Technology That Saves Time

Michael Andrews. Brigid Johnson. Peter Ries

Advice for the Digital Immigrant

Read the manual: It really does have some very beneficial information and the Table of Contents and Index can quickly narrow your search. Or check out the Dummies section of your local bookstore for a title devoted to your software. It will have hints and tips that you may have missed when you read the manual the first time… if you read the manual the first time.

Take the offered training on new software:It can save hours of trying to figure it out for yourself.

Use How-To-Tutorial Websites: Type in a topicand you will find that these sites will provide you with tutorials in very simple and easy to understand language. The topics are much bigger than computer issues. Most sites are free.

Utilize YouTube ( videos can be a very powerful promotional tool and every teenager you know understands how to create them. Just be sure to supervise closely. Always preview a media resource, from the very beginning to the very end, before using with any group of people.

Succinct And Important Ideas Regarding Technology

The following material applies to both the parish and diocesan ministry situatio

  • Data bases – initially must be set up correctly and must be functional according to the needs of the user not the designer.
  • E-mail weekly/monthly catechist or PCL newsletter or according to need so they know what’s happening on Sunday (or Wednesday or whenever the classes/events are held) and reminders of deadlines and formation opportunities, events, etc.
  • Fill out forms on line with a dynamic portable document format (pdf) (electronic registration dumps into the excel file from which you can drive the printing of name tags.)
  • Filling out reports online with the ability to store and change the numbers for the next year rather than reproduce the whole form. Be sure the numbers still add up!
  • Keep an updated e-mail list. If the e-mail bounces, contact that person to determine the situation. There is value in personal contact and a lot more information to be gleaned from the conversation. There can be a cascading negative effect when recipients are not getting the message on time. It’s not just about the e-mail address. Calling and finding the PCL is on sabbatical in Italy is not an efficient way to get information
  • Create sub groups (ie: geographical, program, grade level(,) etc.) so that e-mails aren’t going to everyone. Subdivide your comprehensive list by regions or ministry areas, for example,Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) directors/team members; Parish Catechetical Leaders (PCL’s), elementary catechists; youth ministers/high school catechists.
  • Rarely does one e-mail need to go to everyone in spite of the fact that your words of wisdom deserve to be savored by all.
  • Put documents online on the website with a link for those who cannot receive attachments.
  • Maintain trust with your readers: don’t send frivolous e-mails
  • Use the parish/diocesan website to store documents, information, forms for easy access.
  • Pastoralplanning.com; teamrcia.com; OSV INFOCUS internet guide; osv.com;
  • Poll your constituency for quick feedback
  • Use technology for consultations, ie: e-mails, conference call(,), webinars, Skype, etc. (See Chapter entitled Technology that Has Made My Ministry More Social.)
  • Using technology for consultations particularly in seasons with inclement weather
  • Use the signature line for marketing, ie: add a favorite quote, advertise your upcoming event, offer a prize for the first reader of the e-mail (consult your technology person for how to modify your signature line.
  • Fabulous shrinking e-mail group: when surveying a group, as people respond delete them from the group so that only the non-responders get the reminders.
  • Use Survey Monkey ( but be careful how you craft the questions.
  • Constantly update parish and diocesan websites to keep them current
  • Expand participation in diocesan or regional or parish meetings by including features such as video conferencing or Skype. (Sometimes you can include conference calls just for part of the meeting.)
  • Encourage more participation in catechist formation by having portions of it online.
  • Webinars save time and increase the reach of the training, ie: cheaper, no driving, and environmentally friendly. This gives access to quality speakers who might not always be available. Real time and dead time – have webinars archived so they can be accessed anywhere or anytime for those who do their best thinking at 1:00 a.m. Shared experience is a starting point. Dead time and dead links are for the dead.
  • Utilize University of Dayton, Catholic Distance University (CDU), BostonCollege, Satellite Theological Educational Program (STEP) at Notre Dame, etc. for quality formation for leaders and catechist formation. Utilize DVD courses for kids and adults. NCCL has partnered with RCL Benziger to create Echoes of Faith Plus,a video assisted program with both theology and methodology topics.
  • Look for software that is functional and user-friendly not just the software that you inherited.PDS is no longer a DOS program.

Mr. Michael Andrews currently is serving as Director of Catechesis in the Diocese of Lansing.

Ms. Brigid Johnson currently is serving as Director of Religious Education for the Sacred Heart Cathedral in the Diocese of Knoxville.

Mr. Peter Ries currently is serving as the RCIA Director at St. Thomas Aquinas and St. John, East Lansing, Michigan.