Discussion Guides | Parish Catalyst

Great Catholic Parishes Discussion Guides

Our discussion guides have been developed to assist readers in unpacking some of the material in the book, Great Catholic Parishes. No two parishes are the same. No two pastors or staffs are the same. We hope these Discussion Guides will jumpstart conversations that lead you to new ideas for your own parish.

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Parishioner's Discussion Guide

Ideal for small groups, book clubs and other parish groups.

“What holds most parishioners back from taking on a greater role in the life of the parish?” Discuss questions like this with your friends, neighbors, or fellow parishioners through the use of this Discussion Guide; an ideal conversation starter for book clubs, small groups and other parish groups. Brainstorm ideas on how to get more people to dedicate their time and expertise to your parish, make your parish one of the primary communities in your life, learn to become more open about your faith and so much more!

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Parish Leaders

Ideal to help parish staff and leaders unpack material in the book.

Great parishes share leadership and it is important to continually reflect on how leadership is organized in our own parishes. This Discussion Guide asks how parish leaders can best serve their parishes as a whole. Ruminate on questions such as, “How do we use shared leadership styles in our ministry?” or, “When does the staff work best as a team?” Discuss how members of your staff can grow deeper in faith, how to have a positive digital impact on your parishioners, and how to provide opportunities for open dialogue about faith and culture specific to your parishioners!

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Priests

Ideal to help priest groups unpack material in the book.

Although pastors are canonically held responsible for all decisions in a parish, pastors do not lead vibrant parishes on their own. Through the use of this Discussion Guide, ponder how to best utilize the talented individuals in your pews, brainstorm spiritual growth development programs and strategies, reflect on the development of your Sunday homilies and discuss approaches to make your parish a more evangelizing one.

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Methodology and Research

The research Parish Catalyst conducted for Great Catholic Parishes sought to capture the state of the most energized and vibrant Catholic parishes we could find. The study was designed to elicit information from pastors about their parish’s greatest strengths, most exciting opportunities, and most pressing challenges. Read about our methodology and statistics in this report.

Methodology and Research Data