Each week we will have an opportunity to learn about the hope we have in our Church. Tools and resources will be shared to support your parish. Simple and creative parish responses will be shared regarding creating community, supporting offertory, faith formation, spiritual growth, and more. A special speaker or author will join us to share some additional perspectives. An opportunity will be provided to share some of your comments, concerns, or how you have engaged your parishioners. We will close with prayer and special intentions. Click the link below to register or to receive a recording following the presentation.

Now, more than ever, we need to articulate our mission and vision for our parishes. OSV is offering a quick-start Parish Vision Plan process to help you plan for the future of your parish. We'll outline our tried and true methods for Vision Planning to create a New Hope Vision for your Parish. This Parish Vision Plan is an active document and parish-wide jumpstart to unite your parish’s Mission and ministry. And most importantly it answers the question, “Where are we going?” This is not simply another exercise, program, or gimmick. It is a way forward for your entire parish. Together, we take a comprehensive look at how to help you thrive, including hospitality, outreach, finances, communication, evangelization, and formation. We then compile a 3-year written plan that truly energizes and unites your parish in Mission.

Our parish faith formation might look much different than it did just six months ago.  If you were engaging families in a family catechetical model, you may be more need to make adaptations for the coming year.  And if you haven’t, you might wonder how to start now!  This presentation will give you encouragement and motivation to engage families, and some practical strategies to do so.  Presented by Dr. Kathie Amidei, Pastoral Associate at Saint Anthony on the Lake Parish, Pewaukee, WI.

The Our Sunday Visitor Parish Capital Campaign will raise 1 to 2 times your parishes annual offertory in a three-year pledge redemption period. Our program has been designed for parishes with moderate goals. Our campaign utilizes all of the principles and practices available in large scale campaigns without the intensity and pressure of a major On-Site Directed campaign. The OSV Parish Capital Campaign is cost effective, has a shorter timeline, requires significantly fewer volunteers and has a minimal impact on the daily activity of your parish. 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Our simple, comprehensive program has consistently helped parishes increase their offertory by 25-35%. Our process will not only increase your offertory, but will yield sustainable results in the long-term by coordinating the program with your offering envelopes, electronic giving, record of contribution cards, and follow-up communications.

We will discuss practical ways you can continue to provide high quality faith formation even though you cannot gather at the parish. We will share our digital tools for grade level catechesis in the home with digital books, at-home lessons, and training options for your families.  OSV is offering these resources free to support you during this challenging time. Click the link below to register or to receive a recording following the presentation.

This free webinar, presented by Child and Family Psychologist Dr. Joseph D. White, will discuss how you can help meet your family’s spiritual, emotional and practical needs during the disruptions caused by COVID-19. We’ll also talk about how to make sure you are taking care of yourself as you care for your family. Join us for practical strategies to stay grounded in a turbulent time. Click the link below to register or to receive a recording following the presentation.

We will share resources and effective ways you can equip and support your parents to prepare their child for the Sacraments at home. We will review the digital books, at-home lessons, videos and training options for your families. OSV is offering these resources free to support you during this time when you cannot gather at the parish. Click the link below to register or to receive a recording following the presentation.

We welcome you to join OSV as we discuss tools and resources in order to help your parish through this challenging time. As you know, the effects of COVID-19 have left parishes looking for solutions in order to overcome the challenges of social distancing and other guidelines suggested by our local, state, and federal governments. In this presentation, our parish expert will walk you through how to utilize tools to help sustain offertory and create an online presence in order to maintain communication and unification during this time. Click the link below to register or to receive a recording following the presentation.

How can DREs and other ministry leaders help to meet the catechetical, spiritual and emotional needs of the people they serve during the current COVID-19 outbreak? Join Child and Family Psychologist and catechetical author Dr. Joseph White for this free webinar on practical strategies for ministering in the midst of a national crisis.Click the link below to register or to receive a recording following the presentation.

Bilingual Faith Formation and Sacrament Preparation- We will discuss practical ways to share our digital tools for faith formation in grade level catechesis and for sacrament preparation in Spanish. We will go over the digital books, at-home lessons, videos and training options for your families.

Educación Religiosa y Preparación Sacramental Bilingüe- Vamos hablar de modos prácticos de compartir nuestras herramientas digitales para la educación religiosa por grado  y para la preparación sacramental en español. Repasaremos los libros digitales, las lecciones en el hogar, los videos y las opciones de capacitación para sus familias.

During these uncertain times, parish leaders are challenged to reach out to their parishioners to connect, communicate, and still express the importance of giving in order to continue progressing the mission of the Church. During this presentation, our parish experts will discuss how to connect your parish communities digitally from live streaming Mass to conducting ministry meetings and small groups online. We’ll also cover how to position your Online Giving solution and the importance of mail back envelopes for the less technically savvy at your parish. Join us as we wish to continue to be your resource for solutions during these challenging times.

Alessandro's story has never been fully told--until now. Alessandro Serenelli: A Story of Forgiveness is a captivating story of mercy and forgiveness, both given and accepted. Learn more about Serenelli's fascinating life when author Charles Engel discusses this new book.

Join our parish fundraising professionals as they review a Roadmap to Recovery for parishes you can begin immediately. We’ll share best practices from stewardship and development that leadership can implement now in order to come out on the other side of this national crisis with renewed energy and hope for the future. We will walk you through celebrating your parish now, remaining mission focused, and developing communication plans to stay connected with your community, and lastly the necessity of Offertory recovery planning. Join this webinar and begin creating your unique plan to navigate the challenges facing all parishes.

Unlike any crisis before, parish leaders are challenged to connect, communicate, and provide resources needed to continue advancing the mission of the Church. During this session, our parish experts will discuss how to leverage your parish resources and leadership to efficiently strengthen the pillars of your local Catholic community. We will share solutions from across the country that could be utilized TODAY.

 

Join us as we wish to continue to be your resource for solutions during these challenging times.

The suspension of Masses worldwide as an effort to control the spread of COVID-19 has many Catholics longing for Holy Communion, but even in normal times there are other reasons Catholics may be unable to attend Mass or receive the Eucharist. That’s why it’s more important than ever for Catholics to understand and practice spiritual communion.

 

Gain clarity, comfort, and encouragement in The Handy Little Guide to Spiritual Communion.

Join us as author Julie Davis talks about her new book. This fresh take on the prophets will introduce you to our biblical role models in a way you might find startling, challenging, and probably not to your grandmother's liking.

Dig into their stories, missions, and messages, and learn how you can take the truth of Christ to the world. Today!

The OSV Parish Capital Campaign will raise up to 3 times your parishes annual offertory in a three-year pledge redemption period. Our program has been designed for parishes with moderate goals. Our campaign utilizes all of the principles and practices available in large scale campaigns without the intensity and pressure of a major On-Site Directed campaign. The OSV Parish Capital Campaign is cost effective, has a shorter timeline, requires significantly fewer volunteers and has a minimal impact on the daily activity of your parish. 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

100 Ways John Paull II Changed the World

Pope St. John Paul II lived in times embroiled in political turmoil, and yet he taught about love, truth, and beauty. He became the hero of millions of Catholics for his unflinching defense of the Church and her teachings.

There is no doubt that John Paul II changed the world forever in hundreds of ways. Join us as author Patrick Novecosky shares just a few of them with us and discusses his new book.

Counterfeit Spirituality

Counterfeit Spirituality: Exposing the False Gods equips Catholics to spot false teachings and practices that have infiltrated our society and captivated members of our Church. Now more than ever, we need to recognize the differences between true and false spiritualities so that we and those we love can grow closer to God and the truth of his Church. Join us as Bryan Mercier discusses his new book.

Simple At-Home First Eucharist Retreat: Accompany Parents to Lead Their Children to an Encounter

Wondering how to fill the gap when you can’t gather at the parish for a First Eucharist Retreat?

We will share an easy to use plan for a digital home First Eucharist Retreat.  We will provide videos for the family, discussion and reflection questions, digital games and activities and offer parents the opportunity to learn right alongside their child.

We will offer some recommendations on working with VBS this year or next year and discuss many of the frequently asked questions from parishes.

How to Set-up Online Registration & Payment for your School Families and Religious Education Program

Many have shared concerns about the duration of this quarantine, the possibility of another wave and the implications to ministry in the future. As we start planning for the fall, online registration will be an essential tool to meeting families where they are and to offer a registration process that is tailored to the new reality of our parish families. In this webinar, you will get to see a step-by step tutorial of how to create your own online registration form using OSV forms and how to setup online payment using the OSV online giving platform. 

Recover. Refresh. Restart. Renew. Discover how to rebuild your offertory and infuse funds now.

It’s likely that offertory giving will take priority as we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, and it should! In fact, a parish’s offertory should be stabilized to the greatest extent possible. However, your parish may need an immediate infusion of money NOW to supplement lost offertory collections. OSV’s programs are implementation-ready, impactful, and affordable. They allow your parish to communicate with your parishioners with transparency and urgency.

OSV’s New Hope Solutions:

• Offertory Recovery and Stabilization Program

• 90 Day Capital Infusion Program

Listening for God in Everyday Life

In Listening for God in Everyday Life, author, speaker, and psychologist Joseph White shows us how to listen for God in this noisy, chaotic world. God is speaking to us all the time, but we have to learn to hear his voice. Drawing on his personal experience, Joseph reveals the means God uses to speak directly to our hearts. Some of them may even surprise you! Join us as he discusses this new book.

Summer Catechesis: A Way to Re-engage Families

Considering how to reconnect with families? Thinking about a different model of catechesis? Join us as we explore the possibilities of implementing a summer program at your parish and how this model can be adapted to provide a means of re-engaging and welcoming our families back into parish life and picking up where we dropped off. 

Media Matters with Teresa Tomeo

As a well-known expert on media and current events, Teresa Tomeo, internationally acclaimed TV and radio personality, and “Eye on Culture” columnist for Our Sunday Visitor, shares her thoughts on current events and social issues during a free, one-hour webcast, brought to you by OSV. Teresa and her guests will take questions from the audience.

Engaging your School Community in an Annual Fund

A strong school annual fund is critical in today’s climate. Our best practices in development will not only help your school improve the funds you need, but share more information about how students’ lives and faith are being changed in your school. OSV consultants will guide us through the basic information of the school annual fund and how it can be an effective resource.

How to Generate Greater Giving in the Catholic Church

Our simple, comprehensive program has consistently helped parishes increase their offertory by 25-35%. Our process will not only increase your offertory, but will yield sustainable results in the long-term by coordinating the program with your offering envelopes, electronic giving, record of contribution cards, and follow-up communications.

OSV understands the challenges that dioceses and parishes face every single day. Our time-honored tradition of listening to our customers’ needs has allowed us to develop products, services, and solutions to not only fit your need, but your budget as well. That is why we are proud to offer NEW HOPE OFFERTORY RECOVERY SOLUTIONS. These turn-key solutions were developed to help parishes recover and stabilize offertory as well as infuse funds now.

The question "Who am I?" is on the minds and hearts of people of all ages. And for good reason: The answer is important! Who we are - or who we think we are - drives our actions and shapes our relationships.

In Who Am I, Lord?, author and speaker Joe Heschmeyer tackles the question of identity by asking two even more important questions:

Who is Jesus?

Who does he say you are?

OSV understands the challenges that dioceses and parishes face every single day. Our time-honored tradition of listening to our customers’ needs has allowed us to develop products, services, and solutions to not only fit your need but your budget as well. That is why we are proud to offer NEW HOPE OFFERTORY RECOVERY SOLUTIONS. These turn-key solutions were developed to help parishes recover and stabilize offertory as well as infuse funds now

VBS is such a special event for many parishes and their children. How can we make sure VBS goes forward, in some format, safely in this year of COVID-19? This webinar, presented by OSV’s VBS development team, will discuss a number of strategies for implementing Rocky Railway this year, including brand new resources for at-home implementation.

We know NO ONE likes to ask for money, especially leadership in The Catholic Church. Too many people think we should not be asking for money in light of the current pandemic. Others think no one has any more money to give.

Parish offertory is down, on average of 30-50% since the nationwide shutdown. Experts are predicting parishes should budget a 10-25% decline in their offertory for the next fiscal year. This prediction does not need to become our reality. We can sustain offertory and emerge with the resources to do God’s work in our communities.

Please join nationally know speakers Dave Baranowski, Director of Stewardship, Archdiocese of St. Louis and Joanie Lewis, Senior Lead Account Executive, OSV for an open conversation discussing the spirituality and practicality of asking for money in The Church. Dave and Joanie will share insight, stories, and steps to take to address the current offertory situation provide and solutions to emerge with a strong offertory.

Planning with New Hope

Now, more than ever, we need to articulate our mission and vision for our parishes. OSV is offering a quick-start Parish Vision Plan process to help you plan for the future of your parish. We'll outline our tried and true methods for Vision Planning to create a New Hope Vision for your Parish. This Parish Vision Plan is an active document and parish-wide jumpstart to unite your parish’s Mission and ministry. And most importantly it answers the question, “Where are we going?” This is not simply another exercise, program, or gimmick. It is a way forward for your entire parish. Together, we take a comprehensive look at how to help you thrive, including hospitality, outreach, finances, communication, evangelization, and formation. We then compile a 3-year written plan that truly energizes and unites your parish in Mission.

New Hope Offertory Recovery Solutions

OSV understands the challenges that dioceses and parishes face every single day. Our time-honored tradition of listening to our customers’ needs has allowed us to develop products, services, and solutions to not only fit your need but your budget as well. That is why we are proud to offer NEW HOPE OFFERTORY RECOVERY SOLUTIONS. These turn-key solutions were developed to help parishes recover and stabilize offertory as well as infuse funds now.

Full Steam Ahead: Additional FREE Digital Tools to Make Your Virtual VBS Even Easier

In this webinar, co-led by Mike Hoyt and Dr. Joseph White, we’ll present some handy free digital tools you can use to make your virtual VBS easier to prepare and implement. If you’re streaming content, how can you include videos from OSV in your VBS stream? If you’re pre-recording, how can you direct families to all the components in one easy place? Where can you network and share ideas with other Catholic VBS directors this summer? We’ll answer those questions and more as we help you go FULL STEAM AHEAD with your virtual VBS-At-Home.

God's Guide for Grandparents...During the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has complicated or made impossible many things for us all, including the special time spent with grandchildren. How can grandparents continue to truly make a difference in their grandchildren’s lives?

Grandparents have the unique opportunity to be holy role models by continuing to grow in their faith and by living the values of the Gospel message.

God’s Guide for Grandparents draws on sacred Scripture, the example of the saints, the teachings of the Church, the writings of Pope Francis, and anecdotes from today’s grandparents. Grandchildren are always watching. Make the most of your opportunity to have a positive and lasting impact in their lives.

He Is with Us Always

"Brother François, please tell us about the Eucharist."

When Brother François invites two children to join him in visiting Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, they learn all about the source and summit of our Catholic Faith.

Written and illustrated to help children fall in love with the Eucharist, He Is With Us Always will become a treasured family favorite. Brother François will join us from St. Pio Friary in Bradford, England, to discuss the new children's book.

Be Yourself: A Journal for Catholic Boys

Be Yourself: A Journal for Catholic Boys was designed for boys to understand their identity and individuality, with the help of their Catholic faith.

Join us as author Amy Brooks discusses this journal, packed with journaling questions, great art, quizzes, quotes from the saints, Scripture verses, and passages from the Catechism of the Catholic Church--and how it can help boys become the men God created them to be.

Unworried During the Time of Covid-19

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused anxiety in most of us and life as we knew it might never be the same. Anxiety was already rampant, with twenty percent of Americans suffering from anxiety disorders, and millions wrestling with worry and stress on a daily basis.

How can we stop worrying and start living an anxiety-free life? As Dr. Greg Popcak will share with us, the answer isn’t “just pray more” or “just read more Scripture” or, worst of all, “just stop worrying.” If we learn to respect how God made us, we can build new habits of thinking, communicating, and acting that will help set us free from worry.

In his book, Unworried: A Life Without Anxiety, Dr. Popcak integrates insights from our Catholic Faith with cutting-edge psychological research to help the anxious reader form a comprehensive plan for conquering anxiety and living a life of true peace.

Pursuing Freedom: Becoming the Man You Could Be

In his new book, Pursuing Freedom: Becoming the Man You Could Be, Thomas Wurtz challenges Catholic men to live out their call to shamar (guard and protect) by embracing eight essential characteristics of a man: courage, self-control, magnanimity, humility, perseverance, surrender, commitment to mission, and, most of all, love.

Join us as Thomas discusses his new book and how you can live out this call from God.

Making Home-Based Catechesis Simple, Flexible and Effective

2020 has been a year of disruption and uncertainty about the future. As your partner in ministry, OSV is ready to adapt to your changing needs. This webinar, facilitated by the OSV Catechetical Resources Team, will walk you through OSV’s resources for home-based catechesis. The resources we will discuss are FREE for those who already use OSV’s curriculum programs. From tools you might already be familiar with, such as our home session plans and e-books, to new resources, like virtual lesson plan templates, modified family gathered sessions, and simple guides for multi-age family discussions, these tools will help you to be flexible in a year in which flexibility will be essential. Come join us as we share ways to keep your learners on track with systematic, comprehensive catechesis in a format that is easy to use, doesn’t place unrealistic responsibility on parents who might already be juggling many new educational tasks, and offers a blended learning experience, rather than simply adding more screen time.

This webinar will offer a practical step-by-step walkthrough of FlipGrid.com and training for anyone looking to set-up a free virtual sharing platform for religious education. This workshop is open to catechists, teachers, DREs, youth ministers and school principals. This presentation will cover the important features, specific to religious education platforms like safety, privacy, user-friendliness, user-interaction and ease of use. Facilitated by Mike Hoyt, Senior Parish/School Consultant for OSV as well as a former director of religious education, school teacher and diocesan director.

We will share our experiences especially around the Diocese of Saginaw and several other dioceses.  We will share how OSV can outfit your parishes and diocese with the solutions,  resources,  and support necessary to implement blended models with books and e-books.  OSV can work with your diocese to coordinate a plan for parishes to opt-in, save funds, and have the opportunity for support in solidarity with other parishes and OSV training.  

What's in the new Directory for Catechesis?

After much anticipation, a brand new Directory for Catechesis for the universal Church was released by the Vatican on Wednesday, June 25th. The Directory for Catechesis contains the official directives from the Church for those who hand on the faith to others. This webinar will provide you with a guided tour of the new document so you can become more familiar with its structure and content. We’ll highlight, in plain English, the main points and new content in this directory and discuss the potential practical applications for our work as catechists, catechetical leaders, and religious educators. Join us as we dive into a new moment in catechesis!