Every Parish Counts!
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2024 New Parishes
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2024 Returning Parishes
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2024 Total Parish Count
- Richmond, TX – Returning
- Christ the King – Dallas, TX – Returning
- St. Thomas Aquinas – College Station, TX – Returning
- St. Mary’s – Stockdale, TX – Returning
- Blessed Sacrament – Ft. Mitchell, KY – Returning
- Blessed Sacrament – Madison, WI – Returning
Recruiting Strategies
PERSONAL INVITE
A personal invitation to “come and see” remains the most effective way to invite men and pastors to start TMIY at their parish. Below are some tips and resources to help you in one-to-one outreach.
- Personal Testimony
Tell them why you are amazed about TMIY. It doesn’t have to be dramatic, but sharing how TMIY has made a positive impact on your life, spiritual journey or family is a natural way to invite someone else to encounter Jesus in a more profound way. - Have Info at Hand
Save the following links to your phone so you can quickly copy-paste them into a text message. Ask to send them the message. Do it right then to make sure they receive it.- Start TMIY: https://bit.ly/TMIYgo
- Promo Video: https://youtu.be/c3vtwLECILw
- Start TMIY: https://bit.ly/TMIYgo
- Follow Up
If you completed step 2 above, you now have their contact info to follow up with them later. After a week, reach out to see if they watched the video or looked at the page. Ask them to come to one of your TMIY sessions. Ask if you could meet with men at their parish or with the pastor. If there is genuine interest, return to this page and add the parish to the Prospect Parish List.
TARGETED MESSAGING
If you are unable to arrange face-to-face meetings with men from another parish, sending messages to specific people can help get things moving.
- Find Your Targets
Most dioceses have resources on their website. Search the website for parishes near you. Search parish websites to see if you can find a contact for anyone leading men’s ministry. Contact the Director of Family Life at your diocese to see if they have a list of people in men’s ministry that they could share. Call the nearby parishes and ask the office who would be the best person to talk to about TMIY. Get their name and email. Ask for a meeting with the Pastor. - Create Message
Remember that a targeted message is aimed at opening the door to make a personal invitation. Edit the following text and make it your own.
Dear <contact name>,
My name is <your name>. I am involved in the men’s ministry at <parish name> parish. We have been running the That Man is You! program for <x> years. It has had a major impact on my family life and the lives of so many other men. . .
- Don’t Get Discouraged
Sending a message is easy. It is also easy to ignore. Don’t worry if few people respond. Keep up the great work! If you are unable to get a meeting, send a follow-up letting them know you are also available for a phone call or virtual meeting if that is easier for them.
BROADCAST OUTREACH
There are times when it is best to cast a wide net. Broadcasting information and resources to many people all at once may uncover a hidden opportunity to spread TMIY.
- Host an Event
Reach out to some local TMIY men in your area and pick a date to host an informational night where parish leaders and men come to learn more about TMIY. Pick a parish that is centrally located to the parishes you want to invite. Use all the other recruiting methods on this page to promote your event. Reach out to us at Paradisus Dei for ideas and materials to use for your event. - Diocese Communications
Many dioceses have a monthly newspaper or magazine. Some have digital emails that go to parishioners and parish staff. Reach out to the communication office at your diocese and ask them to send out an invitation to learn more about bringing TMIY to their parish. Often this works best if you plan to host an information night about TMIY. Dioceses tend to promote an event better than a program or website.
Many Catholic newspapers and radio stations also allow for local announcements and would be willing to help get your message out. - Social Media
If you or someone in your family has a good local following on social media, you can try sending out a post about TMIY. Make sure to share a photo of your group and talk about why you go to TMIY. Ask people to reach out to you about starting TMIY at their parish. Do not share any personal information about yourself, such as your cell phone number.
RESOURCES TO GET STARTED
Invite Anyone Interested in Starting TMIY to One of Our Upcoming Mission Nights
Questions About TMIY or Our Other Catholic Men’s Programs?
Send us a message or give us a call. We look forward to hearing from you!
