Restorative model of dialogue enhances parish vitality
Caitlin Morneau, M.A.
Ministry leaders engage parish-wide process through Conversations in Communion
Parish engagement is not new for St. Francis Xavier College Church in St. Louis, Missouri. This Jesuit parish expresses love of neighbors and selves through liturgy, sacraments, and engagement in lifelong formation that proclaims God’s reign of justice, mercy, and peace. Two years ago, they took it to the next level, using a restorative dialogue model at a catalyzing moment for the community.
In 2021, this Catholic parish began a racial equity review. During Lent 2025, the committee had drafted a preliminary report to share with the parish community for prayer, feedback, and participation before creating recommendations. Such conversations, they knew, required a container that would allow for deep listening and discernment — all in a spirit of openness, honesty, and trust.
That’s when they discovered Catholic Mobilizing Network’s Conversations in Communion: Parish Dialogues for Connection and Understanding program, designed to introduce the restorative practice of circle process in parishes and ministries for synodal dialogue. College Church leaders were especially interested in how the three part CIC training experience helps to equip small group facilitators with the process, tools, and spiritual preparation to hold the conversations that would be most vital for their parish community.
Leaders of the College Church parish will tell you that when they heard about Conversations in Communion, they knew it was exactly what they needed. And so they sent 10 members of their team to attend virtual training with CMN, where they designed and planned how to implement their Conversations in Communion based on the findings of the report from the racial equity review.
“In all of the circles that I’ve taken part in, for our centerpiece and talking piece, we have spiritual elements, like a candle or Tau cross, that keep us focused and centered about what it is that we’re doing and the purpose of that gathering.”
— Winnie Sullivan
The leaders arranged three sessions for all parishioners who wanted to be involved. At each session, multiple small groups were each accompanied by two co-facilitators who had been trained with CMN. First, they focused on relationship building and developing community agreements — a core practice of the restorative circle process. Then, they returned to dive into the content of the report and share perspectives and insights. And finally, they gathered to discern what would come next, ending with the question: “What do you feel called to do now?”
The organizers used tools they had received during the Conversations in Communion training to develop a thoughtful and intentional process design that created the container necessary for such conversations to take place.
Those who participated shared that no other activity in their active parish had provided such an opportunity for engagement. The rich experience created pathways for meaningful relationships and a deeper sense of community — both of which benefited the aims of discernment around the racial equity review.
“I feel like that’s a huge benefit of this, that is different than if we just had a meeting, for example. I heard people walk away with a sense of knowing each other more intentionally, being in community with each other in a different way with the other people in their small group. I think it created the context for us to deepen our sense of communion and community with each other. It was a direct impact of using the circle process to explore the results of the racial equity review.”
— Aimee Wittman
Even more, the invitation to this Conversation in Communion brought in parishioners who hadn’t been engaged before. At follow up gatherings, organizers noticed that event attendance more than doubled, and new people were signing up for committees.
Today, the College Church is implementing aspects of Conversations in Communion in their parish council and is continuing to train new leaders. They’ll tell you that Conversations in Communion “holds the promise of effecting a change in parish life.” It adds vitality to the parish community in ways that are sustainable.
When asked if others should participate in the training, they said: “If you want an active, vibrant parish that people really want to be a part of and others are drawn to — do it!”
