Evangelization for a Legacy

By Susan Bailey | CFP Correspondent

“People have to be touched,” said Father Robert A. Grattaroti, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Charlton. “The whole message of the Gospel is that people were touched by Jesus in their hearts. The key to evangelization is communication.”
This is the thinking behind the Legacy of Hope’s campaign, designating evangelization as one of its key components. From the target goal of $32 million, the campaign hopes to set aside $1.5 million toward grants for evangelization programs in parishes.
     The Diocese of Worcester has an established subcommittee which assists parishes in the choosing of evangelization programs for that parish’s needs. There are many from which to choose but as Father William F. Sanders of St. Louis Parish in Webster pointed out, “Some of these materials are a little bit expensive. Plus, to send people for further training involves expenses — most parishes do not budget for this. There isn’t a lot of money left over for this sort of thing.” This is where a grant from the Legacy of Hope campaign can help out.
According to Father Sanders, who has used several evangelization programs at St. Louis, the results have been well worth both the work and the cost.
“We started running these programs in the evening but as things progressed, we started offering two sessions – one in the evening for those who work, and during the daytime for those who don’t work and don’t want to come out at night.”
Parishioners have often repeated the programs, bringing family and friends with them. Some of them have gone on to become group leaders. He sees these programs as a means of bringing back what he calls “uninvolved Catholics” to a deeper understanding of their faith.
“That’s the key, when people realize that their faith isn’t a ‘personal’ thing but does involve sharing and reaching out,” Father Sanders said. “That’s what evangelization is all about for me. I keep pushing that, even at daily Mass. I’ll say to the people, ‘None of you can sit here and say, ‘I don’t need this.’’”
Father Sanders sets the example: “I need this, I go to sessions — I need to be evangelized.”
Feedback from those from St. Louis who have attended has been very positive.
“I am truly amazed how much more thankful I am with all my blessings,” said Connie Jezierski. “These are blessings I have had all along, but now they have become more crystal clear to me.”
Michelle Bellrose was deeply touched by a program she attended, calling it “inspirational.”
“The evangelization series provided the opportunity to spend time together in a smaller, less formal setting,” she said. “One of the end results is that feeling of our church family growing. True friendships have developed with people staying in touch even after the series has ended.”
St. Louis’ evangelization efforts started with a program known as ALPHA.
“There were several programs suggested by the diocese,” said Father Sanders. He and his coordinator, Louise Forget, investigated further which led to a meeting with Deacon Patrick Driscoll of St. Richard of Chichester Parish in Sterling, who strongly recommended ALPHA.     
“Louise then took a group of five or six people to a day-long workshop,” Father Sanders said. “I don’t know what they did at that workshop but they came back all fired up about this program. It was a good cross-section of people by age. To have that cross-section excited was good because they talked about it with their contemporaries and their friends.”
The results of ALPHA were so favorable that Father Sanders and Ms. Forget sought out other programs to build upon that success. They have since offered “Wild Goose” (part of Franciscans Pathways, an outreach of the Franciscan Friars of the Province of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, Third Order Regular), “Catching Fire — Becoming Flame” from Paraclete Press, and “Unlocking the Mystery of the Bible” and “A Biblical Walk Through the Mass,” both from Ascension Press.
Father Sanders hopes that grant money from the Legacy of Hope will help the parish to establish a lending library of books and DVDs. The library would be open two or three days during the week, manned by volunteers for a couple of hours each day so that visitors can talk with them about the materials.
Msgr. Thomas J. Sullivan of Christ the King Parish in Worcester has also employed several evangelization programs.
“We have ALPHA, the “Catholicism” series and “Pivotal Players” (videos hosted by Bishop Robert Barron), intense Bible study programs, and a course on the Confessions of St. Augustine,” he said. “Most of the participants are Catholics who are already practicing the faith and are seeking renewal.”
Participants Peter Fyrberg and Akua Kusiwaah have been inspired by these programs. Mr. Fyrberg now serves as a eucharistic minister at an assisted living facility.
“The participants’ reception of the Eucharist is both joyful and faith-inspiring,” Mr. Fyrberg said. “We are truly humbled and blessed to witness such faith in the Lord.”
Ms. Kusiwaah learned the deeper meaning of the love of Jesus.
“When you have Jesus, you don’t hate, you don’t say bad things about anybody,” she said. “You treat everybody equally and you love everybody no matter where they are from, no matter who they are,” she said.
Msgr. Sullivan wants to expand the outreach.
“We seek to reach out to people of all ages. An important time is seeking out those who have recently lost a loved one and then, sometimes, the survivors go absent,” he said. “But there is a significant group that we continue to need to reach out to and it would be our younger families. Most of them do not worship on a regular basis or at all.”
Having completed the Legacy of Hope campaign this past summer as a parish in the first block, Msgr. Sullivan is looking forward to using a portion of the funds that the parish would recoup as seed money for a new parish position on evangelization. “One committed to reaching out to all our families,” he said.
To date the Legacy of Hope campaign has raised approximately $16.8 million and a total of 46 parishes have participated, according to Michael Messano, executive director of the campaign. Legacy of Hope addresses the long-term needs of the diocese, while Partners in Charity, which starts this week in 11 parishes, addresses the short-term, day-to-day operational needs of 27 ministries and agencies.
For more information go online to legacyofhope.worcesterdiocese.org.