Evangelization grants to 'share the faith'

By Maria LeDoux
The Catholic Free Press

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the definition of the term evangelization, summarized from Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Evangelii Nuntiandi, means “bringing the Good News of Jesus into every human situation and seeking to convert individuals and society by the divine power of the Gospel itself.”
An anonymous donor gifted the diocese $25,000 for the purpose of evangelization. At the beginning of the calendar year, Bishop McManus encouraged evangelization programs for the parishes and asked pastors and administrators to complete an application detailing how the parish will use the money granted to them. Twenty-five parishes were selected, and each given $1,000 to carry out their plans to evangelize.
The five parishes in the lower Blackstone Valley region: St. Mary, Uxbridge; St. Paul, Blackstone; St. Augustine, Millville; Good Shepherd, Linwood; and St. Theresa, Blackstone, requested funds together and combined their grant money to bring Matthew Regitz, the author of Divine Renovation, to the area for a multi-day program from April 19-21. This event included pastors, parish leaders, parishioners, and young people, with the goal to “continue the essential work of casting a shared vision for the church” while engaging and connecting with parishioners from each parish and at the same time teaching them how to go out into the world and evangelize. MaryAnn DeRestie, business manager of St. Paul’s Parish, stated that all five parishes were involved and attended the event that was “very well received, and the feedback was really good.” Sue Leighton, administrative assistant at St. Mary’s Parish said, “The people were very impressed with the presentation ... it is nice to know what we are doing right and what to change and improve. ... We are looking forward to creating that bond with the other parishes” in the Blackstone area.
St. Joseph the Good Provider Parish in Berlin is in the process of purchasing the Project Nazareth Program, offered by the Archdiocese of Boston, with its evangelization grant. The purpose of the project is to aid the partnership between parents and the parish. According to Mary Jo Kriz, the religious education coordinator, St. Joseph has many young families. This project would support, encourage, and provide opportunities for parents and families to encounter Christ.
Annunciation Parish in Gardner requested the grant to contribute to the costs of bringing in “Light of the World” retreats. The pastoral council and the adult faith formation committee are hoping the retreats will “both unify parishioners and help them to prepare for that mission of sharing the Gospel message.” This program was chosen due to its focus on the sacraments. The event will take place from Sept. 30 through Oct. 3.
Mary, Queen of the Rosary Parish in Spencer proposed to use the grant money by sending “We Miss You” kits during Lent with age-appropriate themed activities to encourage children of all ages and families to return to Mass. The parish plans to host the summer youth program Totus Tuus. The goal of this program is “dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic Faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness, and Eucharistic worship,” according to Kelly Sullivan, who oversees faith formation for the parish.
 Mary, Queen of the Rosary also held a youth event in March. Children were invited to attend an outing at the “School Yahd” in West Boylston to engage the community. Like the parable of the lost sheep, the goal of the parish is to bring back families in a “compassionate and creative” way. Mrs. Sullivan said, “It is our hope that the children and families who are not attending Mass or attending faith formation classes and activities know that we miss them and continue to pray for them and hope they return to us.”
St. Cecilia Parish in Leominster is using the grant money for “welcoming cards” with the parish contact information, as well as Mass and confession times. Priests and seminarians will make visits to the homes of registered parishioners to “just say hi.” There will be a mailing of multiple welcoming cards in each mailer so that recipients may invite their neighbors and friends to come to church. Lawn signs will also be purchased to place in front of the church and around town.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Winchendon invited Brother Augustine, MICM, to talk about healing and forgiveness on April 6. There were roughly 80 people in attendance. The goal, according to Father Henry Ramirez, is “to step out of the past and move forward in faith to the future.” The biggest takeaway, says Father Ramirez is that “every day difficulties take time to process, but with prayer, commitment, and going to church, we can overcome together.” On May 22, the parish also hosted a dinner in their hall for children and parents in the religious education program.
St. John, Guardian of Our Lady Parish in Clinton hopes to bring a speaker to the Spanish-speaking community of the parish to discuss the afterlife and how to prepare for it.
St. Mary and St. Philip parishes in Grafton, now part of Our Lady of Hope Parish, seek to bring the Totus Tuus Catholic youth program to students for teens and children from July 10 –15. The program will be run by seminarians Ricardo Reyes and Wiley Malcolm, along with two teens in the parishes in collaboration with Darlene Farland, the director of religious education. The goal of this program is to both teach the faith and “ignite the hearts” of those involved.
St. Francis of Assisi Parish in South Barre used the funds of the grant to put on a three-day Lenten mission in March as well as purchase lawn signs and an ad in the local newspaper. Father Stephen Gemme, chaplain at St. Vincent Hospital, led the mission. According to Judy McCaffrey, a parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi who spearheaded the application and distribution of the grant, due to the pandemic, fewer people were coming to church. The theme of the retreat was “Come Back to Me,” urging participants to come to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The event included confession and anointing of the sick. One person came to confession who “had not been in a very long time,” said Mrs. McCaffrey. She continued, “We think it reached people, it was wonderful to get that grant – a real blessing to apply and receive it and I do think it paid off.”
The selected parishes who each received a $1,000 grant include: Annunciation, Gardner; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Winchendon; Good Shepherd, Linwood; Holy Family/St. Stephen, Worcester; Sacred Heart of Jesus, Hopedale; Sacred Heart of Jesus, Webster; Our Lady of Czestochowa, Worcester; Our Lady of the Assumption, Millbury; Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Worcester; Mary, Queen of the Rosary, Spencer; St. Ann, North Oxford; St. Anne-St. Patrick, Fiskdale; St. Augustine, Millville; St. Brigid, Millbury; St. Cecilia, Leominster; St. Columba, Paxton; St. Francis of Assisi, South Barre; St. John, Guardian of Our Lady, Clinton; St. Joseph the Good Provider, Berlin; St. Louis, Webster; St. Mary, Uxbridge; St. Patrick, Rutland; St. Paul, Blackstone; St. Peter, Worcester; and St. Theresa, Blackstone.