Renew nears finale

"I have seen a real growth in the interest and depth of the small faith communities. Several meet in-between seasons for prayer, videos on various religious topics and fellowship....For me, personally, it has been a tremendous experience getting to know people I otherwise probably would not. Many have expressed that same feeling."

"Our parish has certainly changed...largely because of Renew. Our parish mission was wonderful....In some ways we might have been more successful, but a seed has been planted."

Those anonymous answers to a survey by the diocesan Renew 2000 office confirm what coordinator Dr. Katherine Menard hoped when the process began in fall 1998: that Renew 2000 would be a success in the Albany Diocese.

Successful effort

"A plus! We did great!" she rated Renew's five seasons. "It's been very, very gratifying. People really led their parishes and made Renew 2000 their own."

Unlike the publicity surrounding the Albany Diocese's Sesquicentennial celebrations in 1997, Dr. Menard said there was a "quietness" to Renew 2000.

"It wasn't a major public celebration," she explained. "What people say to me they value the most is that it's made their experience of their faith more communal. They've gotten more connected."

Personal growth

The coordinator called her own experience leading Renew "incredibly rewarding. I was constantly inspired."

Looking back on the workshops two years ago that trained leaders who facilitated Renew groups in parishes, nursing homes, prisons and other venues, Dr. Menard recalled that "I always left more energized, even if I'd worked all day."

For the better

* A small faith-sharing group in Rensselaer (where St. Joseph's and St. John's parishes, and St. Mary's in Clinton Heights teamed up for Renew), bothered by negative influences in our culture, organized a letter-writing campaign to get a local "shock radio" DJ off the air.

* Through the "Gift of the Heart" program run by Church World Service, Renew participants collected more than 1,000 "relief kits" for those struggling with the aftermath of disasters.

* Renew groups in Delaware and Otsego counties collected, laundered and sorted baby clothing to donate to needy families through Catholic Charities.

* In Whitehall, where Notre Dame des Victoires and Our Lady of Angels parishes merged two years ago to become Our Lady of Hope parish, parishioners said they found the process less painful by talking about it in their Renew groups.

Dr. Menard told The Evangelist she was impressed with the level of participation in service and outreach projects by Renew groups.

"People weren't just signing on for impersonal projects," she noted; "they prayed together" and then decided what to try.

Closing but continuing

Dr. Menard said these hour-long candlelight services will have light as their theme, "with the message that we have a lot to celebrate. We have grown a lot and developed a lot in terms of spirituality, the participation has been widespread, and we also have acquired a lot of expertise and skills we can now build on."

Since surveys by the diocesan Renew 2000 office have shown that people want to continue having seasonal, small faith-sharing communities in their parishes, Dr. Menard intends to help them build on their skills. She is publishing a Lenten booklet for parishes that want to continue Renew next season, titled "Companions."

Similar to the materials used in the Diocese to date, "Companions" includes participants and leader's editions, and a music and meditation tape (for information, call 458-9885).

More to do

While Dr. Menard isn't sure what her next position will be, she plans to focus for now on the "finale" of Renew 2000.

"It's a time to celebrate Renew and look ahead," she stated. "We think of Renew as a threshold. I'm hopeful and optimistic that the spiritual renewal that's been going on for the past five seasons will continue."

Said a survey participant: "We can't afford to lose the momentum created by Renew."

(The vespers services and receptions completing Renew 2000 will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 27, St. Mary's, Oneonta; Nov. 29, St. Mary's, Coxsackie; Nov. 30, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Amsterdam; Dec. 1, St. Mary's, Glens Falls; Dec. 4, St. Vincent de Paul, Albany; Dec. 6, Annunciation, Ilion; Dec. 11, St. Mary's, Schenectady; and Dec. 14, St. Michael's, Troy. For information, call the Renew 2000 office at 453-6646.)

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