Step Two - Gather a Group of Interested Parishioners
You've found the initial research to be engaging and now you feel a call to action. This is not something to do alone though. You'll need a group of interested parishioners to be effective.
Find other parishioners who have a common interest.
Caring for creation is one of the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching. Talk to others about the possibility of starting a new ministry to promote ways of caring for creation. Think about your network of friends and family, as well as friends of friends, or leaders you’ve seen at your parish. Who do you think might be interested? Personal invitations are much stronger than general bulletin announcements or flyers. At this point, personally engage some of these people in one-on-one conversations.
Study Pope Francis’ Encyclical “Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home.”
Ask a staff member or your pastor for assistance in planning, publicizing, and offering study sessions at your parish. These sessions can help parishioners understand the strong spiritual basis for advancing the cause of sustainability and caring for creation. Invite your priests and parish staff to join the study group. They may appreciate this opportunity for formation on creation care. Studying the encyclical together will allow the group to form a baseline of knowledge. The encyclical is a call to action, and most attendees will want to extend the study group into a new ministry. (See Resources page for Laudato Si’ study guides.)
Develop a core group.
A core group of three to four people is essential to the success of a new ministry. The core group will plan ways for the parish to be a good steward of creation, coordinate with parish staff and other parish ministries, and help keep everyone on the Care for Creation Team committed, motivated, and hopeful. Ask a few of those who studied Laudato Si’ to consider being a part of the core group. It will probably be fairly obvious who is most excited to move to the next step.
Find other parishioners who have a common interest.
Caring for creation is one of the seven themes of Catholic Social Teaching. Talk to others about the possibility of starting a new ministry to promote ways of caring for creation. Think about your network of friends and family, as well as friends of friends, or leaders you’ve seen at your parish. Who do you think might be interested? Personal invitations are much stronger than general bulletin announcements or flyers. At this point, personally engage some of these people in one-on-one conversations.
Study Pope Francis’ Encyclical “Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home.”
Ask a staff member or your pastor for assistance in planning, publicizing, and offering study sessions at your parish. These sessions can help parishioners understand the strong spiritual basis for advancing the cause of sustainability and caring for creation. Invite your priests and parish staff to join the study group. They may appreciate this opportunity for formation on creation care. Studying the encyclical together will allow the group to form a baseline of knowledge. The encyclical is a call to action, and most attendees will want to extend the study group into a new ministry. (See Resources page for Laudato Si’ study guides.)
Develop a core group.
A core group of three to four people is essential to the success of a new ministry. The core group will plan ways for the parish to be a good steward of creation, coordinate with parish staff and other parish ministries, and help keep everyone on the Care for Creation Team committed, motivated, and hopeful. Ask a few of those who studied Laudato Si’ to consider being a part of the core group. It will probably be fairly obvious who is most excited to move to the next step.