Description: Dusty Catholics is a Lenten outreach project that combines a three-part evangelization plan for providing young adults with a personal encounter with Christ: in-person on Ash Wednesday, online, and at parish and outreach events. NOTE: We’re featuring this now — in the fall — so you have plenty of time to prepare for Lent!
Get Ready
- Prep Time: Three to five months in advance.
- Volunteers Needed: A minimum of three for the Planning Team, and one to five at the community/parish level. The Planning Team will execute the design of business cards and other promotional materials, the website design, and the outreach event. Community/parish volunteers will distribute business cards and facilitate Lenten events to which young adults are invited to have an encounter experience with Christ.
- Supplies: Dusty Catholics business cards, promotional materials, and a website.
- Reserve the Space: The Planning Committee will need to scout and reserve a space appropriate for the outreach event. The community/parish volunteers will need permission to use a space to hand out business cards on Ash Wednesday (i.e., the narthex of the church).
- Ideal Group Size: Depends on the number of participating parishes, but it could be 50 to 1,000.
- Who is this for? All young adults, single, married, or religious.
- When is a good time for this? Dusty Catholics is executed over a three- to five-month period culminating during the season of Lent. Business cards are handed out to young adults on Ash Wednesday, and the gathering event is to be held sometime during Lent. The website should be available at least a week before Ash Wednesday to begin publicizing with the young adults.
- Publicize the Program:
- Promote on Facebook and Twitter in the days immediately following Ash Wednesday. Include links to the Dusty Catholics website, which will direct visitors to all participating parish events. Create a short video to highlight the message of love and mercy.
Prayer for Program Planner: Good and gracious God, we ask that you send your Holy Spirit to pour your blessings upon this project and those working to spread the message of your love and mercy during the Lenten season.
Community Building: This program will provide a community experience as young adults become more connected to their parish and are also connected regionally at a diocesan gathering. Young adults have an opportunity to encounter Christ at many levels. Community/parish events are designed to catch the young adults as they attend Ash Wednesday mass, and are then invited to attend the Lenten events at their particular parish. The Diocesan Planning Team will build community through a single outreach event, which welcomes all young adults to encounter Christ together.
