SAY YES TO THE PARISH. Fr. William Reynolds, State Chaplain Steve Heffern, Church director

Transcription

1 SAY YES TO THE PARISH Fr. William Reynolds, State Chaplain Steve Heffern, director

2 INTRODUCTIONS Fr. William Reynolds Pastor, Sacred Heart Parish, Newton State Chaplain Steve Heffern Director DD48

3 THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THIS SEMINAR You being here indicates that you are interested in learning how your council can improve its relationship with your parishes.

4 HOW WELL DOES YOUR COUNCIL SAY YES TO YOUR PARISH? Yes to your priests and deacons Yes to serving the spiritual needs of your parish s men Yes to ministering to your parish at Mass and in the community Yes to the physical needs of your parish Yes to the social needs of your parish

5 LET S START AT 5,000 FEET I ll start the discussion with a discussion related to programs Our discussion is focused on relationships and not on particular activities We ll provide some insight on how to gauge the relationship between the council and parish(es) Father will walk through an assessment of the relationship between the council and Chaplain Because a great relationship with the Chaplain will help your council s relationship with your parish.

6 MEASURES OF SERVICE (OR HOW I LEARNED TO LOVE THE SP-7)

7 THE COLUMBIAN AWARD APPLICATION (SP-7) Success = 4 discrete activities along each axis RSVP Greeters Ushers Liturgy Committee Lectors/Readers Eucharistic Ministers Choir Cantors RCIA Religious Ed Sacristans Groundskeeping Building Maintenance

8 THIS SEMINAR IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS Not looking at discrete events in a vacuum Interested in fostering an ongoing (hopefully always more fulfilling) relationship between a council and the parish(es) served by the council In particular fostering the relationship between the council and the chaplain If this relationship works, it is easier to see how to serve the parish You have relationships to the degree that you work on them

9 THE COLUMBIAN AWARD IS REALLY A CALL TO RELATIONSHIP There are six relationships (church, community, council, culture of life, family and youth) Measuring a relationship is hard Men are doers, we can measure done By doing we hope to improve the underlying relationship ommunity

10 A RELATIONSHIP IS MORE THAN COMPLETING TASKS Honey, I love you! I mowed the yard! If the SP-7 measures events: how do you assess these relationships?

11 COMMUNICATE To assess your council s relationship with your ask people who are not Knights the following questions: What do you know about the Knights of Columbus? What do the Knights of Columbus do? How do the Knights help our parish? Can you point out or name any Knights? The answers will give you a pretty good idea of how you re relating to the parish.

12 EXAMPLE 1: NONEXISTENT PARISH RELATIONSHIP Knights of Columbus are outside of and invisible to the parish Father has formed a Men s Group as a KofC alternative To foster spiritual formation To promote parish ministries To support Father

13 EXAMPLE 2: A COUNCIL WITH A STRONGER CHURCH RELATIONSHIP This council Fosters spiritual formation Promotes parish ministries Supports Father Is Trusted by Father

14 THE QUICKEST FIX The fastest, easiest way to do better serving your parish(es) is to understand and improve your relationship with your Chaplain. This is where I turn this seminar over to Fr. Bill who can help you evaluate your relationship with your Chaplain Warning: Father asked me to put in cool effects. So you will get to see a number of page transitions.

15 THE CHAPLAIN S ASSESSMENT TOOL A list of 16 questions. Honest answers reveal: s Relationship with their Chaplain(s) s Relationship with their Parish(es)

16 ARE THERE REGULAR DISCUSSIONS OF WHAT SPIRITUAL/ RELIGIOUS TOPICS THE PASTOR/CHAPLAIN MIGHT PRESENT AT COUNCIL MEETINGS? Does the council ask the chaplain for specific topics? Does the council offer time to the chaplain to offer spiritual formation to the members? Does the chaplain take advantage of his time with the council to offer spiritual guidance?

17 HAVE THERE BEEN REGULAR MEETINGS BETWEEN THE PASTOR/CHAPLAIN AND THE GRAND KNIGHT PRIOR TO THE MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING? How plugged into the process of creating the meeting agenda is the Chaplain? Does the Chaplain ever suggest agenda items? Is there an ongoing dialog between the Chaplain and council leaders?

18 DOES THE CHAPLAIN REVIEW PARISH MEMBERSHIP LISTS AND RECOMMEND MEN FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE KNIGHTS? Has the Chaplain recommended members to the council to recruit? Has the Chaplain recommended the Knights to parish members? Does the Parish Secretary contact the GK when new families register with the parish?

19 DOES THE COUNCIL LEADERSHIP DISCUSS COUNCIL OFFICER CANDIDATES PRIOR TO NOMINATIONS OR ELECTIONS? s tend to focus on the leadership ability or sometimes just the willingness to serve when reviewing candidates for offices Chaplains can and should help select leaders who are representative of the values of the Knights of Columbus A good leader who is not a good Catholic will not reflect well on the council within the parish

20 HAS THE PASTOR/CHAPLAIN WELCOMED A RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN? How many Drives have you had in your parishes in the last two years? Has your Chaplain recommended the Knights in the bulletin or from the pulpit or with announcements as part of the campaign?

21 HAS THE PASTOR/CHAPLAIN PROMOTED KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS ACTIVITIES IN THE PARISH? Does your Pastor/Chaplain encourage parishioners to support Knights projects? Does he explain in announcements or in the bulletin WHY the Knights are engaged in these activities?

22 HAS THE PASTOR/CHAPLAIN ATTENDED MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETINGS? If not, why not? If there is a scheduling conflict for your Chaplain: Have you considered changing your meeting time? Have you asked your Chaplain to arrange his schedule to attend your meetings? Have you explained to your Chaplain how much your council wants him to attend and that they want his guidance?

23 HAS THE PASTOR/CHAPLAIN PROMOTED ATTENDANCE AT COUNCIL MEETINGS? Are meeting dates in the bulletin? Has your Chaplain reinforced the meeting date and time during announcements? Does the Chaplain make clear to the parish that he is attending the meeting? Does he say, The Knights are or We Knights are?

24 HAS THE COUNCIL PROMOTED CHURCH ACTIVITIES AMONG THE MEMBERS AND AT COUNCIL MEETINGS? Does your council integrate the schedule of parish activities with your council s list of upcoming events? If you communicate the activities of the parish, you will find ways to help. Are Knights church activities and programs promoted at council meetings?

25 ARE COUNCIL MEMBERS VISIBLY MINISTERING TO THE PARISH? Greeters Ushers Liturgy Committee Lectors/Readers Eucharistic Ministers Choir Cantors RCIA Are Knights filling these roles? Do Knights see these roles as part of their mission to the parish? Is your service visible? Religious Ed Sacristans

26 HAS THE COUNCIL PROMOTED RESPECT FOR LIFE ACTIVITIES AMONG THE MEMBERS AND AT COUNCIL MEETINGS? Special Olympics Visiting or doing a project at a nursing home Visiting members in hospice Is your council welcoming to every member?

27 HAS THE COUNCIL PROMOTED CULTURE OF LIFE ACTIVITIES AMONG THE MEMBERS AND AT COUNCIL MEETINGS? Midwest March for Life Baby bottle drive Supporting a local Pregnancy Care Center Supporting Birthright Knights to Life Campaign Do you have a Hero in your council? Does the Culture of Life Chairman bring service opportunities to the meeting?

28 HAS THE COUNCIL OFFERED FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO A SEMINARIAN DURING THE YEAR? Does your council participate in the RSVP program? Does your council keep in touch with and encourage your seminarian(s)? Do you pray for your seminarian(s). Do you invite your seminarian(s) to parish or council events? Have you encouraged your seminarian to join the Knights?

29 HAS THE COUNCIL PROMOTED A CULTURE OF VOCATIONS AMONG THE MEMBERS AND AT COUNCIL MEETINGS? Does your council participate in diocesan vocations events? Has your council sponsored a St. Andrews Dinner? Has your council offered to support and pray for men and women looking to enter religious vocations? Has your council offered their moral support to Knights thinking about the priesthood or diaconate?

30 HAS THE GRAND KNIGHT ASKED THE PASTOR/CHAPLAIN, "WHAT COULD THE KNIGHTS DO THAT WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL TO YOU IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS?" Did your Chaplain come up with anything? Does your Chaplain trust you to commit to activities and follow through with them?

31 HAS THE CHAPLAIN SUGGESTED ARTICLES FROM COLUMBIA MAGAZINE THAT ARE PARTICULARLY WORTHY OF READING? Has your Chaplain brought the magazine to meetings folded to the page of the article and passed it around so that you d know he thinks it is worth your time to read? Has he ever printed out a copy of a Catholic Information Service booklet mentioned in the magazine to show you? Does your Chaplain receive the Knights of Columbus Chaplain s Report? Has he ever suggested an activity or practice from the report?

32 HAS THE COUNCIL OFFERED TO PAY THE EXPENSES SO THAT THE PASTOR/CHAPLAIN MAY ATTEND THE STATE CONVENTION? Expenses to attend a degree exemplification? Expenses to attend assembly meetings? Expenses to attend off-site council activities?

33 CALL TO ACTION Evaluate your relationship with your Chaplain. These questions are intended to provide their own answers for improving that relationship. Honestly assess your council s relationship with your parish(es). See if you and your Chaplain can work together to improve your council s relationship with your parish(es). Say YES to making your parish the community of Christ it is called to be.

34 QUESTIONS, COMMENTS AND RESPONSES We don t promise to know any answers but are willing to respond if we can.