GRASSROOTS DEVELOPMENT OF A SCHOOL
OR FAITH FORMATION
Plan for an increase of Students
using Renewing the Vision.
By Juan Rodriguez - DHT
How can you use Renewing the Vision to strengthen your outreach?
The Catholic School creates for our youth and families a living faith community in which young people are empowered to utilize their gifts and talents and to live their faith through a variety of meaningful roles in the school, the parish, and in the Church at large. (Renewing the Vision - Goals for Ministry to Adolescents: The CatholicSchool Community, pg 9)
The authors saw the connection between School and Parish, giving us insight to form a network. This will strengthen both the School and Parish, in building the Church.
When building that Network, always consider yourself as a partner with parents and parishes that have potential candidates for your school. Utilize the old ways of networking (exp., the bulletin, visiting parishes, meeting with parents), while including new ways of networking (Social Media, Video Promos, icons and Ads to local papers, QRCodes, etc.)
CREATING RESOURCES:
"Since all the faithful form
one body, the good of each is communicated to the others. . . . We must
therefore believe that there exists a communion of goods in the Church. But the
most important member is Christ, since he is the head. . . . Therefore, the
riches of Christ are communicated to all the members, through the
sacraments." "As this Church is governed by one and the same Spirit,
all the goods she has received necessarily become a common fund." (CCC 947)
- Create or update your contact info: Full Name, Business, Address, Office Number, Separate Cell Number, Email, and website. Remember to connect your office phone to your cell.
- Create templates of Letters to Parents, Pastors, Priests, Religious, Pastoral Associate, DFF/CRE & Principal (if they have an elementary school that goes to 8th grade), and the Youth Minister. Your full contact information should be on it.
- Create Small, Medium, and Large Icons for the use of Posters, Flyers, and Cards. The images can be used for Social Media platforms. Your full contact information should be there.
- Create Hashtags, @tags, and QR Codes that connect people to the section of your website, so that they can get you direct. Update your contact information on your website section.
- Create follow-up Email Templates for applicants, parents, pastors, and pastoral staff - It should have your contact information.
- Promote in all Social Media Platforms. Do not create a new one if it exists - get permission to use it. Get permission to have access to your website section or draw up a plan for your web developer to work on your section. Create News Blurbs or short announcements for Social Media to post with your icon. It should be no longer than 150 to 250 words, including web address, hashtags, and @Tags. Do not include your personal number only the office number.
Remember… always be in compliance with Virtus. (Ask me about a 3-part permission slip for school use photos and video recordings with youth promoting the school - approved by Safe Environment Office.)
PROMOTION, OUTREACH, & NETWORKING.
"Jabez prayed to the God of Israel: 'Oh, that you may
truly bless me and extend my boundaries! May your hand be with me and make me
free of misfortune, without pain!' And God granted his prayer." (1 Chronicles 4:10)
Your Target Audience: (Use the Catholic Telephone Guide / Blue Book Directory for current Pastors, Priests, Deacons, Religious, and Staff at a Parish. These books also provide the makeup of cultures and languages spoken - just in case you want to “spice up” your outreach.) Get in contact with the Office responsible for the Deanery/Cluster of parishes within your Diocese or Archdiocese. Purchase these resources or look up the parishes in these websites.
Catholic
Telephone Guide
650
Halstead Avenue
Mamaroneck,
NY 10543
800-433-7771
914-632-
3412 Fax
Info@CatholicGuides.com
www.CatholicGuides.com
DeSales Media
Blue Book Directory
856 Pacific Street
Brooklyn, NY 11238
718-499-9705
www.desalesmedia.org
BlueBook@desalesmedia.org
YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE: Outreach to the FIVE
The Pastor: His priests, deacons, and religious
The Pastoral Associate: His/her Parish Pastoral Council, groups, apostolates, and ministries
The Principal: Elementary School and High School (there maybe a student that wants to pursue the vocation you promote at your school. Don’t ignore that possibility)
The Director or Coordinator of Faith Formation: His/her Catechist Team and Volunteers.
The Youth Minister: His/her Youth Leaders, Youth Advisors (Adult Support), and Volunteers
These FIVE Parish Staff Leaders will be your direct network, while the other leaders under their Pastoral Team are your secondary network.
Collect their information: Business cards or the following
Full Name:
Church Name (Business):
Full Address:
Office Number:
Cell Number:
Email:
Website:
NOW THE PROMOTION BEGINS:
Using the CatholicTelephone Guide or BlueBook Directory, create a strategy to send out letters, and resources.
Plan out what you will send to a parish, and to the FIVE on your target audience list (It is always important to plan when and how you will send out letters - weight and postage play a part in your budget.)
1.
In 5 to 7 business days, call the FIVE and introduce
yourself, ask if they received your letter or packet, make an appointment to
meet in person, with the secondary network, and the Parish.
A.
Within 5-7 days, use the time for Social Media
Promos and development. While doing this, befriend the parishes listed on your
notes by using the Social Media platforms. Emails Blurbs, Email Website Links,
and REMIND WITH small texts (10 words that point to your website, activity or
event). Network with 25 to 50 a day until you built a Visual Reputation.
B.
Create a template of speeches and talks:
I.
Small Speech for briefings at meetings. (5 mins)
II.
Medium Speech for Parish Presentations. (5 to 10
mins)
III.
Long Speech for Parish, groups, and ministries
(25 -35 mins)
IV.
Requested Speeches for subjects on areas of the
school that you want to emphasize (25 - 35 mins)
C.
Lastly: follow up, & repeat.
KEEP IN MIND: Study your craft! Look up what other High Schools (Public, Catholic, and Private Schools) are doing for outreach and development and adapt the models to your school.
Always pray to our Lord for guidance, and to the patron saint of the school. They are the driving force of your school’s Mission. They will be the driving force of your work in this field.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Juan Rodriguez is the Founder of the Youth & Young Adult Apostolate - Defenders of the Holy Trinity. He is a Youth Minister Consultant, using the document of Renewing the Vision, and creating an interpretation for a Parish Level development of Youth Ministry called Renew Your Vision. He was the Pastoral Associate, Director of Faith Formation, and Youth Minister at Queen of Angels Church in Sunnyside, NY. Now he is the Director of Faith Formation at St. Patrick's in Bay Ridge, NY. Married to his beloved Bertha M. Peralta Rodriguez, and the father of Liliana Maria Rodriguez. Juan is a lover of fantasy stories, dungeons & dragons, culinary arts, cigars, handball, and mixed martial arts.
Click Here for an Introduction to
Renew Your Vision
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