Catholic Standard Features Connection between Communications and Parish Vitality
Over the past four years, the Archdiocese of Washington’s Office of Communications has accompanied local parishes in using communications as a tool for parish vitality, evangelization, and engagement. These efforts were recently highlighted in the Catholic Standard by Miguel Guilarte, the archdiocese’s Parish Support/Hispanic Communication Integration Specialist.
Launched in 2022 with support from the Crimsonbridge Foundation, the Hispanic Communications Plan for Parishes grew out of pastoral challenges after the pandemic, when parishes were seeking to reconnect with their communities and invite people to participate in the life and mission of the Church. Miguel and his team met directly with representatives from each parish to review their various communications channels and provide tailored recommendations for implementing new communications strategies. Parishes also received hands-on support with their websites, e-newsletters, and social media, along with an orientation to various resources offered by the archdiocese.
To date, the project has supported nearly 40 parish communities across Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties, helping them raise the visibility of their ministries, reach new families, and deepen a sense of belonging in the parishes. Now, more parishes are eager to participate in this process, as pastors recognize the opportunity for evangelization and engagement.
Read the full article in the Catholic Standard to learn more about this work: https://www.cathstan.org/local/communicating-to-evangelize-four-years-of-parish-support
