BRAINTREE -- The archdiocesan officials in evangelization and discipleship held a webinar on June 1, entitled "More Than 'Welcome Back' -- Moving Forward in Mission," on the topic of how parish leaders can engage and serve parishioners as churches resume public Masses and ministries.

Viewers were encouraged to share best practices and ideas in the questions box during the event, which featured Michael Lavigne, assistant cabinet secretary for evangelization and discipleship; Chris Donoghue, evangelization consultant for the North Region; and Jamille Pandolfo, evangelization consultant for ethnic communities.

Lavigne began by affirming the good work that parish leaders have been doing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We've been really moved and inspired by the dedication, the passion, the creativity, and the faith so many of our parish leaders have shown in serving their communities," he said.

He encouraged parishes to continue their virtual activities, such as livestreaming Masses, because some people, particularly those whose health would be more at risk, are not immediately returning to in-person Masses.

"Please continue your virtual efforts. Don't end them because you've opened your churches," Lavigne said.

He said that parishes are not expected to do "everything" that he and his colleagues suggested, and that it may be better to focus on a few things at a time in the coming weeks.

Addressing parish leaders, he said, "Remember that we are here for you. That is the whole point of our office."

"Whatever you need, we're here to help you," he added.

The webinar was based on a document that the Secretariat for Evangelization and Discipleship put together, which was available to the webinar viewers as well as on the archdiocese's website in English, Spanish, and Portuguese at www.bostoncatholic.org/welcome-back.

Donoghue clarified that the document is not a directive, but rather an "invitation" to start discussions in parishes about how to learn from their experience of the pandemic and how to operate in the future.

Donoghue said that when they began working on it, they called it the "welcome back" document.

"That was our focus: how are we going to welcome people back? But as our team was discussing and discerning and praying about it, it became pretty evident that this needed to be (about) more than just welcoming back," he said.

He said that the document and webinar were not about resuming the way things were done before the pandemic.

"We encourage you to think about this, as difficult as it may be at times, as an opportunity that the Lord might be pulling good out and helping us," he said.

The document identifies three guiding principles: to focus on mission; to use methods that prove to be effective; and to let go of methods that prove to be ineffective.

"Our circumstances have changed, the scenarios have changed, but our focus has to always be on mission, which is to go and make disciples," Donoghue said.

He said that their office and the document encourage parish leaders to examine the past two months and reflect on what initiatives have worked and which ones have not.

Donoghue said the document was made before Gov. Charlie Baker announced that houses of worship would be included in Phase One of reopening the economy. The document contains suggestions regarding parishes' plans for three different periods: the time before public Masses resume, the time when public Masses resume, and the following three to six months.

The presenters spoke about the importance of hospitality, evangelization, and ongoing formation. Regarding hospitality, they suggested updating databases of parishioners' contact information and organizing greater numbers of greeters to welcome people returning to Mass.

Lavigne said he thinks there will be "an opportunity for new faces coming to us over the next few months," and that working to improve hospitality will help newcomers feel welcome.

Responding to that, Donoghue said, "Isn't that the point of hospitality? It's not just to make people feel good, it's to make people feel good and welcome so that they will hear the message, so that they can encounter the Lord in a profound and tangible way, sacramentally and in the community."

A recording of the webinar is available to be viewed at www.bostoncatholic.org/webinars.