GO FISH GLOBAL
MEETS CHALLENGES WITH SOLUTIONS!
INDEX
I. BISHOP & PASTOR APPROVAL AND MANAGEMENT
II. OUTREACH & EVANGELIZATION TRAINING
III. DIOCESAN, PARISH AND GROUP STRUCTURES (THE PORT & DOCKS)
IV. WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDE TO VISIT THE CHURCH?
V. GO FISH GLOBAL IS NOT A GROUP YOU CAN JOIN. IT’S A RESOURCE!
I. BISHOP & PASTOR APPROVAL AND MANAGEMENT
Q: Is Go FISH Global approved by our bishop?
This is required!
Q: Will the BISHOP be able to manage the Go FISH Global “net” across his diocese?
Yes! The structure is designed with that feature.
Q: Will the PASTORS be able to manage the “net” created by their parish?
Yes! The structure is designed with that feature.
Q: How do you control the content on the website or the way things are done by groups globally?
The content found on the Go FISH Global.org website is controlled by the Go FISH Global Webmaster. However, your local bishop and pastors control what is done in their zones.
II. OUTREACH & EVANGELIZATION TRAINING
Q: What if I am not ready to evangelize?
There are other roles available that are very important to the success of the effort.
Q: How do we bring people back to the Catholic Church? The anti-religion propaganda is very difficult to overcome. So many people who have left Catholicism and joined non-Catholic Christian churches. Others have left Christianity, and many young people have even been convinced that there is no God.
The most successful form of evangelization involves having people actually see or sense Christ in you. Offering good answers with love helps, too.
For the propaganda machine, Go FISH Global offers the “GO ALL OUT” methods, to make an impact on students from Kindergarten through College, and on adults of all ages.
Q: The average Catholic doesn’t even know how to evangelize. How can they learn quickly?
Easy! The Go FISH Global training presentations and helpful missionaries will train you.
Q: What if those who see the Go FISH training presentations are not interested in using the methods presented?
Simple! The gofishglobal.org website has a page where methods from around the world are posted along with the contact information of those who posted it. You can use the methods and contact them if you have any questions!
Q: What if those who look into Go FISH Global would like to communicate with other O&E Evangelists to compare notes, give each other encouragement, and even to team up for any reason?
On our website, there is a section listing Outreach and Evangelization teams from around the world by denomination, country and diocese.
Q: What if some people or teams of people prefer to use their own methods of evangelization?
Go FISH Global encourages all Christians to use the methods they feel that God would have them use, as long as they are in line with the teachings of the Church and ok with your local bishop and pastor.
III. DIOCESAN, PARISH AND GROUP STRUCTURES (THE PORT & DOCKS)
Q: How do we Inspire people to get involved initially, when there seems to be so few people doing this?
There are usually some people who are ready to help. Begin by inviting them to join. Our training presentations can also be used to help them and others realize that they can do something to bring people into the Catholic Church!
Q: How can we get the highest number of Catholics within a diocese, parish or group to perform outreach and evangelization?
Start small. Look at how much Jesus did with twelve! Go FISH Global offers a plan and helps keep you organized, and is designed to motivate those NOT involved through those who DO get involved.
Q: How do we keep people motivated over time? Won’t their enthusiasm die out?
This is a marathon not a sprint. All involved must pace themselves: some can carry out one outreach effort per year, others once every 6 months, 3 months, or even monthly. Some will work by seasons. It is up to those involved.
Q: Who will train the people who are going to be doing the outreach and evangelization?
A team called “The Port” will be recruited to do various things for a diocese – including outreach and evangelization training. Similarly, teams called “Docks”
will be recruited to train parishioners and to support the outreach and evangelization effort at the parish and group level.
Q: What about formation? How do our people learn about our faith?
There will be a section on our website dedicated solely to training people on their faith. The bishop, however, will decide upon the content that is to be used for their diocese. If the GoFISHGlobal.org website is insufficient, many other resources exist!
Q: How do we keep evangelization consistent throughout the year?
The Docks (parish support teams) help motivate the outreach and evangelization crews, in their respective parishes, carry out the crew-specific schedule that each crew feels is achievable. Some Dock members are also in charge of recruiting new evangelists.
Q: Our parish is poor. How can we afford GoFISHGlobal’s training?
Go FISH Global is FREE! Everyone will have access to our training presentations, other methods from around the world, videos, pamphlets, etc. on our website.
Q: How do we inspire new people to join the effort?
Some will need only one invitation. Others will say “Yes” with time. The system is designed to keep inviting people, in as attractive a way as possible, to join (or start) a crew.
Q: How do we keep those who do get involved from burning out?
Go FISH Global cautions against burnout and offers a burnout mechanism. But, if they do burnout, there is a mechanism in place to charitably relieve them of their duties.
IV. WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE PEOPLE WHO DECIDE TO VISIT THE CHURCH?
Q:People who don’t go to church need help. But they don’t know where to look for it within the Church. How do you keep aware of everything that is going on around a diocese so that you can give them the help they need?
One person could never do this alone. Go FISH Global suggests creating a Ministry Finder Website on which one can do searches using a zip code, parish, ministry type, primary language, etc. This tool is extremely important to the Go FSH Global model.
Q: Assume we start bringing people to visit the Church or a group. That doesn’t mean they will stay. I know of people who have been invited to mass. When they arrived, no one welcomed or guided them. How can we help them find a home within a parish or diocese?
Go FISH Global has solutions! Those who are evangelized are not sent blindly to a church. Instead, they are invited to periodic welcoming events at the diocesan, parish or group level that have been designed to receive the newcomers in a way that will make them feel loved and accepted. Within those welcoming events the Ministry Finder Website can be used to find every newcomer exactly what they asking for or seem to need. Searches on that website should be possible by zip code (or other postal code), parish, ministry type, and other important search tools. If the Ministry Finder Website has not yet been built, a Ministry Finder data base can be put together on Excel. And, if that is not quite ready, the “Shippers”, which are the people assigned to finding the newcomer a home, can do research to help find the solution that will meet that person’s needs.
Q: Who is going to keep up with these new guests?
A:Follow up is always necessary. The “Shippers” are in charge of follow up.
V. GO FISH GLOBAL IS A RESOURCE, NOT A GROUP YOU CAN JOIN.
Q: How do I Join Go FISH Global? Is there a Go FISH Global group near me that I can join?
Go FISH Global is a resource. It is not a group. It is a tool to help a diocese, parish or group learn how to organize itself, get trained and welcome people they invite to the Church.
-The only exception to this is when Go FISH Global recruits people to serve with the Go FISH Global Headquarters. Typically, these people will not be members of a group, so the group needn’t worry that they will lose membership to Go FISH Global. We are here to help you grow your membership, not to take people away from your group.
Q: What if someone wants to do outreach and evangelization but doesn’t really want to be connected to anyone else. Go FISH Global seems to be a network.
That is ok! Some people are just not group minded. We encourage those make sure that their methods are approved by the loal bishop and pastor! We are grateful that they are taking action!
-These and other challenging questions have already been worked into the Go FISH Global system! If anything is missing, simply add it…with the bishop’s and pastor’s approval! Send us your ideas so that we can share them with others around the world. Get started as soon as possible. Once you get into the Go FISH Global system, you will realize that it does not have to be learned all at once. Start small. Learn as you go. Before long, you will be amazed at how God is working with His people across the globe!