Presentation to St. Louis Parish Council

Connected In The Spirit

Presentation to St. Louis Parish Council

October 18, 2011

1. Connected in the Spirit is a process facilitated by the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in response to several factors: fewer priests, lower mass attendance, lack of importance/ understanding of the sacraments, etc. An overall loss of vibrancy in parishes throughout the Archdiocese.

1. What is Connected in the Spirit?

• Letter from Archdiocese
• Terre Haute deanery experience
• All parishes in our deanery are participating in this process and have developed Core Teams.
• Key element of this process is to involve many people from the parish to prayerfully assess the parishes’ strengths and challenges in order to determine how we can collaborate with other parishes and strengthen ourselves internally to further God’s work here on Earth.

1. St. Louis Committee (Darlene Hirt, Jenny Geers, Fr. Randy, Bill Hillenbrand, Chad Moeller)

Our main goals for our parish are to use this process of evaluation for the Archdiocese to achieve important goals for our parish:

1. To foster a strong sense of community by becoming a warmer, more welcoming, faith community, which encourages ALL parishioners to become engaged in the parish and grow spiritually.

1. To become a parish, led by the Spirit, as we prayerfully include God in our decision-making, fundraising, policy –making and strategic planning.

1. How Parish Council can help?

• List of Criteria
• Decided to start with “Sacramental Life of the Parish” and “Evangelization, Catechesis and Catholic Schools”.
• Will start with first 7 criteria. Each criteria has specific indicators which are really helpful in focusing the work.

1. How can you get the information?

• Survey parishioners
• Ask established committees or persons involved in particular areas
• focus groups
• parish assemblies
• pull existing data
• If you are struggling with how to get the information, please contact us and we will assist you.

1. Some Examples:

With each criteria, assess present activity, evaluate it, and provide a few notes for planning for the future.

Criteria 4 – Evangelization is recognized as the essential aspect of the life and mission of the Church.

Indicator: Newcomers are welcomed and incorporated into parish life. (contact parish office, call or contact new parishioners, ask “welcoming committee”)

Criteria 5 – The parish provides excellent lifelong catechetical formation, including but not limited to family catechesis, youth and young adult ministry and adult formation.

Indicator: A comprehensive well-integrated Catholic catechetical plan exists which provides opportunities for all adults including the elderly and young adults, to continually learn about their faith and integrate it into life. (discuss with Faith Formation/ Spiritual Life Commission, interview target groups to find out how they feel about this question).

Need information back to us in 4-6 weeks. December 1st. We will use the information to further our discussions with other churches in our area, improve our parish and foster our stated goals.

Bill, Darlene, Chad, Father: Our groups contact information: Please send me preferred contact numbers and emails for me to put on this document: