STEUBENVILLE, OHIO—Franciscan University of Steubenville recently launched Steubenville Parish Missions, a new parish-based evangelization initiative. Unlike the traditional one-time-event-based parish mission, this approach combines the powerful preaching, worship, and eucharistic adoration of the legendary Steubenville Conferences with long-term accompaniment, mentoring, and small-group formation.

Father Patrick Moses brought the Steubenville Parish Mission to Holy Family Catholic Church in Orange, California.

“The Steubenville Parish Mission had a huge impact on our parish community way beyond the three days of the mission,” said Father Moses. “The speaker and the worship leader were vital in opening the hearts and minds of our people to the power of Christ in their lives. What words and music could not accomplish, eucharistic adoration each evening did, bringing the presence and healing of Christ to our people. We are still hearing of the miracles that happened one year later.”

After witnessing the mission’s impact on Holy Family Church, Father Moses will bring a Steubenville Parish Mission to his new assignment as pastor of St. Timothy Catholic Church in Laguna Niguel, California, this April.

Steubenville Parish Missions are designed to spiritually renew participants and equip them to evangelize others. Each mission begins with a six-month collaborative process to help the parish plan and promote the mission and to give spiritual formation to the parish’s core team. A renowned Catholic speaker, dynamic worship leader, and an on-site program director lead the three-night mission, which includes powerful worship music, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and messages about God’s transformative love and life in the Holy Spirit. After the mission, there is a long-term follow-up plan for small group formation, which equips parishioners to form new disciples.

“Most people have never seen the faith expressed in such a profound, personal way as they experience in a Steubenville Parish Mission,” said Brian Hough, director of Operations of the Franciscan Center for Evangelization and Renewal. “They truly encounter the Lord in a personal way that transforms their hearts and lives.”

Martin Watjen, manager of Logistics and Parish Missions at the Franciscan Center for Evangelization and Renewal, said the Steubenville Parish Missions allow people to engage in a relationship with Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament in a way many have never done before. With this strong focus on the Eucharist, the Parish Missions are an ideal resource for parishes looking for ways to participate in the parish-centered Phase Two of the national Eucharistic Revival (June 11, 2023-July 17, 2024), he said.

He expects the number of participating parishes to increase in the next season, from 13 to 20, with some, like Holy Family in Orange, California, signing up for a second mission due to popular demand.

“To see this starting to catch fire has been incredible,” said Watjen. “After the retreat, I hear so many people joyful or crying. They are without words about what they’ve just experienced. It is really beautiful.”

“The mission reminded us that God wants to heal his people and we need to get out of the way, learn to trust him and he will act,” wrote Julie Noce, parishioner at St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish in Brewster, New York, in a thank-you letter to the Steubenville Parish Mission team. “Our community will be forever blessed by your work here.”

For more information about the Steubenville Parish Missions, visit steubenvilleconferences.com/parish-missions.