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Making the Most of Moments: Accompaniment and Evangelization through Moments of Return

“It is important to make the most of the great moments of the liturgical year… Although we have to respect different stages of growth, and at times need to wait patiently for the right moment, we cannot fail to invite (all) people to drink from these wellsprings of new life.”

 ── Pope Francis (Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit, 2019, no. 224, 229)

 We may know or have personally witnessed the trends of disconnection and distrust in religious institutions and church communities, but there is more to the story. While most people observe church attendance or affiliation declining year to year, there are unique anomalies in the data that can give us renewed hope. The month-to-month trends (and the wondrous occasions of “moments of return”) provide us with a hopeful story: one deserving of greater attention and exploration.

 This session will guide participants and facilitate dialogue around unpacking “moments of return” throughout the year, such as Christmas, Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, and Easter, as well as weddings, baptisms, and funerals. We will also explore some less-obvious “moments” that reveal an overlooked abundance of occasions and opportunities upon which pastoral leaders, families, and concerned churchgoers can build. As Pope Francis notes, these “moments” can offer people “wellsprings of new life,” especially when we respond with intentionality, pastoral care, and a missionary spirit. 

Presenters: Paul & Sarah Jarzembowski

Paul is the Associate Director for the Laity in the Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop (USCCB) in Washington DC.  He is also the author of two books: "Hope from the Ashes" (Paulist Press, 2022) and "Hope for the Holidays" (Paulist Press, 2023) He was the lead staff for the USCCB engagement with the XV Synod of Bishops on "Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment," and its post-synodal exhortation, "Christus Vivit." Paul was also the United States' national coordinator for World Youth Day. 

Sarah is a facilitator, trainer, mentor, pastoral minister, and co-host of the Catholic Leadership Network podcast. She is also the Director of Marriage and Family Life at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Crofton, Maryland, in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, where she has served since 2016.

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