The originator's of Christ Renews His Parish, found that years of pastoral experience have continually demonstrated one underlying need. This is the need to experience 'church'- to experience 'being church' -to experience 'being church for others.' The best of 'church' is conversion, community, and celebration.
In most parishes the need is the same---for small, workable groups of parishioners who would commit themselves to coming together on a regular basis to share their faith, pray, study and eventually become apostolically involved in the parish community & lay ministries.
This process brings parishioners together for a casual but effective communal weekend experience. The Renewal Weekend includes an emphasis on how God has impacted our lives in a prayerful and non-threatening atmosphere. It also provides the parishioners with an opportunity for experiencing deep personal conversion and the fruits of Christian community in one's own parish. This experience is designed to initiate a process of spiritual growth, Christian community building, and lay ministry formation.
The zeal of these few parishioners will affect the spirit of the many. Not a whole parish at once, but patiently, parishioner by parishioner. The seed of the few becomes the leaven of many. Thousands have been reached by this process and Ascension is no exception.
