September 2006 - Offer a Home Visit

'The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead.." Luke 10:1

During many of the Listening 2004 diocesan family conversations, regret was expressed that the days of home visiting seemed to have passed. Priests, like families, were often too stretched to do more than visit those most urgently in need. Participants realised however that they shared responsibility for this simple yet effective means of building up the parish community. So this month's top tip is an invitation to parishes to offer a home visit, initially, at least, to every member of the worshipping community.  

Sheila Keefe, from Portsmouth Diocese, was a member of a parish who did just that. She has written a guide to reaching out from the parish that includes advice on offering home visits called Keeping in Touch. You can download a copy from the parish resources page of this website. Below is an extract that illustrates the effectiveness of home visits. 

Establishing such a ministry will inevitably require training and support for volunteers. The usual need for CRB clearance will also apply - contact your Diocesan Child Protection officer for advice if necessary.

The value of home visits by the laity, once established, is quickly seen.  The ROOTS group were able to put would-be singers and cantors in touch with the choir and liturgy group, enquirers with the RCIA, the housebound with the SVP, the telephone Mass link and onto the sick communion list.  They arranged lifts for the lonely to the Thursday lunches and gave the names of young people, sports enthusiasts and justice and peace activists to the groups concerned. A few people turned down the offer of a visit but the majority were pleased to see them and to have the opportunity to talk about their likes and dislikes about the parish, their hopes and needs and, for more than a few, their faith.  Visits such as these fill the vacuum left when the priests' visits became less frequent, and do much to strengthen the bonds of the whole parish community.

Scripture References for September

Matthew 10: 11-13       Luke 10: 1        Matthew 10: 40-42