November 13, 2025

133| How One Parish’s Bold Steps Led to Real, Lasting Renewal

38 minutes

Creative Director Kathy O’Leary (New Roads Catholic Community, MA) joins Melissa to share a decade of parish renewal experience: saying yes to coaching, building a weekend experience for newcomers, preaching in message series, and shifting staff from “doing ministry” to equipping ministers. Kathy unpacks Boston’s Disciples in Mission collaborative model, why New Roads chose its name from Pope Francis’ call to “create new roads,” and how clear goals + prayer (hello, 100 serve cards) catalyzed momentum. If you’ve felt alone, stuck, or second-guessed by the “old guard,” this conversation offers perspective, practicals, and a lot of hope.

➡️ Take the first step toward renewal—get our free Weekend Experience Evaluation to identify what’s working, what’s not, and where your parish can grow. https://download.rebuiltparish.com/weekendevaluation

Key Takeaways

Mission first, structure second: The Boston collaborative model gave permission to experiment—evangelization is the point, not just maintaining buildings.

Outward over inward: Design every weekend assuming new people are present; that posture eventually attracts them.

Equip the saints: Staff exist to build teams and layers of leaders, not to do all the work (prevents burnout and multiplies impact).

Set goals and pray boldly: Coaching pushed New Roads to name a hard number for volunteer signups—and God met it.

Fresh eyes matter: Outside coaching provides perspective, language, and accountability that accelerate change.

Community beats isolation: Peer parishes and coaching cohorts remind leaders they’re not alone (think Moses’ arms upheld).

One Church, One Message: Shared message series unifies across worship sites and keeps the parish focused on mission.

Grace, not grind: Results belong to God; leaders can release both criticism and compliments to Him.

Name signals mission: “New Roads” (inspired by Pope Francis) keeps the team oriented to reach the lost.

Perseverance bears unseen fruit: We are “prophets of a future not our own”—keep going.

Chapters

00:00 – Welcome & Guest Intro

01:00 – Role & Responsibilities

05:01 – First Contact with Rebuilt

07:52 – Boston’s Disciples in Mission

10:33 – Rediscovering the Why

12:35 – Reaching the Lost Changes the Found

15:08 – Why “New Roads”

17:30 – Culture Shifts

19:34 – Equipping vs. Doing

20:27 – Let God Lead

22:00 – Coaching Wins

23:30 – Accountability & Community

26:40 – Two Sites, One Message

29:20 – Encouragement to Leaders:

31:00 – Wrap-Up & Thanks

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Catholic parish renewal, Rebuilt Parish, New Roads Catholic Community, Disciples in Mission, Boston collaboratives, evangelization, discipleship, weekend experience, message series, one church one message, parish coaching, parish leadership team, volunteer recruitment, serve cards, accountability, culture change, Pope Francis “new roads,” equipping ministers, parish growth, Catholic podcast

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