Mechanical Reconciliation
Like many people my age I made my first Reconciliation in second grade and then didn’t make it back to the confessional for over ten years. (Of course, come to think of it, my first Reconciliation wasn’t in a confessional. In fact, I don’t think I used a confessional until I was 24 years old!) When I did make my way back to the sacrament I felt awkward, unsure of myself and, in my normal fashion, probably over-thinking the whole thing. This made me even more reluctant to go. In fact, it wasn’t until I moved to Michigan for a year that I finally resolved to...
Read MoreVideo and Footnotes – 9½ Social Media Strategies for the Church
Last night I offered a webinar on social networking tips and tricks for Catholic parishes, schools, and other ministries: Thanks to everyone who participated! As promised, I’m including footnotes and suggestions for further reading: Books The Cluetrain Manifesto, by Rick Levine, et al Screen Saved: Peril and Promise of Media in Ministry, by Dan Andriacco Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don’t, by Phil Cooke (you can also read my review of this book) Web Resources Facebook’s Promotional Guidelines 13 Simple Ways Of Increasing...
Read MoreMarketing the Faith by Telling Our Stories
My friend Marc Cardaronella has an excellent post over at his blog on the need for better “sales and marketing” in the Church. He writes In my experience, people need to hear the benefits of Catholicism to be attracted to it. And, they need to hear how it worked and is working in our own lives. Most people are attracted to something through other people. You’re not lying when you tell people the great benefits you receive from being Catholic. You’re not trying to mislead people when you describe the peace that comes from faithfully following Church teaching. They may not...
Read MoreThe Catholic school does not lay claim to superiority
The Catholic school does not lay claim to superiority over another on purely secular lines, although in many cases its superiority is a very patent fact; it repudiates and denies charges to the effect that it is inferior, although this may be found in some cases to be true. It contends that it is equal to, as good as, any other; and there is no evidence why this should not be so. But it does pretend to give a more thorough education in the true sense of the word, if education really means a bringing out of that which is best in our nature. Neither do we hold that such a training as our...
Read MoreThe New Evangelization – Press Release Edition
Last week the mayor of our town committed suicide. Implicated in tax evasion and apparently unable to account for thousands of dollars from an estate he administered years ago, he was found at his home after failing to appear for a court hearing. This post is not about any of that. Following the news our new ordinary, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki, issued a press release expressing his condolences and offering prayers for the mayor and his family. Three days later he issued a press release explaining why, even though the mayor had committed suicide, he was still to be given a Christian...
Read MoreVideo and Footnotes – Reaching Parishioners with Facebook
Tonight I offered a free webinar on using Facebook to build and strengthen relationships with parishioners. The video is now available: The following are some additional resources and recommended reading: Books Screen Saved: Peril and Promise of Media in Ministry, by Dan Andriacco Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don’t, by Phil Cooke (you can also read my review of this book) Treasures Holy and Mystical: A Devotional Journey for Today’s Catholics, by Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP Church Documents Inter mirifica (Decree on Social...
Read MoreUpcoming Webinar: Reaching Parishioners with Facebook
Next month I will be offering a free webinar on creating and maintaining a parish Facebook page: With over 500 million active members, Facebook is the most popular social networking site online. Chances are that many of your parishioners are already there. Is your parish? This free webinar will explore why parishes should have a presence on Facebook and how they can connect with their parishioners by setting up a Facebook page. Participants will watch step-by-step as a Facebook page is set up in real time. Tips will also be shared on how to make the best use of your page once it is set...
Read MoreBook Review: Branding Faith
“Marketing” is a bad word in church circles. It implies manipulation, impure intentions and other chicanery. This is not without reason; corporate marketing has become a science, with companies spending millions of dollars to understand the psychological and sociological impact of advertising. Many Christians, understandably, believe it would be unseemly — if not sinful — to employ modern marketing techniques on behalf of the Church. Phil Cooke‘s 2008 book, Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don’t, seeks to change...
Read MoreSharing Your Faith in 3 Easy Steps
Last year I had the opportunity to listen to Fr. Martin Pable, OFM Cap, talk about how Catholics can reach out to their family, friends and others in order to share their faith. His approach, which he calls “relational evangelism,” consists of three parts: Listen with respect to the stories that other people share with you. This could be your cousin who has fallen away from the Church, a co-worker with a broken relationship, or even a stranger in the doctor’s waiting room. By listening you enter into a relationship with the person and demonstrate your concern and...
Read MoreTweeting Institutionally
A few weeks back a colleague in NCCL asked about how I make decisions regarding social networking on behalf of NCCL and my diocese. This was my off-the-cuff reply: Some quick background: My criteria for making these decisions when acting in an institutional capacity is different than my criteria for my personal accounts, especially re: Twitter; for my personal account I’m pretty indiscriminate about who I follow, since I believe the value of Twitter is in making connections and self-limiting those connections diminishes that value. Twitter My decisions about whom to follow via the NCCL...
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