Fr. James Mallon - Divine Renovation: From a Maintenance to a Missional Parish

A bracing call to move every parish community from a maintenance model to a mission model or die! I heartily recommend it to every parish priest and his parish council.

Terrence Prendergast, S.J., Archbishop of Ottawa

Fr. Mallon has walked the walk and is now sharing with all of us the frustrations, the victories and the humour in transforming sleepy Catholic parishes into places of dynamic encounter and mission. Well worth reading for anyone interested in more dynamic parish life.

Ralph Martin, President of Renewal Ministries and author

A book that transmits extremely well the passion for the New Evangelization at the heart of parish life. Truly inspiring, practical and challenging! I believe that this is where the Lord is leading his Church.

Grald C. Cardinal Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec, Primate of Canada

This is a book for Catholics who want to bring the full power of the Christian faith to bear in their parishes. With a keen understanding of the Churchs true missional identity, Fr. Mallon sets forth a transformative yet very practical vision for outward-focused parish renewal. This book will inspire you to expand your own vision of what can be, and will energize and equip you to turn your parish into a place where God makes new disciples every day.

William E. Simon, Jr., President of Parish Catalyst

Mallons much-needed book combines theological and pastoral insights in a way that is just as thought-provoking and stimulating for the theologian as it is for leaders in the Church.

Fr. Luigi Gioia, Professor of Systematic Theology, Pontifical University of S. Anselmo, Rome

Divine Renovation is not a comfortable read: this radical book points to a daily reconversion and rebuilding. It comes from real-life experiences as a pastor. As the author states in the book, the mission of Christ has a church, not the other way around!

Peter Togni, composer

Divine Renovation, rooted in our fundamental identity in Christ, and packed with stories, ideas and practical initiatives for creating healthy and vibrant parish communities, is certain to inspire. The fresh vision and approach carved out challenge parishes to break free of the status quo and engage the whole community in missionary discipleship.

Edith Prendergast, RSC, Director of the Office of Religious Education, Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Thank you, Fr. Mallon, for your scholarship and synthesis, honesty and guidance, rooted in clearly articulated Catholic theology and effective parish leadership and practice. Divine Restoration is a must-read for all who hope to build up the Church.

Leisa Anslinger, author and Co-director of Catholic Life and Faith

Fr. Mallon has acquired an immense amount of experience in renewing struggling parishes. His book is an essential guide to defining the identity of ones parish and changing the culture.

Fr. Michael White, Pastor and author of Rebuilt

Lets face it. Lukewarmness even coldness is noticeable at too many parishes. Despite an indescribable proximity to the God of the universe in the Eucharist, too many Catholics live a kind of half-life. Well, here is an antidote. Fr. Mallon diagnoses the causes of mediocrity, introduces the reality of intentional discipleship, and provides real-world strategies to help Catholics deeply connect with Jesus and one another. Welcome to the journey from pew-sitting to world-changing.

Patrick Coffin, Radio host, Catholic Answers Live

Fr. Mallon is a gem in the Church, a true blessing to all of us. He presents here a powerful, practical and real-world call to action that can transform parishes, lives and souls. Buy one for yourself and another for your pastor.

Patrick Lencioni, President, The Table Group and bestselling author of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and The Advantage

Fr. James Mallon is a gifted communicator with a passion to help build vibrant Catholic parishes, which spread the good news of Jesus and grow missionary disciples. He is also a friend and I wish him every success with this book.

Nicky Gumbel, Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton and Pioneer of Alpha

This book is a tour de force a must read! Fr. James speaks from experience: vibrant parish renewal is not only essential, it is possible!

Very Rev. Scott McCaig CC,
General Superior, Companions of the Cross

2014 Novalis Publishing Inc.

Nihil Obstat: Most Rev. Anthony Mancini
Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth
18 June 2014

Cover design: Martin Gould
Cover image: evirgen/iStockphoto
Layout: Audrey Wells

Published by Novalis

Publishing Office
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Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M5V 2Z2

Head Office
4475 Frontenac Street
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www.novalis.ca

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Mallon, James, 1969-, author
Divine renovation : from a maintenance to a missional parish / Fr. James Mallon.

Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-2-89688-019-5 (pbk.).--ISBN 978-2-89688-021-8 (pdf).--ISBN 978-2-89688-020-1 (epub).--ISBN 978-2-89688-022-5 (mobi)

1. Church renewal--Catholic Church. I. Title.
BX1746.M34 2014 262'.02 C2014-905042-9 C2014-905043-7

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America, and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund for business development activities.

Introduction:
House of Cards

1. House of Prayer:
Remembering Our Identity and Purpose

2. Rebuild My House:
From Vatican II to Pope Francis

3. House of Pain:
The Experience of a Maintenance Church

4. Clearing out the Junk:
What We Need to Jettison if We Are Going to Rebuild

5. Laying the Foundation:
How to Transform the Culture of the Parish Community

6. The Front Door:
The Sacraments as Our Greatest Pastoral Opportunity

7. Leader of the House:
The Essential Role of Leadership

My mission of being in the heart of the people is not just a part of my life or a badge I can take off; it is not an extra or just another moment in life. Instead, it is something I cannot uproot from my being without destroying my very self. I am a mission on this earth; that is the reason why I am here in this world.

Pope Francis,
Evangelii Gaudium (no. 273)

We dont need to know about Jesus. What we need is cards! With this, she pounded the table and a hush fell over everyone in the hall. Jaws fell open and hands still clutching the next card to be played hung suspended, frozen in the air. In addition to looking shocked, peoples faces held a look of righteous appreciation that she had voiced what they had all wanted to say themselves.

The week before, when it became public that I was indeed going to sequester the parish hall on Monday nights to run a ten-week program of evangelization called the Alpha Course, the uproar was so great that an emergency meeting of the parish council had to be called. In spite of words of advice to back off, I, as a 31-year-old priest pastoring my very first parish, stubbornly pushed ahead. There was no other option. Little did I know that this would be the first of many matches I would have with the game of cards over the next ten years of my priesthood.