If we reflect on the NE from a social ritual practices perspective, then I think professionals would start perceiving the 30% of Catholics who attend Mass more positively (not from a deficit model).

• I think the recent book by Michael White and Tom Corcoran (White, Michael and Corcoran, Tom.  2013.  The Story of a Catholic Parish Rebuilt: Awakening the Faithful Reaching the Lost Making Church Matter.  Notre Dame: Ave Maria Press) is a good example of professionals believing pew-dwellers are not good enough and operating out of a deficit model of Catholicism (especially in the first 80 or 90 pages).

If we reflect on the NE from a social ritual practices perspective, then I think professionals would start realizing EDUCATION is not the only answer to the issues facing the Church.

If we reflect on the NE from a social ritual practices perspective, then I think professionals would have an even deeper appreciation of the sacraments and our Catholic sacramentalizing processes.

If we reflect on the NE from a social ritual practices perspective, then I think professionals would promote every parish having LARGE KITCHENS in order for families to gather at the parish for not only coffee and donuts but spaghetti dinners, fish fries, etc. etc.

If I reflect on the NE from a social ritual practices perspective, then I think professionals would promote PARISH Christian Service Coordinators and Youth Ministers ministering together more so than they do now.  If I am going to get the teens in Redford Township to come back to church I need to say, “hey, Joe and Pete, I need you guys to help me build this home for this poor widow (or whatever the service project is) and then after the project I would catechize them about how we were doing the work of the Lord.  Understand, however, that it has to be some kind of lengthy or ongoing Christian service project, not simply setting up chairs or collecting clothes.  Consequently, every parish needs to have a CHRISTIAN SERVICE COORDINATOR and a YOUTH MINISTER and they must work closely together – from a social ritual practices perspective.

If I reflect on the NE from a social ritual practices perspective, then I would realize more fully how CATHOLIC my mother and father (and even some of my aunts and uncles) really were.

If we reflect on the NE from a social ritual practices perspective, not to denigrate or suggest we should not engage in educational activities concerning the NE (workshops, conferences, adult education sessions, etc.), then I think we would start thinking about DOINGS, ACTIVITIES, CHRISTIAN SERVICE PROJECTS that we could get former Catholics and youth involved in rather than predominantly inviting them to scripture studies or adult education sessions or NE workshops.  I have suggested, for example, to the Archbishop that the Archdiocese should have a World Youth Day at the diocesan level.  It would include catechesis, but catechesis would be the least powerful evangelization tool.  The processing together to some common area in the diocese would be the most powerful evangelization tool from a social ritual practices perspective.