Parishes are gathering to learn how to be more welcoming

In mid-May, a group of about 40 parishioners, pastors, and staff from five different parishes came together at the Church of St. Mary in Rutherford to explore how they can become a more welcoming parish.

A major theme by study participants of a report released last August on the Synod of Synodality is a “deep desire” for greater inclusivity within the Church. The report acknowledged that certain people or groups — women, young people, immigrants, racial or linguistic minorities, LGBTQ persons, people who are divorced and remarried without an annulment, and those with varying degrees of physical or mental abilities — feel unwelcome.

“A lot of people felt hurt, it’s a long list,” Sister Donna L. Ciangio, O.P., Synod Team member and chancellor of the Archdiocese, told the group at St. Mary’s. “We’ve got to figure it all out.”

For six months in 2021, the Archdiocese of Newark entered a time of prayer, dialogue, and listening, called the Synod of Synodality, asking: “How is the Holy Spirit calling us as a Church in the 21st Century?” after Pope Francis invited Catholics — from bishops to the laity — to gather and share their feelings, listen in prayer, and discern a way forward. For the first time, all Catholics were invited into the Synod process, which is historically reserved for just Bishops.

*A group discusses how to reach out to the community. (Jaimie Winters/ Archdiocese of Newark)*

The initial Synod on Synodality listening sessions covered two questions here in the Archdiocese of Newark and among Catholics across the world: How is this “journeying together” happening today in your parish community, campus ministry, university, school, youth group, religious congregation, or other areas of Church life that you might participate in? How are we “walking together” as a Church, and what steps does the Holy Spirit invite us to take to grow in our journeying together?

The 38-page report released in August 2021, recorded the joy that area Catholics feel in being part of the church, but it also revealed that Catholics do not always feel welcomed in their parish and a disconnect between lay people and church leaders.

The report included the responses of more than 15,000 northern New Jerseyans who gathered at over 700 sessions to give feedback. Along with Welcome, Hospitality, and Outreach (evangelization), the other five themes gathered from the sessions include Youth and Young Adults, Faith Formation, Participation of Laity in Church Leadership, Governance, and Communications.

As part of the next step in the Synod process for the Archdiocese of Newark, Welcome, Hospitality, and Outreach is the first theme of the six to be explored.

The Archdiocese of Newark is conducting weekly workshops through June 22 at local parishes to advise parishes on ways they can be more welcoming and invite people into a life with Christ at their churches.

“Changes at the Vatican level are important, but we live synodality at a parish level,” Sister Donna said. “It’s time to engage our imagination about what our parishes can do with this theme [hospitality and outreach]. ”

Some participants said that bilingual parishes sometimes exhibited a “them-against-us” mentality among their parishioners. Others said that while older generations didn’t question Canon law, today’s youth do and want to know the “why” behind the traditions and the laws. Many said that churches are still feeling the aftermath of COVID-19.

The Archdiocesan Synod Coordinating Team has created a book, “The Planning Guide for Parishes: Part 1, Welcome, Hospitality and Outreach” which walks pastoral staff, parish pastoral councils, and other parish ministries on continuing listening, prayer, and discernment, to action plans.

The book, which is in both English and Spanish, is a step-by-step guide to the listening and planning process. It comes complete with suggested questions to reflect on in order to create action plans.

Questions include: Who are the people on the margins/peripheries of your parish? What do you have to offer them? What types of social justice and social outreach are critical to your parish? How do identify those who are most in need in your community?

Sister Donna said that parishes needed to find ways to engage parishioners beyond Mass on Sunday and a way for the church to journey with families and truly accompany them from marriage, baptism, first communion, confirmation, and throughout all stages of life.

Once the parishes identify a particular community they are trying to reach, sister suggested that parishes research churches that have successful ministries for those communities and learn what they have to offer.

“Be doers of the word and not hearers only,” the book states.

In a letter inside the Planning, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, wrote, “The experience of being a ‘Listening Church’ continues. I have heard from many people of our Archdiocese regarding the successes as well as the challenges facing our Church. I think we all want to ensure that what has been prayerfully discerned does not get lost.”

Future sessions will be held June 1 at St. Andrew, Westwood; June 3 Our Lady of Mercy, Jersey City; June 17 Blessed Sacrament, Roseland; and St. Helen, Westfield. To register click here.

Featured image: Parishes officials met at The Church of St. Mary to continue the Synod discussion.