What makes a parish truly thrive? According to Fr. Sammie Maletta, it begins long before programs or strategies. It starts with personal conversion.

Speaking with Patrick Conley on The Inner Life, Fr. Sammie outlined principles from his book Be Disciples, Make Disciples, offering a roadmap for parish renewal rooted in the Gospel.

“The first principle is: it starts with you,” Fr. Sammie explained. “You can’t give what you don’t have.” Leaders must first surrender themselves to Christ before they can lead others to Him.

At the center of everything is the Church’s mission: “Be disciples, make disciples.” Fr. Sammie stressed that ministry cannot become about personal preferences. Instead, every decision should help draw people closer to Jesus Christ.

One of the strongest themes in the conversation was trust in the Holy Spirit. Fr. Sammie encouraged Catholics to take bold risks in faith, even when success seems uncertain. He recalled making a costly parish decision after prayer, only to receive an unexpected million-dollar donation the very next day.

He also emphasized the importance of clear vision. At his parish, the repeated mission statement eventually became second nature, even to children. One young boy shouted it proudly at Christmas Mass: “Be disciples who make disciples.”

Fr. Sammie’s message is simple but urgent: the Church cannot afford complacency. Renewal happens when Catholics pursue holiness, invest deeply in others, and courageously trust God to do the impossible.

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