God’s given you a vision for your Parish, and you want to walk in obedience as you live out your calling. But when it comes to turning a parish around, where do you actually start? How do you go from simply having “nice ideas” to actually executing on the mission? 

This blog post is adapted from a written transcript of Ep. 93 of the Ron Huntley Leadership Podcast, with Ron Huntley, Lorraine McCarthy and Llewy Berchy.

Watch the full episode on YouTube here! 

Recognizing a Need for Renewal

I believe that the Church is at a crossroads.

So many of us are realizing the need for change and renewal in our faith communities. The question is, how do we take those steps?

In many ways, we’re entering uncharted territory. And as we do, we need to be prepared for the fact that not everything will work out as planned or expected.

But if we approach this with faith in God, I believe we can rise to these challenges and find new ways to live out our faith in a relevant and transformative way for our communities.

What does this mean at the parish level?

It means that as leaders in our communities, we need to be open to doing things differently than before.

We need to be willing to ask questions about how and why things are done the way they are to determine the most effective way forward. And then, we need to invest time and energy into implementing those changes so that they stick and become part of who we are as a parish community.

Parish Renewal Starts with Personal Renewal

As leaders within the Catholic Church, we often hear the phrase "parish renewal" thrown around. But what does that practically mean? At its core, it means committing ourselves to growth and change, both as individuals and as a parish community.

But it starts with personal renewal.

Personal renewal is about being willing to put in the work to see change happen and being open to new ways of doing things. It's about looking for inspiration in other leaders within the Church who have dared to lead in new ways and learning from their experiences.

When we renew ourselves as leaders, we become better equipped to empower others and bring them into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

We see the faith of our parishioners come alive, and we experience the joy of watching our parishes grow and flourish.

When we can grasp this concept and commit to doing the work of growth and change, we’re better equipped to lead our parishes toward a brighter future. We don't have to do this alone; by doing it together, we can achieve more extraordinary things. Many of us might think that having a team diminishes our authority as leaders, but a team typically increases our authority and influence. By working with a diverse group of individuals, we make better decisions and have a more significant impact on our parishes.

Empowering a Mission-Minded Team

To create real change within our parishes, we need to assemble a team of individuals who are teachable, contagious, and open to new ideas.

This is particularly important when launching new evangelization tools like Alpha, designed to help people develop a deeper relationship with Jesus.

By growing new disciples, we expand the pool of people available to work in other areas of our community and create a foundation for building a stronger leadership team.

As the team starts to gain traction and identify individuals with capacity, it's essential to look at the existing leadership structures within the parish and select a leadership team open to growth and change.

After you’ve brought these people together, begin investing heavily in them! Meeting with your team and discussing the issues they are facing, both personally and tactically, is the most practical way to invest in and develop a mission-minded team.

But it's important to remember that this process can be challenging.

Life throws curveballs, and misunderstandings and hurt feelings may arise in relationships and leadership.

But with patience, understanding, and a willingness to work together, we can empower a team capable of bringing about real change in our parishes and bringing them to a deeper relationship with Jesus.

Realize That Culture Doesn’t Change Overnight

If you’re embarking on the journey of parish renewal, keep this reality in mind:

Renewal never happens overnight.

It’s a slow and gradual process that requires consistency and perseverance.

We've spent a lifetime doing church the way we do it now, and it will take a long time to see significant cultural change.

In our conversation on the Leadership Podcast, while discussing the long-term vision for their work, Llewy Berchy & Lorraine McCarthy talked about the importance of keeping the long-term vision in mind.

They shared how, like Moses and the Israelites, not every leader will reach the Promised Land in our lifetime––but that shouldn’t impact our efforts and desire to get there.

Cultural change on a macro level can take decades, but you can already see glimpses of the fruit throughout the micro-cultural changes that have begun happening!

Hope and passion are coming alive in parishes. People who have historically been disengaged are now stepping forward to be hosts, helpers, or leaders of Bible studies. These are substantial changes taking place on a micro level, even though the significant cultural change may take a long time to see the full effects.

It's important to realize that the journey to cultural change is messy and complex.

We may struggle with how to handle existing parish councils and leadership teams, and it can be easy to want to throw in the towel.

But as we work through the difficulties, we will see progress and excitement begin to spread.

It's a reminder that change takes time, but it's worth it in the end.

Faithfulness isn’t enough; we need transformation!

Focusing on structures and programs is easy, but lasting change can only happen when people have a transformative encounter with Jesus.

When people encounter Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit, their passion and generosity for the church increases, making everything easier.

We have a lot of faithful people, but it's important to remember that more than faithfulness is needed.

Transformation is possible, and it's exciting to see it happen in people's lives.

But it's easy to get discouraged and feel like giving up when things are complex and not going as planned.

Stay focused on the vision and keep going despite difficulties and uncertainty. I promise it will be so worth it! 

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This blog post is adapted from a written transcript of Ep. 93 of the Ron Huntley Leadership Podcast, with Ron Huntley, Lorraine McCarthy and Llewy Berchy. 

Watch the entire conversation on YouTube: Melbourne Taking Aim at Supporting Parish Priests | Ron Huntley Leadership Podcast #93