use the school and other natural relationships with friends and family to connect with people who are not currently practicing.

Natural Relationships

God desires to use me to reach those within my realm of influence.  I must be more intentional in my thinking:  Who is it in my life that Jesus wants to know him more?  Where, in general, might that person be on the Thresholds of Conversion (Trust, Openness, Seeking, Decision, Beginning Disciple, Missionary Disciple, Fruitful Disciple)? 

• Like evangelizes like.  Farmers are the best to evangelize farmers.  Teachers are the best to evangelize teachers.  Mothers are the best to evangelize mothers. Etc.
• Our Catholic schools can be a place where the natural relationships built around the common interest of educating our children, can be a moment where very involved parents can reach out and encourage parents that may not be as involved in faith practice.
• Sports culture could be an opportunity for outreach, but we are not yet intentional in leveraging this area.

Intentional Outreach

Is the Lord calling me to form some kind of relational opportunity as a first step toward evangelizing?  Perhaps form a social gathering / group that can later be a means of inviting them to experience the faith in a deeper way.

• For example:  A group to play basketball; could form relationships to later talk about faith or even invite to a small prayer group
• Other parish groups like Outreach Ministry or Walking with Moms in Need could be a first step in introducing the faith to those in need.

A Conversion Moment is an encounter with Jesus and call to conversion.  This includes parish ministries with the explicit purpose of proclaiming the Gospel and fostering conversion and the desire to follow Jesus as a part of his Church. 

An initial conversion moment is one near the beginning of a person's openness to making a change to follow the Lord.  This can be the decision moment to go from seeking to a beginning disciple.  A renewed conversion moment may be for someone who has grown up culturally Christian or Catholic, but now have an experience deepening their relationship with Christ, leading them to more actively practice their faith.  This may be how one moves from a beginning disciple to a missionary disciple.  It is common for people to experience more than one conversion moment throughout their life.  Some may have particularly clear and intense conversion moments, while others may experience conversion as a series of smaller moments.

Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes wishes to provide opportunities for both initial and renewed conversion moments.  In particular, we are going to continue to leverage the CEC movement to help people have an encounter with Christ.  The combination of formal talks, personal witness, silence and prayer enables candidates to hear the Lord's call to conversion.

Initial Conversion Moment

It is uncertain whether a CEC Weekend is the most effective means of an initial conversion moment.  Going on a CEC weekend may be too intimidating for those not yet connected into the faith.  Prior to being open to something like CEC, may be the witness of faithful Catholics around them.  Do we know how to share our own stories of conversion, whether individually or in a small group setting?  Do we know how to share the core of the gospel in relation to our own story?  What other opportunities for conversion moments might we provide?

Renewed Conversion Moment

CEC Weekend:  The CEC Weekend can provide a moment of renewed energy and desire to follow the Lord for those Catholics/Christians whose faith practice has become minimal or routine.

• CEC Grouping:  CEC is most effective when participants continue to meet in small groups, supporting one another in their commitment to the Lord.  Renewal needs to be made among the CEC community to ensure a return of former participants in the weekend to make grouping a priority.

Marriage Retreat:  Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes has joined with the neighboring Our Catholic Family of Parishes to provide a conversion moment for engaged couples similar to that of CEC.  Mentor couples and accompaniment couples also participate.

• Couples Groups:  Like CEC, continuing support for each other via small groups would be the most effective to continue the growth of couples.  Perhaps small groups can be formed for couples.

Holy Spirit Camp:  Holy Spirit Camp is held during the summer for incoming Freshman from all parishes in HSCP, as part of their Confirmation formation program.  Modeled after experiences like CEC, Holy Spirit Camp

• Discipleship Groups at Cedar Catholic are an example of how the conversion moment of the Holy Spirit Camp is fostered in small groups during their high school years.  A similar model could be implemented in our youth groups in religious ed.
  

Faith Formation is how we support disciples as they grow in the knowledge and habits of Christian life.  This includes parish ministries with the explicit purpose of supporting disciples as they grow in the Christian life. These ministries can range from helping a disciple enter into the life of the parish community to building the good habits of a Christian life.

In the past Catholic parishes have often focused on faith formation of children rather than adults.  At Holy Spirit Catholic Parishes we wish to prioritize adult faith formation even as we continue to form our children through our Catholic schools and Religious Education programs.  Traditionally we have provided adult formation via occasional bible studies, OCIA/RCIA programs, and Lenten Missions.  These can become overly focused on intellectual formation without including continual moments of encounter with Christ through prayer.  We seek to transform such programs to foster a growth in encountering Christ - knowing him, not just knowing about him.  For adults, we see the primary way of doing this to be through small groups that meet year-round and others that meet seasonally. 

Year Round Small Groups

We wish small groups to focus on prayer with Scripture (Lectio Divina/WRAP) so that they may encounter Jesus through the Sacred Word.  Groups may find their own materials to use, but we have also created a list of suggested materials to use.  The Archdiocese also has materials to download.  Providing a list of suggested material helps us to guide our small groups to an encounter with Jesus, and not just become social events.

Seasonal Groups

Live Lent Together:  Live Lent Together is an initiative that equips parishioners to lead and join small groups for Lent. Each small group leader prays for and invites friends, neighbors, co-workers, or family members to gather for prayer and discussion with Scripture.  Download prayer materials for your small group.

The goal of Faith Formation is a balance of both information and encounter. The disciple doesn't just know about God, but has met Him. But the encounter must be supported with intellectual formation, so that one's religious experience does not become a subjective interpretation.  If small groups are going to be the main way of formation both of the encounter and intellectual formation, we need to be intentional on how they are formed.

School of Prayer?

Could we develop some kind of "School of Prayer" to go deeper into the principles of the spiritual life; prayer practices and discernment (how to pay attention to what is going on interiorly and to recognize God’s voice).  An initial encounter could possibly energize someone to begin as a disciple, but only a fuller sustained relationship with the Lord will carry them through to become missionary and fruitful disciples.

Evangelization Formation is how we equip disciples as they are sent out on mission through the power of the Holy Spirit. This includes ministries with the explicit purpose of equipping disciples to engage in the mission of evangelization. Parishioners are encouraged to identify their charisms and to build a personal apostolate, serving the people they are most uniquely suited to.

We currently have our own "School of Mission," which we hope to expand by providing another level of formation for those who have already attended and by inviting current small group participants to participate.  The Archdiocese provides the mentorship program.  We also

School of Mission

School of Mission teaches practical skills for how to invite people to a small group, lead a small group and be more comfortable in sharing our faith.

Small group leaders form their groups with the understanding that those whom they invite or lead will then also be called by the Lord to mission - perhaps to lead small groups, but also to other mission areas in accord with what charisms the Holy Spirit chooses to give to each person.

Clear Path Training

Clear Path Training for Small Group Leaders is for the purpose of helping our current small group leaders understand our clear path and to encourage them to bring current participants in their groups to the upcoming school of mission nights.

Evangelization Formation for other mission fields?

Not everyone in our small groups will be called to lead small groups, but will rather be called to their own mission fields - their neighbors, co-workers, community, etc. How will we provide formation for that?

Mentorship Program

The Mentorship Program equips lay people to confidently and fruitfully share their faith through friendship and deep investment in others.  Training is practical and hands-on, teaching key habits and skills for intentional evangelization through individual accompaniment. Participants gain a common language and experience with likeminded leaders from across the Archdiocese.  Learn More.

School of Prayer / Charism Discernment?

Could we develop some kind of "School of Prayer" to go deeper into the principles of the spiritual life; prayer practices and discernment.  Perhaps this could also include a discernment of charisms.