RENEW:
A Journey of Faith
“One of the great challenges facing the Church in this generation is to foster in the faithful a sense of personal responsibility for the Church’s mission, and to enable them to fulfill that responsibility as missionary disciples, as a leaven of the Gospel in our world.”
-Pope Francis
Get Inspired to Renew
Since the Second Vatican Council, our Holy Fathers have emphasized the need to bring the world into an encounter with the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, inspiring us to renew the earth through evangelization and missionary discipleship. Get inspired to renew the face of the earth through evangelization and missionary discipleship.
Parish Spiritual Renewal Programs
The Renewal Center, launched by the Archdiocese of Chicago, supports parishes and spiritual seekers through three key efforts:
- on-the-ground parish support via co-implementation
- a calendar of renewal workshops and events managed by the University of Saint Mary of the Lake’s School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization
- ongoing faith research
The workshops offer programs to help pastors, staff, and lay leaders transform parishes from maintenance-focused to mission-driven. This initiative emphasizes spiritual renewal, a cornerstone of the “Renew My Church” pastoral plan, which originally tackled structural and missional change simultaneously. After completing structural changes in 2023, the focus shifted fully to spiritual renewal.
The effort draws inspiration from St. Francis of Assisi and his call to “rebuild my church,” symbolized by the San Damiano cross. Just as Francis embraced spiritual renewal alongside structural restoration, the Renewal Center aims to lead a revitalized Church mission rooted in simplicity and Gospel-driven reform.
Who Should Attend a Renewal Workshop?
The Renewal Center offerings are aimed at both individual Catholic and parish communities to help move “rank and file” Catholics to effectively share their faith with their family, friends, and coworkers in ways that are not divisive or confrontational.
Our renewal workshops are designed to be a resource for parishes and everyday Catholics in engaging in missionary discipleship. The goal is that once people have encountered Christ and grown in their relationship with Christ and his church, the next step is to find ways to share this faith with others.
Why Attend a Renewal Workshop?
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus commands His disciples, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19), calling all followers to share the Good News. Yet, many Catholics struggle to articulate their faith or share it effectively. They value Mass and want their children to be Catholic but often rely on others for formation.
Meanwhile, those vocal about faith can sometimes focus on judgment rather than the Gospel’s message of hope, creating a skewed image of faith.
These trainings help individuals explore their faith, engage with the Gospel, and share it meaningfully. Parish leaders will also find them valuable for equipping volunteers and fostering vibrant parish involvement.
Each parish has its own unique path and uses its strengths and gifts to create a culture of evangelization. The culture of a parish is what is nurtured, what grows and has life. It isn’t your mission or vision statement; it is how you live out life in the community and what is given value. It is what drives all aspects of parish life. Our ‘common language’, which refers to the shared values, beliefs, and practices within the parish, provides a view of what a renewed parish can be.
Hospitality
The local Church seeks to create an environment in which all people, families, and individuals feel seen, heard, known, and not judged. The community welcomes and creates a sense of belonging and an inclusiveness for parishioners, guests, and seekers.
Listening
Parishioners, staff, and leadership humbly hear where Jesus is active in one another’s stories as well as in the lives of all those whom they encounter. They listen to the needs of the Church and surrounding community and find ways to respond to those needs.
Inviting
Parishioners are invested in the life of the Church community and are empowered to intentionally and personally invite others into a relationship with Jesus and his Church and in so doing, let those they invite know that they belong.
Relationships
It is a community dedicated to getting involved in the lives of one another. A compassionate and caring community of communities where people are “walked with” and are patiently and joyfully accompanied as they grow in relationship with Jesus.
Engagement
Parishioners take ownership for their community and see their role as disciples to build the Kingdom of God. The Church community helps one another recognize their gifts and talents and finds ways for people to grow and develop.
Prayer
The Church community reflects a closeness to the Father and the Son as modeled by and in communion with Mary and the Saints. Fed by Sacred Scripture, the Sacraments, and the liturgy, parishioners, staff, and leadership pray with and for one another.
Witness
The Church community is committed to intentionally making disciples and forming missionary disciples who are witnesses to Jesus’s transforming love. As modern-day witnesses to the Gospel, they reflect God’s joy, hope, and mercy in the world.
Mission
The Church community knows and is known by its neighbors. Missionary disciples are sent from our worship to introduce others to Jesus, giving each person an opportunity to encounter him for themselves through our words and actions.
Renewal Courses
- To register, click here.
- Click on the course you want, click on “Buy Now”, then “Sign-up” (to create an account) or “Sign-In” (if you already have an account), follow the prompts and enter the code provided by the Archdiocese of Chicago to register for free.
- Here is more information
Encounter Team Training
With Sean O’Dea
This training is to help get your Alpha, Sycamore, or other Kerygmatic Soft Entry Point (KSEP) team ready to facilitate an encounter centric experience and kick off a new season for your evangelization ministry.
Go Forth: Equipped for the Journey
With Rick Landry
This training is to help those who are ready for missionary discipleship but aren’t certain how to get started. The interactive webinar will cover topics such as praying with others, small group facilitation, and engaging with people with different points of view.
Introduction to Spiritual Renewal
With Brian Romer-Niemiec
Now is the time for the Archdiocese of Chicago to enter into a spiritual renewal process and for the Church to rededicate itself to its mission. This session explains what spiritual renewal is, why it is necessary, and how you and your parish can take the next steps in renewal.
Faith Trends
With Patrick Brown and Ted Whapham
People’s attitudes toward religion have been changing rapidly over the past 50 years. Many of us have felt this shift in our families and friends, but we may not realize the extent of the change. In this webinar, we will share data that describes the shift that has occurred and new signs of hope that are present in our midst. We will also discuss how the process of spiritual renewal is seeking to respond to these trends.
Go Forth: Capstone
This is the capstone to the Go Forth series of courses. It is designed to help you discern the presence of charisms in your life as a missionary disciple of Jesus Christ. Join us for an experience of prayer, education, reflection, and discernment, the effects of which will be felt in your ministry to the people of God.
Go Forth: Foundations
This course will help parish lay leaders acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to accompany others into discipleship, specifically through small-group faith communities. To “equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12)
Hospitality Training
An environment of radical hospitality is one of the core elements of spiritual renewal, but creating an environment that is outgoing, warm, and welcoming without being overbearing can be challenging. Join us to reflect on why hospitality is key for renewal and to begin developing a plan to foster it in every aspect of life.