Renewing Parishes by Helping Them Go to Their Own People
Inspired by Jesus’ words in Mark 5:19—“Go home to your own people and tell them what the Lord has done for you”—The Mark 5:19 Project equips parishes to share the Gospel locally, relationally, and with hope. Evangelization’s first call is not far away or abstract; it begins with family, neighbors, and friends, and with sharing what God is already doing in the lives of people in our own communities.
Why Parish-Based Evangelization Matters Now
Parish-based evangelization is not a strategy layered onto parish life; it is the heart of the Gospel itself. Parishes are uniquely positioned to foster this work because they are local by nature—where faith meets daily life, relationships are formed, and the hope of Christ can be encountered in concrete ways.
This work matters especially now. We are emerging from the National Eucharistic Revival and approaching the close of the Jubilee of Hope—grace-filled initiatives whose deeper call has not yet fully taken root in many parish cultures. At the same time, parish leaders continue to navigate institutional strain, declining participation, and the challenge of shifting from survival mode to missionary clarity without practical accompaniment.
Over the past year, we have seen what becomes possible when that support is offered. At parish missions, people rediscover healing, forgiveness, and confidence in prayer. In consulting conversations with pastors and leadership teams, excitement returns as parishes gain clarity about who they are called to reach and how to move forward. In workshops across dioceses, leaders consistently name the same breakthrough: they are no longer stuck. They can assess their reality honestly, discern their mission locally, and take faithful next steps toward renewal.
What We Did This Year
In our first year, The Mark 5:19 Project focused on one clear goal: helping parishes move from clarity to action in local evangelization. Through consulting, teaching, writing, and accompaniment, we worked directly with parish and diocesan leaders ready to discern their mission field and respond faithfully.
Direct Parish & Diocesan Engagement
- Served 9 parishes through consulting, parish missions, and leadership formation
- Worked across 5 dioceses, supporting parish and diocesan renewal efforts
- Presented at 8 conferences and organizational gatherings
Formation & Leadership Development
- Gathered the Evangelizing Parish Roundtable: a thinktank dedicated to the state of parish renewal
- Led workshops for pastors and parish leaders, catechists, and Catholic teachers
Resource Creation & Thought Leadership
- Produced 5 written resources for parish discernment and mission clarity
- Published 50+ renewal-focused articles for parish leaders nationwide
Across all this work, we prioritized accompaniment over one-size-fits-all solutions—listening carefully to local contexts and helping parishes discern how the Gospel is meant to take flesh in their own neighborhoods.
Impact at a Glance
In its first year, The Mark 5:19 Project reached thousands through parish-based evangelization and leadership formation.
All of this in our first year of ministry. We are grateful for God’s abundant grace!
Stories of Renewal: Your Support at Work
But we’re seeing more than numbers. Behind every metric is a parish, a leadership team, and a community discerning how to live the Gospel more faithfully.
A Parish Moves from Vision to Action
“[After Mission Ignite consulting], we have a three-year plan for moving forward…The team and I are excited to start our work and see how the Spirit will work in our community of faith. I have already seen seeds of new life in my preaching and in the way our parish leaders and staff are approaching assessing programs and plans for the future.”
— Fr. John Sauer, Pax Christi Parish, Rochester, MN
Helping a Diocese Heal and Rebuild Trust
“Dr. Susan Windley-Daoust has been an invaluable presence at our last two Renewal Conferences.
Her presentations offered clear, practical strategies for diocesan healing and growth after bankruptcy and scandal. Drawing from her research and experience with other dioceses, she skillfully adapted her insights to our unique context.
What impressed us most was her deep investment—she listened, learned, and delivered usable, mission-focused tactics that continue to shape our path forward. Dr. Windley-Daoust didn’t just inspire us; she equipped us with hope, courage, and concrete ways to renew the Church from within.”
— Dcn. Greg Moran, Diocese of Buffalo
Creating Space for Healing at the Parish Level
“Susan Windley-Daoust [offered] a lovely and meaningful Parish Mission on forgiveness for our parish in Lent of 2025. In a year of great change for our parish we needed something introspective and healing, and Susan delivered. Broken relationships and unforgiven insults prevent us from growing and moving forward, and the feedback from attendees was that her visit was well-needed.”
— Lori Crawford, Our Lady of Light Parish, FL
These stories reflect what donor partnership makes possible: parishes equipped, leaders strengthened, and communities renewed. There hasn’t been a recent year in memory where we have needed Gospel hope more.
Looking Forward to 2026
In the year ahead, we are expanding this work in response to growing demand. We will release an exciting new parish-ready resource focused on discernment, assessment, and mission clarity (coming March 2026), alongside tools strengthening social mission, disability access as evangelization, and parish “schools of prayer.”
We are strengthening partnerships with Gracewatch Media, to help create your go-to spot to download practical resources for parish evangelization and adult faith formation.
We are seeking to collaborate more deeply with Designed for Discipleship, a consultancy focused on discipleship-forward faith formation and Catholic schools.
We are writing a new text on The First Evangelical Commission (Mark 5:19), offering Lenten parish missions nationwide, planning work with with five or more parishes, and expanding in person education to three additional dioceses.
This growth allows us to remain relational, responsive, and grounded in hope—helping parishes reclaim evangelization as local and lived.
Partner with us for Parish Renewal
We cannot do this sacred work without your support. By partnering with The Mark 5:19 Project, you are investing in parishes ready to move beyond survival and share what the Lord has done with their own people. Will you help us move with joy and confidence into 2026?
May God bless your generosity, and please pray for us–and all the parishes we serve! Here’s to 2026!