Parish Social Ministry: Strategies for Success

Meeting the social needs of their communities—the elderly, teen moms, poor schools, blighted neighborhoods—is essential to the life of the parish. Whether looking to build upon, or simply start, a concerted social ministry outreach, this guidebook poses all the questions (and provides direction and answers) to help your parish move forward.

Questions Posed and Answered:

• What does a fully functioning parish social ministry effort look like? What is its vision?
• What does a parish social ministry effort attempt to accomplish? How does it attempt to accomplish it?
• What is the foundation of parish social ministry?
• What are the characteristics of direct service and social action ministry?
• What are the scriptural foundations for parish social ministry?
• What are the key elements of successful parish social ministry?
• How does one assess to what extent parish social ministry is being fully developed in the parish?
• What exactly is a parish social ministry leader? How do we identify potential leaders?
• How is a team of leaders organized to be the conduit for parish social ministry efforts?
• How do you effectively recruit parishioners to lead social ministry work?
• Is it important for social ministry to be integrated into the life of the parish? How is that accomplished?
• How can diocesan offices and parishes create a partnership to do parish social ministry?
• What are the main considerations and skills for being a successful meeting facilitator?