All Things New – Update
(Last month, we sent in a feedback form to the Archdiocese both in response to the DMI and to give a snapshot of what is happening here at Holy. This month, we are to report to the parish our findings. The parish bulletin and website has this summary. Feel free to share this with any parishioner who is on vacation or who is away during this time. Next month, we will take a small, two question, survey that we need to send into the Archdiocese by the end of August.
If you have any questions about any of this or would like to respond to this article, feel free to contact me by email (fatherkevin@holyr.org) or in person. As I have said at Mass several weeks ago, although I cannot say with 100% certainty what will happen here at Holy, I am confident in the future here and I thank all of you, as well as the priests and parishioners who came before, for making this such a great place to serve.)
To the Parishioners of Holy Redeemer Parish:
All of the data from your responses to the Disciple Maker Index has been tabulated, processed and evaluated by a team of your fellow parishioners. This is a summary of that discussion. It has four parts. First is a quick overview of our planning area. Second, a look at the statistics of our parish. Third, we will discuss the strengths of our parish. And finally, we intend to look at our opportunities for growth. My intent was to make this short and readable.
1.) Planning Area Holy Redeemer Parish is in a Planning Area roughly defined by Interstate Highways 44, 64 (40 for us natives) and 270. There are 13 territorial parishes and 12 elementary schools. We have 23 priests serving this area. (21 diocesan, 2 order) Our planning area is very stable and it is the most affluent in our Archdiocese.
2.) Parish Statistics Holy Redeemer Parish is the oldest of the parishes in Webster. Our parish population has increased by 250 households in the last fifteen years. Our parish school is “one of most stable in the diocese” over the past 30 years. Our church seats 850 people. We are in a desirable area of Webster Groves with stable demographics. We have a young demographic, baptisms well in excess of funerals, a strong school, and strong pre-Covid Mass attendance.
Financially, we have been growing reserves and, as you know, were blessed with a large bequest last year. The stable diversity of our area masks that most minorities live in the northwest corner of our parish’s territory.
3.) Strengths Holy Redeemer is a good place to worship, an active and vital parish. 83% of the
(Last month, we sent in a feedback form to the Archdiocese both in response to the DMI and to give a snapshot of what is happening here at Holy. This month, we are to report to the parish our findings. The parish bulletin and website has this summary. Feel free to share this with any parishioner who is on vacation or who is away during this time. Next month, we will take a small, two question, survey that we need to send into the Archdiocese by the end of August.
If you have any questions about any of this or would like to respond to this article, feel free to contact me by email (fatherkevin@holyr.org) or in person. As I have said at Mass several weeks ago, although I cannot say with 100% certainty what will happen here at Holy, I am confident in the future here and I thank all of you, as well as the priests and parishioners who came before, for making this such a great place to serve.)
To the Parishioners of Holy Redeemer Parish:
All of the data from your responses to the Disciple Maker Index has been tabulated, processed and evaluated by a team of your fellow parishioners. This is a summary of that discussion. It has four parts. First is a quick overview of our planning area. Second, a look at the statistics of our parish. Third, we will discuss the strengths of our parish. And finally, we intend to look at our opportunities for growth. My intent was to make this short and readable.
1.) Planning Area Holy Redeemer Parish is in a Planning Area roughly defined by Interstate Highways 44, 64 (40 for us natives) and 270. There are 13 territorial parishes and 12 elementary schools. We have 23 priests serving this area. (21 diocesan, 2 order) Our planning area is very stable and it is the most affluent in our Archdiocese.
2.) Parish Statistics Holy Redeemer Parish is the oldest of the parishes in Webster. Our parish population has increased by 250 households in the last fifteen years. Our parish school is “one of most stable in the diocese” over the past 30 years. Our church seats 850 people. We are in a desirable area of Webster Groves with stable demographics. We have a young demographic, baptisms well in excess of funerals, a strong school, and strong pre-Covid Mass attendance.
Financially, we have been growing reserves and, as you know, were blessed with a large bequest last year. The stable diversity of our area masks that most minorities live in the northwest corner of our parish’s territory.
3.) Strengths Holy Redeemer is a good place to worship, an active and vital parish. 83% of the responses to the DMI said that they agree or strongly agree that they would recommend the pastor to a friend. 82% responded that they agree or strongly agree that the community is welcoming. 83% responded that they agree or strongly agree that they have found growth in the preaching done at the parish. Many of the responses were in line with the general trends of the Archdiocese as a whole. We are active in outreach with our Vincent de Paul Group, our Haiti Twin Parish Group, our Small Church Communities, our Stephen Ministry, food ministries, our Men’s and Women’s Club, our Youth Group and Our Common Home Program. We have multiple opportunities to serve as lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Servers, ushers, Altar Care, Athletic Association, Parish Teacher Organization, School Board and many other groups. (If your group wasn’t named, forgive us.) The pandemic gave us the opportunity to begin livestreaming our liturgies for those who are homebound and those outside of our parish boundaries.
4.) Opportunities for Growth With all that being said, there is always room for improvement. Beyond the data from the DMI, we would like to see people returning to “in-person” celebrations of Weekend Masses. Holy Redeemer also needs to provide opportunities for our parishioners to share their personal stories of faith and the message of Jesus. We would also like to collaborate more with both the other Catholic parishes in our area as well as the churches from other denominations. Our parish can do a better job inviting others to share what we have here at the parish. We would like to expand our outreach to others in need. And finally, we need to encourage vocations to the priesthood and religious life.
All in all, our parish is strong, looking forward to the future with hope
Father Kevin