In his Apostolic Exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel,” Pope Francis urges us to abandon the complacent attitude that says “We have always done it this way” and invites us to be “bold and creative in rethinking the methods of evangelization in our respective communities.”
With those words of encouragement, Saints Peter and Paul Parish, Turnersville, embarked on a campaign to personally speak to every household in the parish. It was thought to be an impossible task, but over 2,000 phone calls later, the result was astounding. The volunteer team personally spoke to 505 individuals and left detailed, personal voicemails for an additional 1,023 parishioners.
During the height of the pandemic Saints Peter and Paul Parish learned how to keep the faithful engaged through livestreaming and Zoom meetings. But something was still missing. It became obvious that technology, while especially important, could not take the place of one-on-one personal contact.
Father Steve Rapposelli, pastor, recognized it necessary to hear from his parishioners about their needs during this difficult time. So, he engaged a group of volunteers to reach out by phone to every parishioner.
Using the Flocknote communications platform, an email was sent asking for volunteers to make calls on the pastor’s behalf. For the 12 who accepted the challenge, it was like a group of apostles being sent out on a mission to proclaim the good news and then to report back about what they had learned. “When we report back,” said Father Rapposelli, “we reflect on our ministry. It’s one of those things that builds the faith of everyone involved in ministry.”
Father Rapposelli asked Vilma and Dominic Revelli to spearhead the project. Armed with a list of 2,500 names and phone numbers they trained the volunteers, developed a reporting process, and kept the calling team supplied with additional lists of names and numbers.
The script given to the volunteers was remarkably simple. It instructed them to introduce themselves and to explain that the pastor asked them to call to see if there was any way the parish could help. Sample questions included, “Is there anyone in your family in need of prayers and if so, can we place that name on our prayer list?” “Do you know someone who is homebound or recovering from an illness that we can pray for?” “Do you or anyone you know need food or warm clothing?”
Most responded that everyone was fine and thanked the caller for their concern. Others shared issues or problems they were experiencing. Others expressed that they were feeling lonely and enjoyed the opportunity to speak with someone. Most calls were short, but it was not unusual for some calls to last 10 minutes or even longer. What every call had in common, though, was genuine gratitude that the pastor and the entire parish community was thinking of them.
Joann Rota, a volunteer, stated that, “By the time the call ended we were laughing together. One person even asked me to stop by to get her donation, which I did. Everyone was simply happy that we reached out especially during the pandemic.”
Rota added, “I hate making calls, but I felt as if it was a sacrifice especially doing it during Lent.”
Pat Silverman, another volunteer, said, “One of my last calls was to a young woman who had just delivered her second baby, this one by C-section, and just needed to talk.” She was affected by the isolation of the pandemic, not being able to share her joy with family and friends. “And we talked for almost 40 minutes.”
Barbara Rippert said, “I think it made us more of a community. I remember when I was younger, I felt the church was more involved with us, was closer to us and I enjoyed that feeling.” This ministry “made me feel like that again.”
After about 90 days when the project concluded, Father Rapposelli hosted a Zoom call with some of the volunteers and asked if they could identify the fruits of their work.
Rota responded, “Because of the calls, people now know the church cares about them. Some people were so touched that they asked if they could donate food or clothing to others in need.”
Vilma jokingly shared that “some people when they answered the phone expected that we were calling to ask for money or donations. They were surprised that the call was about them, not about us. With Father Steve being a relatively new pastor, they did not expect it; they were taken back by his concern. Maybe one of the fruits of this ministry will be that more people will return in-person, knowing that the church is always there for them.”
Father Rapposelli also shared feedback that he received. “Sometimes,” he said, “people would stop me or email me, and they would say that they received a call, and it made their day.”
He told the team, “It was a reflection of the good work done by the entire volunteer team. The work you have done is part of ministry. After you do the work, you reflect on it and then come back together to talk about it and to hear about how the Lord opened the door for you. Your actions help others, and your actions also build your faith.”
In thanking them for their work, Father Rapposelli added, “Every one of you has a goodness inside that comes out when you are speaking to others. When you speak to others the Lord is working through you. It is very humbling for me to see how this has taken off. It is something the Lord wanted to happen.” For this parish, the best is yet to come.
Deacon Anthony Cioe is assigned to Saints Peter and Paul Parish where he serves as pastoral associate for evangelical outreach.
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