Resources for Soon-to-be Evangelizing Parishes
Understand, pray, and make a plan in one book.
The Four Ways Forward: Becoming an Apostolic Parish in a Post-Christian World. (OSV, November 2022)
Learn more and buy the book here.
Parish Vision and Brainstorming for Mission.
Thinking outside the box is harder than it sounds. The first goal is to spend some time helping discern the Lord’s vision for your parish. This is not “touchy feely”—it is your North Star that guides and protects mission. And a good prayerful brainstorming session gets your councils or staff teams genuinely excited and invested in the mission of the Catholic Church. We have digital downloads for that, and can facilitate those meetings via Zoom or in person (contact Susan for more information).
Booklets with actionables for staff teams, groups, parishes.
101 Ways to Evangelize: Ideas for Helping Fearless, Fearful and Flummoxed Catholics Share the Good News of Jesus Christ
A brainstorming session in a book, meant to spur your own creativity. Buying the book gives you free access to the brainstorming process printable and licensing rights. Available at Gracewatch Media (incl. in bulk) and on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.
Assessment that matters and drives good decisions.
How do you assess the needs of the larger community you serve? The needs of your congregation? Anecdotes masquerading as assessment will kill us if we aren’t careful.
We are called to be evangelizing parishes, outposts of the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. But how we propose God and a relationship with Jesus Christ within his Church should be shaped by those who we are trying to reach. How? Through a prayerful assessment of your parish and the community it serves. This assessment walks through three tasks:
- Crunching attendance and registration numbers
- Assessing the discipleship level in your parish
- Discerning the spiritual and material needs of the wider community
Process instructions and template available on Gracewatch Media now for preview and immediate digital download.
Offering retreats and parish missions.
Susan has led or co-led retreats on Ignatian prayer, How to Forgive Those Who Hurt You, Spiritual Friendship and Evangelization, The Call to Evangelize, Encountering Jesus Anew, The Mystery of the Eucharistic Lord…and more. Contact Susan if you are interested in learning more.
Speaking: the why and the how of the Catholic mission in a Post-Christian America.
Teaching To See Through Mission
Susan was a college professor for 20+ years, and loves doing individual teaching sessions tailored to your group. Most people didn’t learn how to be an evangelizing parish, ever—but this is completely rooted in our Catholic tradition. A mix of information, interactions, and small groups makes it tangible, useful, and fun. She specialized in waking up 18 year old students at 7:45am with Theology and won awards for humor blogging: she can handle your group.
Speaks to: Presbyteral meetings, diocesan ministry gatherings, Diocesan chanceries, parish/pastoral councils, full parishes, Catholic school principals/staff, etc.
See more on her speaking page.
