Invitations
Invitations relies heavily on one-on-one invitations. The responsibility for invitations goes far beyond the invitations coordinator for a team or even the team itself. The Continuation Committee and all past participants should take an active role in inviting others.
You Will Need 15-30 Men Invitees
24 Considered Ideal for the Best Experience
Experience has shown 3-4 Men Invitees will be “no shows”
You Will Need 20-38 Women Invitees
25 Considered Ideal for the best experience
Experience has shown 1-2 women will be “no shows”
Key Reasons for Invitees to Attend:
Become Involved in the parish
Get a spiritual booster—grow in my faith
To meet and get to know new people
Feel called by God or through prayer
Experiencing Personal challenges that requires a change
To share their faith and spiritual journey experiences
Secondary Reasons Invitees Say Yes (not ideal):
Spousal pressure
To “check the box” that they attended
Key Reasons Invitees Give for Not Attending (Objections):
“I’m not a retreat person”
“I’m not religious enough”
Don’t want to stay overnight in the church
Feelings of inadequacy about Christian knowledge or teachings
“It takes too much time”
“I’m too busy”
“I need my weekends for family time”
“Six months is too long!”
MEN
Focus on opportunity to become better Catholic men, husbands, fathers
Offer the opportunity to meet and know other men like you and to build a network
Explain the sense of brotherhood
Emphasize the retreat is for all levels of faith
WOMEN
Focus on the weekend as a spiritual booster shot.
Explain that you meet others like yourself and build meaningful new relationships while you grow in your faith
Emphasize the retreat is for all levels of faith
Get your priest’s endorsement
Create awareness and interest through parish communication opportunities
Use existing parish groups for likely leads
Consider doing a “pre-approach” with spouses who have attended Christ Renews to determine best approach
Match the message to men—and women!
Match the demographics of the invitee
Use other CRHP groups to assist as needed
Consider creating a men’s and women’s brochure as a leave-behind
Set a maximum number for retreatants (30-36)
Notes on Invitations
Frank Wardega, former national coordinator for Christ Renews His Parish, offers some thoughts about inviting people to Christ Renews His Parish.
Let us think about inviting adults (parishioners out of high school) to make a CRHP weekend. Who are these people? Let us look at a typical Catholic parish. Studies have shown:
Group A: 7% of registered Catholics are the dynamic Catholics. Studies indicate that they contribute 80% of the volunteer effort, and finances to the parish.
Group B: 30% of the Catholics residing within the parish boundaries attend Mass regularly. They may or may not be registered - growing new issue.
Group C: That means that roughly 70% of the Catholics residing within the parish boundaries do not attend Mass regularly. In reality, they have left the Church. Some may come on Christmas or Easter – an opportunity to invite fuller involvement. Percentages in Europe are even worse – some countries, single digit percentages!
Group D: So, how many people are there within the territorial boundaries of the parish that are Christian, but believe differently than we do? We don’t know.
Group E: Lastly, how many people are there in the territorial boundaries of the parish that have no belief in God as we understand Him, at all?
So, when you have announcements in your parish bulletin, have short pulpit testimonies, have Christ Renews people in the vestibules of your church, send home flyers with the kids of the day school and the PSR, who are you reaching? Group A and B mostly.
So, what responsibility does the pastor have to reach Group C, D and E?
The parish priest has the obligation of ensuring that the word of God is proclaimed in its entirety to those living in the parish. . . . . With the collaboration of the faithful, he is to make every effort to bring the gospel message to those also who have given up religious practice or who do not profess the true faith.
What do I hear? When a parish starts Christ Renews, most of the folks from Group A make the weekend and serve on teams. The process is highly successful. The parish invitation process reaches those who are in Group B and many or some make the weekend and serve on teams. Then problems begin. Information about Christ Renews and invitations to make a weekend does not reach people that do not come to church on Sunday.
Signs of problems: Smaller numbers of participants resulting in fewer people on teams with the CC response that those who served on teams before serve again and even again. Those repeat team members have probably already invited most of the people they know so less and less people make the weekend, making the problem worse.
The conclusion – we ran out of people to make the weekend. The personal and parish renewal stops. They stop when they reach the bump in the road.
Perhaps another conclusion – reach out to Groups C, D and E. Keep doing the same old invitation practices, but also in addition, reach out differently. Let’s investigate some innovative ways to reach those who might not attend Mass every Sunday, ways that I have observed in some parishes – successful parishes. I have not found one complete answer. This is part of a major problem of the Catholic Church today. Pope Francis spoke out on this issue on the Feast of the Epiphany this year when he said
"I would like to tell all those who feel far from God and the church — and I say this respectfully to those who are afraid or indifferent: The Lord calls you and wants you to be part of his people and does so with great respect and love! The Lord doesn't proselytize, he gives love and this love looks for you, waits for you — for you who don't believe or have drifted away. This is the love of God."
Recently, I talked to some people from a parish in Florida who have had to adapt their CRHP process because most participants and thus most new team members had not been attending Mass regularly, had forgotten or remembered incorrectly the Catholics teachings and practices that they had been taught, and been significantly influenced by the culture and the negative news about the Catholic Church. These people had to learn anew how to fit into the Catholic Church of today.
Things I have heard that help: Get over the hump in the road.
All team members are inviters – not just invitations coordinator. Also prior team members.
Invite those who join the parish – through the rectory, through the welcoming committee.
Contact and invite those who graduate from high school.
Reserve x seats for each active parish organization.
Contact and invite those who have completed the RCIA program.
Contact and invite the teachers from the PSR.
Contact and invite the spouses/parents of those who have made the retreat, even if they are not Roman Catholic.
Once a year, hold a prayer gathering for alienated Catholics and then invite them to Christ Renews as a safe way back. Catholics Coming Home.
Internet – at least a Christ Renews info section on parish website and Facebook page. Younger folks.
Pictorial Displays in vestibule of church. Especially at weddings & funerals.
Christ Renews Prayer cards in the pews and prayed in appropriate places in the liturgy
Take advantage of Christmas/Easter when attendance increases significantly.
Every door direct mail program of the U.S. post office. Increases Christmas attendance
Use small local weekly/monthly newspapers – articles, advertisements, columns