Our West MAPLE Family of CATHOLIC Parishes

What is important to St. Regis’ identity and life that cannot be lost as we move forward toward Family of Parishes?

• Our sense of community: low key, friendly atmosphere of the parish and its openness to welcoming all
• Excellent school from Early Childhood through 8^th Grade Academy, along with parish-connected activities such as Living Rosary, monthly Sunday family Masses, class and all-school adoration, Christian Service projects
• Adoration in the St. Regis Chapel
• The chapel itself as a space for prayer, meditation, small liturgies
• Desire for and establishment of Intercessory Prayer (Intercessory Group, parish intercessory teams, Prayer Box, Pray-ers) and support of variety of other forms of prayer: Adoration, Lectio Divina, Christian Meditation
• The generosity toward and commitment to Christian Service (South Oakland Shelter; visitation and communion to area senior centers, etc.), especially in response to needs outside of parish boundaries
• Stephen Ministry
• Collaborative Leadership Nights that invite whole parish into the pastoral vision
• Adult Faith Formation Bible Studies and other opportunities
• Parish support through Knights of Columbus and Legion of Mary and their various outreaches/programs (house blessings, dedication to Mary, etc.)
• Having both in-person and online options for Faith Formation families
• Variety of weekday Mass times, including early morning, evening, and Saturday morning
• Highly trained, qualified leadership among parish staff, including one dedicated to evangelization/welcome
• Ability to livestream and use up-to-date communications and technology for events
• Liturgies celebrated with great care, including a more contemporary style as at the 12 noon Mass
• Size and layout of Church enable great space for larger events, including worship events and concerts
• Overall financial generosity of parish when called upon to give (CSA, building drives, ongoing donations, etc.)
• The large number of active, older parish members who offer great wisdom and resources
• Strong participation in CYO athletics and its affect on youth and coaches, including Saturday morning Mass
• The number of parishioners from other parishes who already occasionally worship with us and our own parishioners’ familiarity with the other parishes in our Family as a foundation from which to grow

• Where are there areas of parish life that are important to who we are and what we do but still need strengthening?

  • Greater connection between school families and parish life and ways to involve families (both school and faith formation) with younger children
  • Our ability to grow as a parish of prayerfulness and intercession, expanding/strengthening current practices such as Pray-ers, monthly Prayer Team, Prayer Box, and other ways of intercession
  • Adult and family faith formation experiences, especially small group faith sharing and family-centered practices
  • Marriage preparation and post-marriage follow up
  • Baptismal Prep and post-baptismal formation for young families
  • Immigration Circle of Support and legislative advocacy outreach
  • Interaction with Brother Rice and Marian High Schools
  • Sharing in and expanding ministry of Adoration
  • Numbers and participation in various ministries that struggle with a few people, including Mass attendance.
  • Development of leaders trained to groom others and make sure that they can pass the ministry onto someone else. Avoiding ministry silos:  how do we make sure that one person or one group isn’t the sole contributor to a ministry.
  • Ministry to parents of young children.
  • People contributing time and talent in addition to treasure.
  • Wider commitment to promoting vocations

Given what one knows about the other parishes in our Family (St. Owen, Holy Name, Queen of Martyrs), what potential benefits could moving to a Family model bring?

• Increasing facility options for meetings/gatherings, especially when coincide on same day/time
• Greater collaboration with high schools, both Catholic and public, through chaplaincy and other ministry connections
• Expanded E.P.I. C. for junior high youth
• High School Youth Ministry
• Young adult gatherings and formation
• Shared catechetical leadership leading to more opportunities for faith formation for children and potential for expanding formation to some who are currently missed (e.g. special needs)
• Collaboration among the R.C.I.A. experiences in all parishes (retreats, formation evenings, etc.)
• To do more direct missionary work with Family of Parishes.
• Shared formation of liturgical and other pastoral workers
• Expanded opportunities for men and women’s fellowship/formation/retreats
• Collaboration in Christian Service projects and ministries. Sharing in and expanding Christian Service outreach (Advent and Lent Giving Trees, Meals, etc.) and ministries, especially supportive ministries like New Dawn, Divorced Catholics, Young at Heart Seniors, etc.
• A music ministry that can utilize all parishes combined; music ministry can include concerts and formation in liturgical music. Sharing of choirs and other music ministries, especially for special times like Thanksgiving, Christmas concert, children’s’ choirs, etc.
• Events that can be shared across the family, especially when it comes to inviting speakers and hosting events on special occasions.
• Larger and more frequent social and community-building activities
• Marriage and family support endeavors
• Stronger, more unite pro-Life witness
• Greater connection to and seen as more integral to the civic communities in our area

• What concerns, uncertainties, or questions still need to be addressed to help the parish embrace this new model of parish life and ministry?

  • How do we keep strong connection to and commitment to St. Regis at the same time promoting and collaborating closely with all parishes in the family? What is the incentive to be committed to a specific parish and how will that impact people’s involvement in volunteer ministries, finances, etc.
  • How do we collaborate and not be in competition with each other?
  • What is the incentive to be committed to a specific parish and how will that impact people’s involvement in volunteer ministries, finances, etc.
  • Staffing concerns: will this lead to a desire to reduce staffing in total, but with the result that a lot of personal connection to parish needs is lost?
  • Communication: the Family of Parishes needs to be on the same page when it comes to communicating with parishioners.
  • If we are really going to be a family, it cannot be forced or rushed. Need time to come together in prayer, getting to know each other’s way of doing things, staff sharing, etc.
  • Mass schedules that encourage greater, not lesser, connection to Eucharist in each parish.
  • Getting children and families with children back to active involvement at Mass post-pandemic.
  • Three schools currently with different environments and strengths but somewhat in competition with each other—how do they become collaborative yet maintain their own identity?
  • Office space/hours/staff responsibilities—all those practical realities that will need to be addressed
  • Shared bulletin and, if not (because too cumbersome), how make sure events/programs that are open to all are shared equitably within all the parishes?
  • Use of Senior priests: will that need be overall reduced and, if so, will we be losing connections to some that parish members find valuable and life-giving?
  • What is the vision for parish moving forward: a community of faith coming together for worship, service, mutual support and formation, reaching out to the world around in service and evangelization? Or, is most of that now to be a “family” identity and the parishes more houses of worship and prayer, places to hold events?
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