Center for Parish Hospitality

"The biggest disease is not leprosy or tuberculosis, But rather the feeling of being unwanted."
- Blessed Mother Theresa
 

 

 

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Company's Coming; A Spiritual Process for Creating More Welcoming Parishes

$9.95 plus 3.35 for shipping and handling (plus sales tax for NY residents)
 
"A must read for pastoral leaders wishing to improve their parish's welcoming."
William L. Pickett, PhD, author of

A Concise Guide to Pastoral Planning.

As Catholics, we have been challenged by the Lord to love our enemies (Mt 5:44).  So, if we are called to love our enemies, certainly we are expected to love those who sit next to us in church.  Right?  And yet, how many times have newcomers to a church been greeted with a dirty look because they were sitting in someone else’s seat?! 
    Hospitality is manifested in an open and welcoming spirit; a willingness to drop what we are doing and receive the other person when they need us.  We are reminded of Abraham’s hospitality to the three strangers (Gen 18:1-10).  In welcoming the strangers, he was welcoming God. 
    We recall Jesus’ words: “what you do to the least of my brothers and sisters you do to me” (Mt 25:40).  And then Christ gave us the exquisite example of hospitality at the last supper when he got down and washed the disciples’ feet (Jn 13:3-17).  And he commanded us, who would claim to be his followers, to do likewise.
   
St. Benedict wrote rules for living a Catholic life.  These rules are still practiced by most monastic communities today.  Rule #53 states, “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” (Mt 25:35).

Ministry Profile

    The Center for Parish Hospitality was formed to help parishes and Diocese engage in a process which creates more welcoming communities.  This process has been pilot tested in the Diocese of Brooklyn from 2007-2008 with most favorable results. 
    Dr. Richard McCorry, the founder of the Center for Parish Hospitality, has worked with parishes and Dioceses across the country for the past decade helping them to bring about and adapt to the changes going on in the church today. 


Contact Information

Telephone
585-281-1419
Postal address
610 Eastbrooke Lane, Rochester, NY 14618
Electronic mail
General Information: mccorry@catholichospitality.com
Webmaster: webmaster@catholichospitality.com 

 

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Last modified: 06/10/08