6 Creative Ways to Welcome Your New Pastor to Your Catholic Church

Transitions in parish leadership are significant moments in the life of your Catholic community. The arrival of your new pastor presents a valuable opportunity to strengthen community bonds and renew parish engagement. Making this transition warm and memorable helps both the priest and parishioners feel more connected.

To help, here are six thoughtful and creative ways to introduce your new pastor to your parish family, make him feel truly welcomed, and include everyone in a special way.

1. Host a Welcome Picnic or Potluck

There’s something sacred about breaking bread together. A parish-wide picnic or potluck is a relaxed, joyful way for parishioners to meet their new pastor. As many leadership changeovers happen during the summer for parishes, consider organizing a simple outdoor gathering with family games, music, and a short welcome speech. It might even be fun to include an outdoor “Mass on the Grass” as well. Add a table for children to create welcome cards or drawings that can be displayed in the parish hall or office for the summer while your new pastor gets settled.

2. Use the Parish Website as a Storytelling Platform

Your parish website is a powerful tool to introduce your new pastor to not only your church community but also to those who might come across your website. Beyond a basic biography, consider adding a Q&A blog post or welcome letter from the pastor sharing his background, vocation story, favorite Scripture verse, hobbies, and hopes for the parish. Incorporate warm, professional photography to help parishioners feel they already know him before he celebrates his first Mass. Many websites made with LPi’s powerful church website platform, WeConnect, already incorporate a section for a pastor’s letter in the design. It’s the perfect place to host this type of information.

3. Feature the Pastor in Your Bulletin

Your bulletin is already a trusted weekly touchpoint for your parish family. Include an interview with your new pastor, a personal reflection, or even a photo collage from his first week. The bulletin is also a great spot to promote welcome events or invite parishioners to submit prayers or notes of encouragement for your new pastor.

Pro tip! Make the most of your content by using it across multiple touchpoints. If you’ve already posted something on your website, consider sharing it in your bulletin too (or the other way around). There’s nothing wrong with a little overlap. For example, if your pastor provided a great Q&A for your website, you might include the first few questions in your bulletin and invite readers to “read more” online.

If you’re looking at your bulletin right now and wondering if your new pastor might find it a little outdated … we can help! Our designers specialize in creating modern, welcoming, and fully customized parish bulletin templates. Learn more about what we can do for your parish bulletin.

4. Don’t Forget Social Media!

Posting on Facebook or Instagram gives your parish a chance to make introductions in a personable, ongoing way. Share a short video greeting from the pastor, post photos from the welcome events you may hold in his honor, or run a "Meet the Pastor" week with fun daily facts like his favorite saint, go-to coffee order, and hobbies. As a bonus, encourage parishioners to comment with their own introductions and warm wishes, or ask them to tag you in their own welcome posts — then repost them!

5. Introduce Through Ministry Moments

Schedule meetings with your new pastor for all active ministries. Although these introductions won’t happen overnight and might, in fact, take several months, they’re a great way for ministry leaders and volunteers to introduce themselves, explain what they do, and build early rapport. These informal gatherings could be simple coffee chats, faith-sharing circles, or brief "tours" hosted by each ministry to showcase how they serve the parish and community.

As a bonus, consider highlighting these ministry visits with photos in your bulletin and on social media. For example, one week he could write about his experience visiting the youth ministry, accompanied by some photos. The next week, he could include a note about his visit with the St. Vincent de Paul chapter of your parish.

6. Start a "Welcome Journal"

Set out a notebook or binder in the church narthex where parishioners can leave notes, prayers, or drawings to welcome the new pastor. This simple gesture creates a lasting keepsake for the new priest and gives him a glimpse into the hearts of those in his new community. Consider encouraging and reminding people to do this through announcements at Mass and in the parish bulletin.

Transitions often have the opportunity to become beautiful beginnings. With a little creativity and heart, your parish can help your new pastor feel immediately at home, while strengthening your parish’s sense of community in the process.

For more inspiration and ideas from LPi, head over to the “Parish Life” section of our blog.