Save Your Parish Workshop
"You didn't dedicate your life to the Church just to manage decline. You answered a call to save souls."
Hi, I’m Patrick
I am not a corporate consultant. I am a Catholic who has been in the trenches of parish life both in the office and in the pews.
I wrote Save Your Parish because I love the Church, and I want to see your parish teeming with life, not just for this year, but for generations.
I would be honored to help you carry the load.
The problem
Lately, does it feel like you are spending more time managing a crumbling building and a shrinking budget than you are ministering to your people?
You look out at the pews and see the gaps. You see the same small group of faithful volunteers getting older and more tired. You feel the weight of a culture that seems to be forgetting why the Church matters.
And you are likely tired of being told that the solution is ‘just one more program.’
So that’s not what I’m here to say.
There are principles based on Pope John Paul II and Pope Paul VI about what a parish is and what it should do.
I took those principles and used them to write Save Your Parish. I designed the book for laypeople in the pews BUT the tactics can be used by priests and parish staff to accelerate growth.
The Last Thing You Need is Another Binder on a Shelf.
If you are like most pastors and parish staff, you have tried the diocesan renewal plan. You may have purchased the ‘parish in a box’ books and video series.
While these tools have value, they often fail to stick because they employ a top-down strategy.
Chapter 1 of my book is about why these initiatives don’t work.
Parishes are all different. The suburban mega-parishes, the historic Italian parish, the tiny rural mission.
They all need different strategies.
But they use the same principles.
I detailed those principles in Save Your Parish and I’d love to help you apply them to your parish.
The Save Your Parish Workshop
Based on the principles in Save Your Parish, this partnership is designed to help you and your staff step off the hamster wheel of ‘maintenance mode’ and start building.
I’ve been in workshops full of reports and statistics and buzzwords and mission statements.
That’s not what we’re doing.
Instead, we will work to build a strategy. A real one. With plans and action items and timelines. (The stuff that consultants are actually supposed to do)
What’s included
On-Site Strategy Session
- Half-day retreat for pastor, staff, and council
- Listen to your parish history, struggles, and neighborhood
- Identify bottlenecks driving people away
- Leave with a clear, parish-specific plan
A staff that feels heard, unified, and relieved of trying to do it alone.
Parish Mission
- One-night event for parishioners
- Call the laity to co-responsibility for the Church
- Challenge passive, consumer Catholicism
- Move people from observers to active participants
Wake up the “sleeping giant” of the laity in your parish.
Ongoing Support
- Dedicated line for questions after the visit
- Quarterly video calls for 12 months
- Troubleshoot new challenges and celebrate wins
- Adjust course as the parish changes
Accountability and encouragement that leads to real fruit.
From pastors
“What sets this book apart is a plethora of practical advice that you can start implementing right now. Don’t wait for someone else to start what the Holy Spirit has inspired you to do. Don’t wait for the parish to find space in the hall. Not sure you know how? This book will get you there.”
“Save Your Parish offers solid, insightful guidance for parishioners who wish to be a part of positive change but might not know where to begin. Patrick's advice is drawn from experience and colored by his faith and signature humor. I hope to see parishes build on this model!”
“Patrick’s book Save Your Parish takes the proper understanding of the lay vocation as expressed by the Second Vatican Council and uses it as a basis for renewing our parishes. The book is much-needed and throws fresh insight on the challenges faced by modern parishes.”
Let’s Start a Conversation.
If you’re ready to go, I’m ready to go.
But, you don’t need to commit to anything today. First, we can have a conversation about your parish, your hopes, and your challenges.
Let’s sit down for a 30-minute call to go over the framework and your parish needs.
I guarantee the call will benefit your parish, even if we determine that the workshop isn’t the right fit.
Questions
Inviting an outside voice into your parish is a big decision.
Ordering books for your parish? See bulk pricing.