When Fr. Eric Tolentino became the pastor of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary parish in 2022, he was faced with a series of challenges: declining finances, dwindling Mass attendance, and a need for more organization and direction. The parish, like many others, was still reeling from the effects of the pandemic and navigating a rapidly changing Church landscape in the Diocese of Allentown.
For Fr. Tolentino, this seemed like the perfect moment to employ the tools and strategies he received from Catholic Leadership Institute’s Good Leaders, Good Shepherds cohort in 2019 to bring clarity and unity to his community. For years, he had been waiting to apply the resources, best practices, and tools to transform the parish from mere survival to thriving. But as ready as Fr. Tolentino was, he soon realized the parish was not yet there.
So, Fr. Tolentino turned to prayer.
He began by bringing the parish council before God. He then restarted regular parish council meetings after the pandemic. “When I walked through the doors of the parish, I saw that there was a parish council, but the guidelines for the Parish Pastoral Council were not fully implemented yet.” he shared. His prayer was simple yet profound: he asked the Lord to guide the council and renew its commitment to the parish mission.
In time, Fr. Tolentino’s prayers bore fruit. Senior members of the parish council approached him one day and proposed that implement these guidelines more fully and elect new parish council leaders. His response was rooted in humility and trust: “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
Small Steps Lead to Leaps of Faith
With this small but significant step, Fr. Tolentino began implementing practical leadership changes. “I adopted smaller initiatives, like using agendas and sponsor letters, and eventually introduced SMART goals with some of my staff. While there was initial hesitation, these small steps prepared us for bigger changes later,” he explained.
At a diocesan priests’ convocation, Fr. Tolentino heard about the Virtual Disciple Maker Index (VDMI) and its potential to revitalize parishes through leadership coaching, data-informed decisions, and team-building guidance. Intrigued, he pitched the idea to the parish council, emphasizing that it was a path to strengthening their parish, not a prelude to closure.
The council members were unsure about the VDMI service. Fr. Tolentino again turned to prayer.
Eventually, the parish leaders embraced the idea. They recognized the VDMI process as a timely opportunity to address their needs. Fr. Tolentino’s response mirrored his earlier trust: “That’s a wonderful idea.”
In early 2024, Fr. Tolentino and Annunciation Parish launched into the VDMI process, administering the Disciple Maker Index tool to collect data, organizing a strong team to lead the planning process, and conducting regular coaching sessions. The parish had about 98% participation in the Disciple Maker Index, a clear indication that the parish was full of voices that wanted – and needed – to be heard.
The results of the survey indicated strong beliefs in core teachings of the Church, with 70% strongly agreeing in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist and 65% strongly agreeing to scripture being the word of God. Areas for opportunity and growth centered strongly around discipleship, with only 12% strongly agreeing that they have confidence in sharing the Church’s teachings with others and 16% strongly agreeing that the parish is forming them as a disciple.
So far, the fruits of this six-month leadership journey are impressive. Through the VDMI process, the parish has embraced a culture of discipleship, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making. Parishioners rallied around new initiatives, from hosting open forums to social events, fostering greater engagement and unity among the community, and improving the Sunday Mass experience. The VDMI team called this the “perfect storm” of all the things being done at the parish: an active parish council, pastoral planning, and the VDMI team. The timing was perfect. Fr. Tolentino established a sustainable model of leadership. “One of my goals is for them to carry this forward, regardless of whether I’m here. It’s about building a parish culture that doesn’t depend on one person,” he said.
Guiding with Purpose
Throughout this journey, Fr. Tolentino’s leadership of prayer was unwavering. “I’ve prayed hard for this, and God has truly prepared the ground. The coaching I received has been a tremendous blessing—not just for me, but for the entire parish community. Catholic Leadership Institute’s training has given me the tools to guide with purpose, while VDMI has provided the structure to align our parish’s mission with discipleship and evangelization," he reflected. Fr. Tolentino will continue his journey with leadership coaching.
This story serves as an inspiring example for parishes everywhere. For pastors and parish leaders seeking to ignite renewal in their communities, Fr. Tolentino offers a simple yet powerful lesson: with prayer, preparation, and the right tools, even the smallest parish can become mighty in its mission.
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