Many of us know what it feels like to pour our hearts into parish life, all the while wondering if we’re making a difference. We “supply” the sacraments, provide pastoral care, and do our best to oversee the administration and finances of the parish, trying not to be discouraged by the facts that the pews aren’t as full as they once were, that volunteers are too few and stretched too thin, and that the culture outside seems to be growing more indifferent.

But discouragement is not the inheritance of a disciple, and it is unworthy of the priesthood. We’re called to hope — and not just hope for ourselves, but hope in the mission. Missionary hope isn’t passive — it’s active, forward-facing and grounded in the conviction that Christ is already at work in the world. He goes ahead of us. He prepares the way for us. Our job is to catch up with what he’s already doing and bring our parishioners along with us.

This is the kind of hope that fuels a healthy, growing parish. And as pastors, we’re responsible for setting that tone.

Rebuilding with Hope

A maintenance mindset will always shrink our view of what’s possible. If all we’re doing is trying to keep the lights on, our parishioners will lose interest. Missionary hope lifts our eyes from maintenance to mission, in the words of my friend Father James Mallon. In our parish, we began rebuilding for mission by asking ourselves challenging questions: What if our weekend experience became irresistible? What if small groups weren’t just for the faithful, but open doors for the unchurched? What if our volunteers saw themselves as ministers of hospitality and healing? These and other equally challenging questions weren’t idle or idealistic; they were the fruit of hope, and they fueled our parish renewal.

Preaching with Hope

One of the most powerful tools we have to promote missionary hope is our preaching. Week after week, people show up — some eager, some skeptical, some barely hanging on. They need to hear a message that encourages, challenges and ultimately inspires them. They need to hear why the Church matters and how they’re part of something bigger. Here at the Church of the Nativity, we stopped preaching to the choir. We started preaching to the curious, the disconnected and the spiritually hungry. And we determined to preach with purpose: to break open God’s word in order to make disciples. It didn’t happen overnight, but over time hearts were touched and lives were changed.

Investing in the Next Generation with Hope

There is perhaps no greater sign of missionary hope than a parish that invests in the next generation. Too often, we treat youth ministry like a side project instead of a frontline mission field. But when we believe young people are the Church — not just its future but its present — we begin to allocate resources, time and leadership accordingly. Hope looks like creating environments where students can encounter Christ personally and grow in community. Hope looks like raising up young leaders who serve their peers and share their faith boldly.

Living with Hope

Here’s the truth: You can’t promote hope if you’re not cultivating it. Your parishioners take their cues from you. If you lead with fear or fatigue, they’ll feel it. If you lead with vision and joy, they’ll feel that, too. You have to fuel your own fire — through prayer, priestly fraternity, spiritual direction and Sabbath rest. And take time to reflect on the wins, even the small ones, experienced in your ministry. Celebrate every time God shows up in ways you hoped for and worked for, as well as ways you didn’t expect. Ultimately we hope in our mission because our hope is in the Lord. Scripture teaches us all our hope comes from him (Ps 62:6). 

FATHER MICHAEL WHITE is pastor of Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland, and co-author of “Rebuilt Faith” (Ave Maria, $18.95).