Moving Rite Along

They say that truth is stranger than fiction. I heard something the other day that bears out that maxim. A friend of mine visited a Roman Catholic parish recently (I’m withholding the name and location of the parish for reasons that will become obvious shortly). There was a large sign on the front lawn with the parish’s name, of course. Under the name of the church were the words “Sacramental Celebrations,” and the sacraments listed were: Masses, Baptisms, Reconciliation, and Bingo. That’s right, bingo. Now I’m a busy person, and admittedly I don’t keep up with my reading and studying the way I should, but I’m fairly certain that we still have seven sacraments and bingo isn’t one of them. It’s hard for me to believe that sign was placed there without the pastor’s knowledge — if it was, then clearly the parish has more than one problem. But I wonder how a pastor of a parish could be so confused and unaware as to think that bingo is a sacrament and that the bingo schedule should be posted on the front lawn of his church. Not only does that sign confound those who read it, but it trivializes that which is at the heart of our faith — our sacraments.

I wonder about that pastor. I wonder if he complains about people who read the parish bulletin during Mass. I wonder if he’s annoyed when cell phones ring in the middle of the eucharistic prayer. I wonder if he’s irritated when parents bring Cheerios to Mass to pacify their children. I wonder if he’s upset when people arrive late and leave after communion. But most of all, I wonder if there is any correlation between how he presents his parish to the world and how the people of his parish approach liturgy and life. I have a hunch that there may be.

We present ourselves to the world as Catholic Christians in many ways. Signs in front of the church and church bulletins are two obvious ways that Catholic parishes present themselves to their parishioners, visitors, and people in search of a spiritual home. Parish communities need to exercise great care in the way that they portray themselves as church and as a parish, especially through their parish bulletin. The bulletin is something that almost every person who attends Sunday liturgy will take home, whether they are parishioners or not.

What is the purpose of church bulletins? They serve a practical function. They inform, invite, notify, and welcome. Hopefully, they serve as a way for parishioners to remain enlightened as to the many ways that the parish fulfills its mission of sharing the good news with each other, the community, and the world. They can offer insight into readings for the upcoming weeks. They can update parishioners on the news and goings-on in the parish. They can present a calendar for weeks ahead. They can provide a listing of Mass times, special holy day schedules, and the Mass intentions for the upcoming week. Much skill, thought, preparation, and organization is necessary in order for church bulletins to fulfill all of these tasks.

First impressions are lasting. Have you ever considered what impression people get when they look at the cover of your parish bulletin? Is it cluttered with information, or is it clean and concise? Too much information can be off-putting, so keep it simple. Many parishes have a sketch of the church on the cover; some have an image of their patron saint. Whatever artwork you have, make sure it is of high quality. Don’t be afraid to enlist the help of a graphic artist who can offer ideas and suggestions and ensure that your bulletin looks polished. Many parishes have a mission statement on the cover of their bulletin. I’ve always been a bit puzzled by parishes that need mission statements. It seems to me that we all have one mission and that’s spelled out pretty clearly in the gospel.

Obviously the inside of a church bulletin is as important as the cover. Consider the look and layout. Are there all sorts of fonts and font sizes? Are there words or sections in boldface and italics for no reason? Are there unnecessary boxes, lines, circles, and arrows? I have seen some parish bulletins that are so visually unpleasant that they are just impossible to read! Avoid inserting scraps of paper between the pages of the bulletin that could fall out and litter the church. Remember, the parish bulletin doesn’t need to be slick or fancy, just neat and easy to read.

Another consideration for church bulletins is the substance and who determines what goes into the parish bulletin. Some parishes have a policy of printing local news and information, such as community plays and civic events. This results in a bulletin that resembles the town tabloid rather than something that represents a community of believers. Put only the most important information in the bulletin, and be sure that it is not sandwiched in between filler so that it gets buried in trivia. Filler should be just that — filler. I have noticed a trend toward larger and larger parish bulletins over the past few years. Some tend to rival the size of the Sunday New York Times, yet the bulk of the content has little or nothing to do with the parish or its mission. Bear in mind that too much information may make readers feel overwhelmed, and they may wind up not reading the bulletin at all. Finally, the parish bulletin editor should have a thorough understanding of the purpose of the bulletin, and the pastor should have the final say in content and examine the bulletin before it goes to press.

Ultimately every parish should have a set of guidelines regarding their bulletin, and both the staff and parishioners should have access to them. Weekly deadlines for information should be established and advance notice given everyone when those deadlines change during holidays or holy day weeks. Consideration should be given to setting word limits so that some pieces don’t read like War and Peace. The parish should also have a policy regarding the priority of bulletin announcements. Should priority be given to some over others, or should it be first come first served? Call me silly, but I think that matters of a liturgical, spiritual, or ministerial nature should take precedence over basketball games and the seniors’ trip, regardless of whose announcement hits the secretary’s desk first. If space is an issue, refer people to your parish website for more information. In case you are unaware, many parishes are now e-mailing their Sunday bulletin to parishioners who have opted to receive it electronically. Not only does this cut down on cost and clutter, it also demonstrates the parish’s commitment to conserving precious natural resources and a commitment to being good stewards of the earth — so go green.

Finally, there is the age old question: should we distribute the bulletin before or after Mass? I’ve heard arguments for both. Personally, I think after Mass is a better time. I’ve heard some argue that to distribute the bulletins after Mass is akin to treating parishioners like children and to withhold the bulletins is to hold people hostage so they won’t run out the door after communion. I’m not so sure I agree. It removes the temptation to sit and read, and it certainly removes the need for ushers to clear the church of bulletins that have been read and cast aside. If you want to distribute reading material during Mass, why not have reflections on the readings of the day? Avoid at all costs putting music, hymnal page numbers, or anything pertaining to the current liturgy in the bulletin. To do so only encourages God’s people to read the bulletin during Mass. I know of one parish that distributes “children’s bulletins” during Mass. The ushers and ministers of hospitality approach attentive children during Mass and hand out these activity sheets. Now there’s a good idea. Teach children at an early age that it’s not only okay but encouraged to occupy yourself with puzzles, games, and connect-the-dots during liturgy.

There is an ancient Latin dictum that calls to mind the correlation between the prayer of the church and the life of the church: “Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi.” Translated literally, it means “the law of prayer, the law of belief.” To put it perhaps a bit more clearly: the way we worship reflects what we believe. The way we worship also reflects how we live our lives. What we say matters. How we present ourselves to the world matters. What our signs, our bulletins, and our websites say matter because they convey to the world who we are, how we pray, what we believe, and how we carry out our mission and our ministry in our parish, in our community, and in the world. Go out to all the world and tell the good news. ML

Ada L. Simpson is director of liturgy and music at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Boonton, N.J. She holds a master's degree in pastoral ministry from Caldwell College, Caldwell, N.J.

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