Communicating with parishioners post-COVID

Communicating with parishioners post-COVID
By Catholic free press Staff

For decades the most common and most effective way to get messages out was simple: have an announcement from the pulpit at the end of Mass and put it in the bulletin. Parish websites started to change all that, as well as the few parishes that were using Facebook, but the vast majority of parishes still relied on in-person communication, according to Raymond L. Delisle, Director of Communications Ministry for the Diocese of Worcester.
When the pandemic hit, parishes were faced with a crisis in communication. How do you connect with parishioners who are not in the pew?
Parishes began streaming their Sunday Mass on Facebook Live, or on their website, while others chose to embed the streaming video of Sunday and daily Mass from the Cathedral. Additionally, many parishes also began emailing their parishioners with weekly updates regarding the pandemic, including accommodations for safe, in person Mass attendance; religious education schedules and materials; and invitations to support the parish financially, including the diocesan Legacy of Hope campaign and Partners in Charity appeals, with new online giving options with the assistance of specially designed emails.
In March 2023, a study published by the Pew Research Center found that a “stable share of Americans” participated in online or in person worship services of some kind during the pandemic; however, in-person attendance has fallen slightly to 30% in 2022 compared to 33% prior to the pandemic in 2019.
As for the Diocese of Worcester, in 2017 a foundation for communications between the diocese and the parishes, and the parishes with their parishioners, was put in place with the launch of Communications Ministry, a consolidated platform which is supported in part by Partners in Charity. It offers a common website platform on eCatholic to all parishes, a common email and texting platform with Flocknote, shared resources including a local Catholic news feed and local calendar of events from The Catholic Free Press and local daily and Sunday television Masses, as well as streaming videos on various topics.
Are people using it? ‘You can only manage what you can measure’ is an old but still valid adage,” said Delisle. “We look at various measurements to see if something is being used, how it is used, and if it is growing.”
For example, the Daily Mass, which has been available online for nearly two decades, has grown in viewership. Over the past three months, there were at least 6,300 Daily Mass “attendees” from the start to the end of Mass. But in that same time period there were more than 127,000 instances where someone watched at least part of the Daily Mass. “Two other facts are significant,” said Delisle. “More than 48,000 of those views were on a phone. Nearly as many views, 42,000, were on a desktop computer. A tablet came in far lower with about 4,600 views. Now we need to find a way to see if mobile device use relates to a wider range of ages, or if there are other trends in device use that are occurring.”
Where are the viewers? “We can see that 90% of the viewers, or over 127,000, are from the United States,” according to Stephen Kaufman, manager of programming and productions for the diocesan TV Ministry. “But that means 10% are from at least 32 other countries on six continents, according to our streaming statistics.”
During the three-year Eucharistic Revival, some have voiced a concern that the option to view the Mass remotely is impeding our efforts to get people back to Mass. Delisle would disagree.
“I have been involved in this ministry to the homebound for 28 years and I have had many conversations with elderly Catholics, caregivers and family members about how important this Mass is to them,” Delisle said. “These are people who are isolated for a variety of reasons, including illness, lack of mobility, lack of transportation, or, as I have read in many international emails, lack of access to any Catholic Mass. They want to attend, and they feel like they are part of a community of faith by watching each day. This is not a casual commitment they make.”
He continued, “Many rely on an extraordinary minister of holy communion to bring them the Blessed Sacrament. They attend these Masses whether on cable television or the internet. I was told by homecare workers more than once that they could not make appointments to go into their clients’ homes while the Mass was on because they did not want to be interrupted. And, as we remind them often, they know they are actively praying for the intentions of the entire virtual community to which they belong, along with their own intentions which they bring to each Mass. Would they choose to go to Mass in person if they could? Absolutely. But since they can’t, they will still be active through this ministry.”
The Communications Office also provides modules that auto update on parish eCatholic websites. At least 62 parishes make the Daily Mass available on their site, and many offer the local news from The Catholic Free Press and the calendar of events on their sites as well. “These all help people stay informed along with the newspaper in print and online but still keep them connected to their parish when it is on their local parish website,” said Delisle. He also noted that the Cathedral’s Sunday Mass in Spanish at 8 a.m. is also widely viewed across many parish websites.
Building community is the goal of effective communications, according to Delisle. The growth of Flocknote use by parishes is another major indicator of how, since COVID, most parishes have moved far beyond the “once a week” message in the bulletins. When comparing July 2019 to July 2023, the total number of members in the network has grown 228% to over 75,000 members. This past July, 617 unique notes (email or text content) were sent to 26,747 people. That was an increase of 178% in notes and in the number of members reached.
“This has become a powerful tool for parishes,” said Delisle. Notes include reminders for special Masses, food drives, event registrations, even including online sign-up tools and ways to donate with a credit card.