By Tanya Connor of the Catholic Free Press
, March 21, 2016 —excerpts
WORCESTER – Since January, John and Therese Boucher, of St. John Parish in Worcester, have been teaching a 10-session program for local Catholics about how to do evangelization. An invitation to attend the program described it this way: “Develop practical skills for sharing faith and the message of Jesus in everyday life, in ministries, and in your parish, through the grace of the Holy Spirit.”…
The diocese’s permanent diaconate program includes training in evangelization for men preparing to be deacons, and this year the Boucher’s program was used, said Deacon Peter Ryan, assistant to the director. “They need to know before they get in the parish – evangelization is at the top of everything we do,” he said. The diaconate office opened this program to men who are already deacons, their wives, and other church leaders. Deacon Anthony Surozenski, director of the Office of the Diaconate, said they plan to offer it again next year.
The first day 54 people came, and about 40 to 45 people from 25 parishes attended each session, Mr. Boucher said. “This is the most consistent attendance we have ever seen” in any program of this length in 25 years, he said. “The Holy Spirit is working in the diocese. We’re realizing the need is great.” …
In class “we get them up and meeting new people … to realize that it’s not easy to meet new people,” Mr. Boucher said. That can help them understand how others may feel about being asked to evangelize.
Mr. Boucher said they looked at evangelizing parishes, young adults, new immigrants and the unchurched, and connections between evangelization, discipleship, and stewardship. Topics included ongoing conversion, listening, hospitality, using different styles of evangelization, creating evangelizing parish ministries and transforming society with the Gospel.
In one session Mrs. Boucher recounted how a New York pastor reached out to players using a ball field within the parish boundaries. He posted signs such as, “Complete the pass; come to Mass” and temporarily changed a Mass time to accommodate players’ schedules. [She also shared that] once she brought parents in her baptismal preparation class around the font, where she had them pray for the children they were going to have baptized. She told them, “Don’t be surprised if you hear God saying, ‘I don’t just want your child; I want you.’”
For photos and comments from the class click here.