Two years ago I wrote about the importance of hospitality since we will have many more people attending Mass to celebrate Christmas with us. Here are ten ideas on making visitors feel welcome that I got from the website of the International Catholic Stewardship Council (
http://catholicstewardship.com/). Let me share their ten ideas with you now. They are just as valid now as they were in 2016! I have adapted them slightly for our situation.
1) Cultivate the virtue of hospitality at Mass. Many people attending Mass tend to gather into little cliques and ignore people who are not part of their particular clique. They are not really inhospitable, just heedless of the need to be hospitable. Make hospitality a new habit when you go to Mass.
2) Come early, leave late. Instead of rushing to Mass to be there on time, and then rushing out at its conclusion, make time to come a little early and linger just a bit later. Make room in your busy life to greet and spend time with others at Mass.
3) Go in peace to greet someone! Seek out someone whom you have not met before. Shake their hand, introduce yourself, and take a few moments to welcome them to your parish home: God’s house.
4) Welcome everyone. Not only visitors need your warm welcome. Regular Mass attendees need a friendly greeting. Develop a good handshake and be enthusiastic about your parish. You are greeting others in the name of Christ.
5) Help newcomers connect. While you are getting to know visitors, introduce them to other parishioners as the opportunity presents itself. Feel free to invite visitors to sit next to you.
6) Say goodbye with genuine warmth. After Mass, bid farewell to visitors, inviting them to return next week. Introduce them to me if the opportunity arises.
7) Avoid parish business. Avoid conducting parish business with others just before or after Mass. Focus on visitors.
8) Give visitors information about the parish. Ensure that a visitors has a bulletin or other literature available at the information desk about the parish before they leave. If there is a social gathering after Mass, invite them.
9) Be part of a greeting ministry team. We are always happy when people join our Joyful Greeters ministry. Parishioners of all ages set the tone for the worship experience by offering a warm welcome outside at the entrance doors to church and a warm dismissal at the end of Mass. The ministry has made many parishioners and visitors to the parish feel welcome. If you are interested being a Joyful Greeter, please contact the coordinator for this ministry: Helen Hayes. Her contact information is the following:
[email protected]; 240-601-5952. You can also contact the assistant coordinator for the Joyful Greeters: Jack Price. His contact information is the following:
[email protected]; 301-963-2925.
10) Greet those who already minister in the area of hospitality. It isn’t necessary to neglect the people who are already ministers of hospitality in order to make visitors feel at home. A simple wave and a smile go a long way.
I wish everyone well with the last minute shopping, party preparations, travel arrangements. But please remember: Jesus is the reason for the season!