A ‘Welcome Pack’ was distributed to all households attending Christmas celebrations in Oranmore Parish, Co. Galway. The parish’s ‘family welcome project’ had members of staff greeting people arriving at the Christmas celebration and, on their way out, handing them the pack, verbally inviting them to come again.
“The pack included a leaflet outlining the services, facilities and contact details of our parish and our schools, a Christmas Card with an invitation to participation in the life of the parish throughout the year, a Parish Registration Form, a Fridge Magnet outlining our liturgy times and contact details and a medal of St Carlo Acutis,” explained Fr Diarmuid Hogan, PP.
As this was the first year of the project, “we have no baseline from which to measure a response. However, the pack did invite families to register with the parish and, so far, we have had thirty new registrations,” the priest said.
“In this parish, we distributed 2,500 of these packs. Neighbouring parishes also availed of the opportunity to meet, greet and invite parishioners who may not be regular participants to be more involved in parish life.” Fr Hogan said that the neighbouring parishes, including Claregalway, also had positive outcomes from the project.
