March 23, 2020
 

Our topics for the NEXT video call on March 26th:

1) How do we stay rooted in our identity as missionaries during this crisis?

2) How can we keep mission before parishes and how can we help parishes become “missionary societies,” to quote Bishop Barron.

3) Is there any merit to the idea of USCMA organizing an online Mission Appeal?
 

Conversation Overview of the LAST video call on March 19^th:

1. Lots of sadness and disappointment in the cancelling of mission trips – both too other countries and delegations coming to the USA. One person just returned from the Dominican Republic – a great experience but some people were telling their kids to “stay away” from the “Americans” because of the coronavirus.

2. Concerns about cancelling Masses and what that means for Mission Appeals – and a lot of us rely on that income for operational funds.

3. Other Needs:

a. Volunteers are coming home or suspending their service. This will have a huge impact on their experience and groups are trying to figure out who to work with this situation well.

b. Volunteer programs will have to scramble to recruit volunteers for next year with all the university closings.

4. Lots of feelings – uncertainty, fear, frustration.

5. Planning. How do we plan when we are “shut down” for 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks?

a. Stay in touch. Just let people know you care, that you are here for them, share any resources that might help, and that we are waiting for the green light.

b. Take the time to be in personal contact with your key stakeholders. No ask.

c. Use remote technology to help you stay in touch. Less email. More text, quick phone call, video calls.

6. Changing how we work:

a. Giving ourselves time to get up to speed on unfamiliar technology – video calls, etc.

b. Restructuring where we work, setting up space, clarity about time. Change expectations.

Humor

Need some perspective on what we are going through? Consider Chicken Little. Here is a clip https://youtu.be/0vQkd2vUiIA. Chicken Little was wrong – the sky was not falling. He was also right – something fell from the sky and the world is completing different because of it.

Prayer

Pray the Serenity Prayer for this time. We hope that it helps you along the way.