Search
-
September 30, 2026Every pastor dreams of a parish that is alive in faith.
A parish where people encounter Jesus Christ, discover their place in the Church, serve joyfully, and recognize that they have an important role in God's mission.
Yet many pastors face a common challenge: a relatively small group of dedicated parishioners often carries much of the responsibility for parish life. The same faithful people teach religious education, lead ministries, serve on committees, organize events, welcome newcomers, and keep countless parish activities running.The solution is not simply recruiting more volunteers.
The deeper need is helping more people discover that God has uniquely gifted them and called them to participate in the mission of the Church. Parishes also need lay men and women who understand how people come to faith today, can accompany others toward encountering Jesus, and are prepared to participate in the evangelizing mission of the Church in their everyday lives. This is why Generation of Saints can be such a valuable resource for creating parish missionary disciples.
More Than Another Program
One of the first questions pastors often ask when considering a new initiative is:
"Do we really need another program?"
It is a fair question.
Recently, Pope Leo reminded the Church that renewal is not about creating more programs but about helping people encounter Christ, grow in discipleship, and take responsibility for the Church's mission. He emphasized that pastoral renewal should never become "yet another burden," but rather a path that helps the People of God flourish.
The Holy Father offers a compelling vision of the kind of parish leadership and shared mission the Church needs today:"The priest does not concentrate all responsibility upon himself. He recognizes charisms, forms consciences, and enables the lay faithful to share responsibility: not out of a lack of strength, but out of fidelity to the nature of the Church.
A community in which everything depends on the parish priest is a fragile community, and presiding does not mean doing everything. It means fostering communion, drawing on the energies of others, connecting people and situations, and safeguarding unity.
Ultimately, the priest becomes part of, and longs to belong to, a community capable of understanding its own neighbourhood, of sharing in its sufferings and hopes, and of taking responsibility for the lives of everyone, even those who do not cross the threshold of the church."
— Pope Leo XIV, Diocesan Assembly, September 18, 2026This vision speaks directly to the heart of Generation of Saints.
Generation of Saints is not simply another program/process to add to the calendar. It is a process that helps a small group of parishioners in a cohort setting prayerfully discover:how God has gifted them
how He is calling them to serve,
and how their transformation into a deeper relationship with Jesus can radiate through all aspects of their life touching all people they encounter.
As participants grow together, they become trusted collaborators in the parish's mission, developing a shared language of discipleship, evangelization, and charisms while helping cultivate a culture in which more parishioners are equipped to share responsibility for the life and mission of the Church.
Rather than asking parishioners, "What volunteer position can you fill?"
Generation of Saints begins with a different question:
"How has God created you for mission?"That shift changes everything.
Does It Lead People to Christ?
Pope Leo's first question for evaluating any pastoral effort is simple:
Does this truly lead people to Christ and help them encounter Him in their real lives?
Every parish initiative should ultimately be measured by this standard.
The purpose of the Church is not simply to maintain programs, organize events, or keep ministries functioning. The purpose of the Church is to lead people into a living relationship with Jesus Christ.
Generation of Saints helps people recognize the many ways God is already working in their lives. Through prayer, reflection, and discernment, participants begin to understand that their talents, experiences, passions, and spiritual gifts are not accidental. They are gifts entrusted to them by God for a purpose.
For many Catholics, this realization becomes a powerful moment of renewal. They stop seeing themselves as spectators and begin seeing themselves as disciples called by Christ to share in His mission. When people discover their God-given purpose, faith becomes more personal, more intentional, and more transformative.Does It Build Authentic Community?
Pope Leo's second question asks whether our efforts build communities where people feel welcomed, accompanied, valued, and jointly responsible for the mission of the Church.
This challenge is especially important today.
Many Catholics attend Mass faithfully but still struggle to find a sense of belonging. They love their parish but remain unsure of how they fit into its mission. They may want to contribute but lack confidence, direction, or encouragement.
Generation of Saints helps bridge that gap.
As people discover their gifts, they begin to see where they belong. They connect with others who share similar passions. They find meaningful opportunities to serve. Most importantly, they realize that they are needed.
Healthy parishes are not built by a small group doing everything. They are built when every member understands that they have something important to contribute. When people know their gifts and are invited to use them, parish life becomes more vibrant, collaborative, and sustainable.Does It Help Us Engage the World Around Us?
Pope Leo also challenges the Church to recognize the hopes, struggles, and questions of the people around us and to bring the Gospel into those situations.
The reality is that most ministry happens outside the parish walls.
Every parishioner has a unique mission field: their family, workplace, neighborhood, school, friendships, and community. Yet many Catholics have never been encouraged to see their daily lives through a missionary lens.
Generation of Saints helps people make that connection. Participants learn how to recognize and accompany others through the thresholds of conversion and stages of discipleship through intentional listening conversations. As they grow in their understanding of evangelization, they become better equipped to help friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors take their next step toward Jesus and participate more intentionally in the Church's mission.
The teacher begins to see her classroom as a place where faith can be lived and witnessed.
The retiree discovers opportunities to mentor, encourage, and accompany others.
The parent recognizes that forming children in faith is one of the most important missions entrusted by God.
The business professional learns how integrity, compassion, and servant leadership can become powerful acts of Christian witness.When people understand their gifts, they begin to see opportunities for mission wherever God has placed them. The Church becomes strongest when its members understand that discipleship is not something they practice for one hour on Sunday. It is a calling that shapes every aspect of their lives.Does It Form Missionary Disciples?
Perhaps Pope Leo's most important question is this:
How well does this form the People of God, fostering growth in faith and helping them become missionary disciples capable of putting that faith into action?
This question lies at the very heart of Generation of Saints.
The goal is not simply finding more volunteers. The goal is forming disciples.Volunteers fill positions. Disciples embrace a mission.
Volunteers respond to a need. Disciples respond to a call.
Volunteers complete tasks. Disciples help transform communities.When parishioners discover how God has gifted them, service becomes less about obligation and more about vocation. Leadership emerges naturally. New ministries develop. Existing ministries grow stronger. Most importantly, people experience the joy that comes from offering their lives more fully to Christ.An Investment in the Mission of the Church
Every pastor is called to be a faithful steward of the resources entrusted to his care. That means carefully weighing how parish funds can best support the mission of evangelization and discipleship.For six parish leaders, the complete two-year Generation of Saints process is $9,750.
Broken down, that investment looks like this:- $1,625 per participant for the entire two-year journey
- $812.50 per participant, per year
- Three payments of $3,250 over the course of the program
- Approximately $541.67 per participant per payment
Viewed over two years, the cost is often less than many parish expenditures that are considered routine and necessary.
And rightly so.
Parishes invest in roofs, boilers, parking lots, technology upgrades, and worship spaces because these things matter. We invest in beautiful sanctuaries, sacred vessels, vestments, and worship environments because we believe Jesus deserves our very best.But creating a beautiful place to welcome Jesus in the Eucharist and forming disciples who will follow Him are not competing priorities. They are equally important.One creates a sacred space where people can encounter Christ.
The other helps people become missionary disciples who carry Christ into their homes, workplaces, schools, and communities.
A beautiful church building inspires reverence.
A formed disciple changes lives.
The Church needs both.
Generation of Saints is an investment in the people God has entrusted to the parish. It helps identify future leaders, strengthen ministries, cultivate deeper engagement, and awaken parishioners to the gifts God has already placed within them.A Conversation Worth Having
If you are considering introducing Generation of Saints to your pastor, the conversation should not begin with a discussion about programs.
It should begin with mission.
These are not merely organizational questions. They are deeply pastoral questions. They are the questions facing every parish today.How can we help more people encounter Christ?
How can we help parishioners discover their God-given gifts?
How can we build a stronger culture of belonging?
How can we form missionary disciples who are ready to serve both inside and outside the parish?
Generation of Saints offers a practical, Spirit-led pathway for answering them.
Because the future of a parish is not determined by how many programs it offers. The future of a parish is shaped by how many people discover their God-given purpose, embrace their baptismal call, and joyfully participate in the mission Christ has entrusted to His Church.
That is the vision of Generation of Saints.
And that is why it belongs in every parish seeking disciples.Click the button below to explore Generation of Saints: