Department of Pastoral Ministers & Pastoral Services

A member of the parish leadership team welcomes people to Encuentro con Jesus, a Day of Preaching and Healing, in a Glenmary mission parish in Georgia in spring 2003. Over 200 came to hear Franciscan Father Art Cooney preach. Music was provided by 10 guitarists. Father Art worked with the mission pastor, staff and other team members to make this a day of spiritual renewal filled with many blessings.

Seizing Opportunities to Evangelize Throughout the Year

By Lorraine Vancamp

How does your parish take advantage of evangelizing windows of opportunity during the liturgical year?

Hispanic religious devotional life makes use of an abundance of signs and symbols: holy cards, flowers, blessings, water, and oil. By utilizing symbols and the occasions provided by the liturgical year, evangelizing opportunities can become part of parish life.

The following is a seasonal list of evangelizing opportunities that Father Brian LaBurt has found effective for use in his Georgia parishes. These opportunities are in addition to other well known celebrations such as the Day of the Dead (Nov. 2), Our Lady of Guadeloupe (Dec. 12) and Holy Week dramas.

In the fall:

The last week of September and the first week of October contain the feasts of archangels and guardian angels. This is a perfect opportunity to bless cars and trucks invoking God’s protection for the drivers and riders. Be warned that the priest or minister will need gallons of blessed water. Father Brian’s advice: “Pour it on”!

The feast of St. Francis of Assisi, (Oct. 4) and the blessing of animals provides an opportunity if employment in the area involves the care of animals,

In the winter:

The article, "Whom will you welcome this Christmas?" by Father Cavazos-Gonzalez, O.F.M. in U.S. Catholic (December 2002) contains ideas for parish catechesis and celebration of Las Posadas in December.

Epiphany or Three Kings is celebrated with a cake in which is hidden a coin or small figure of a baby. Whoever finds a little plastic baby or object in their piece of cake has to bring tamales for a fiesta, Feb. 2 (Candlemas). In some countries, it is on this day that children are given gifts.
For the Baptism of the Lord Jesus (January), encourage people to bring containers of water from home to be blessed at Mass. Father Brian commented, “Don’t be surprised by gallon jugs!”

For Feb. 2, a simple blessing of the children can be done. Encourage parishioners to bring candles from their homes which can be blessed as part of the celebration.

Ash Wednesday means ashes. This is an important evangelizing opportunity. The parish might make plans for prayer services and the distribution of ashes in places other than the church for those whose employment or transportation keeps them from joining the community at Mass.

In the summer:

The month of June is traditionally dedicated to the Sacred Heart. Father Brian uses this month to offer parishioners a special time to consecrate their families and homes to the Sacred Heart. In conjunction with a Mass, he blesses homes and gives each family a large picture of the Sacred Heart.

For handouts from Father Brian’s presentation, contact Lorraine Vancamp at
Department of Pastoral Ministers & Pastoral Services

For more Updates

Pastoral Department
Home Page

For more information, contact:
Pastoral Ministers &
Pastoral Services
1312 Fifth Ave., North
Nashville, TN  37208
615-256-1900
dps@glenmary.org