Building a More Welcoming Parish

What does it mean to truly feel welcome at St. Mary?

That was the question at the heart of our recent Hospitality Workshop, where more than 20 parishioners gathered to reflect on how we can strengthen a culture of hospitality throughout our parish. The evening brought together people of different ages, ministry involvement, and years at St. Mary—including several who are relatively new to the parish.

The workshop was the next step in a larger conversation that began with our parish hospitality survey. Forty-three parishioners responded, including English and Spanish online responses and handwritten surveys. Overall, the results were encouraging: St. Mary received an average hospitality rating of 4.06 out of 5, with 74% of respondents rating our hospitality a 4 or 5.

The survey also made something else clear: St. Mary does not have a friendliness problem as much as a consistency-and-connection problem.

Many respondents praised the warmth of our parishioners, ushers, greeters, and clergy. At the same time, some shared that it can be difficult to move beyond that initial welcome and become genuinely connected. Newcomers may be greeted but not introduced to others. Families may struggle to find community. Ministry follow-up can sometimes be inconsistent. Existing friendship circles can unintentionally make it difficult for someone new to find a place.

In other words, we have a strong foundation. Now we have an opportunity to build on it.

From Welcome to Belonging

Fr. Denis opened the workshop with prayer, a Scripture reading, and an invitation to consider how we can live out hospitality through mutual love. Participants then engaged in table discussions about our parish's strengths and weaknesses, where hospitality is most needed, and what a future Hospitality Team might look like.

One theme emerged repeatedly: hospitality cannot belong only to ushers, greeters, or a single committee. It belongs to all of us.

True hospitality means noticing the person we don't recognize, introducing ourselves, inviting someone into parish life, and following up. It means creating regular opportunities for people to meet one another and form friendships. It means making sure families with children know they are wanted and supported. And it means finding ways to connect our parish's English- and Spanish-speaking communities more intentionally.

The survey showed that parishioners are ready to help make this happen. Among valid online responses, 76% expressed interest in getting involved.

Where Do We Go From Here?

The next step is forming a Core Leadership Team that can help turn these ideas into action. Among the possibilities identified through the survey and workshop are a more intentional pathway for welcoming new parishioners, regular opportunities for fellowship after Mass, stronger ministry follow-up, family-friendly opportunities for connection, and a more consistent parish-wide approach to hospitality.

The goal isn't simply to make St. Mary a friendlier place.

Our goal is to create a parish where people are welcomed, known, invited, and ultimately drawn into a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church.

Hospitality is one of the first ways we can open the door to that encounter. A smile, an introduction, an invitation to coffee, or a simple conversation can become the beginning of someone's journey toward belonging—and ultimately toward the Eucharist.

We are grateful to everyone who completed the survey, participated in the workshop, and shared their ideas. We are especially grateful to Parish Council Chair Steve Thieken and his wife for helping lead the evening and creating such a warm atmosphere for conversation and fellowship.

If you have a heart for hospitality and would like to help shape this ministry, we invite you to be part of the next step. Please contact the parish at stmary@delawarestmary.org or 740-363-4641.