Parish goes high-tech to reach its members

At Holy Family Church in Albany, parish life has jumped into cyberspace.

As part of its efforts to educate Catholics, the parish has added an email publication titled "Celebration e-Series."

Parishioners and staff decided it was a "practical way of making information available to anyone who wants it," said Rev. Anthony Kall, OFM Conv., pastor.

You've got mail

For a one-time fee, Celebration Publications sends a PDF version of three monthly publications on parish life, catechesis and community to registrants' email addresses. Parishioners can choose to read on-line or print the material on home printers.

The content includes reflections on the liturgy, the connections between liturgy and the Church's mission, Sunday readings and Mass preparation, tools for catechetical leaders, and other practical information that Father Kall believes parishioners can use.

The agreement allows him to run off copies of the publications and place them at the back of the church so people without email can take them.

Useful tools

"Faith-sharing groups use them in conjunction with other materials that they have," Father Kall said. "Some of the catechists are using it."

As the mailing list administrator, he was pleased to see interest in the newsletters extend to parishioners who are not heavily involved in parish activities.

He also has high hopes for the parish's new bilingual website, which is currently under construction. There, the staff will be able to post bulletin announcements, Mass schedules, parish activities, funerals and more -- in both English and Spanish -- to meet the needs of the parish's population.

Ecumenical website

The parish already has a small web presence at www.centerchurches.org, an ecumenical site meant to support churches along Albany's Central Avenue.

"We began it in conjunction with St. John Lutheran Church," which is nearby, said Father Kall. St. John's pastor, Rev. Paul Rees-Rohrbacher, helped Holy Family set up email accounts for parish staff.

The internet is an "untapped resource. We're just getting to discover it," the priest said. "I can't begin to think what will happen with all of this. More and more parishes are beginning to realize the potential."

(Celebration Publications also publishes "Celebration," a print-only worship resource, and the National Catholic Reporter, a Catholic weekly newspaper.)

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