2023 Impact Report
3,796 priests 21,000+ leaders 4,968 parishes engaged with Divine Renovation
A message from Fr. James Mallon
Founder of Divine Renovation
This past year, our ministry has once again experienced fruitful growth and expansion throughout the world.
It warms my heart to see more and more of my brother priests taking, in many cases, giant steps of faith towards the renewal of their parishes.
We have learned through our work with parishes that, on average, one missional parish evangelizes 21 people each year. In 2023, our ministry connected with 3,796 priests, an increase of over 1,000 priests from 2022. This translates into approximately 25,000 more missionary disciples throughout the world last year. These numbers reflect a small part of what God is doing through our work at Divine Renovation and what He continues to do through these priests that we work with.
Events last year, such as the first-ever Divine Renovation Open House in South Africa and the first ever Divine Renovation Australasia Conference held in Sydney, Australia represent a portion of that expansion. At these events, priests and lay leaders experienced first hand what life in a missional parish looks like. They are inspired and equipped to now return to their own faith communities and begin the journey towards health and renewal.
You have blessed this work of God with your prayerful and your financial support. I thank you for your generosity, a gift to us but also a gift to all the parishes that we accompany on their journey towards becoming thriving communities of faith. Through your continued support and with the grace of the Holy Spirit, I look forward to another year of our work in bringing parishes to a place of health and on the path of mission.
May the Lord continue to bless our work and each of you with abundance.
In Christ,
Fr. James Mallon
Founder
Divine Renovation Ministry
A message from Dan O'Rourke
President of Divine Renovation
It is incredibly hard to capture impact in a report like this. Why do I feel that way?
In this impact report, you’ll see extraordinary numbers. You’ll see the amazing reach this ministry has had over just the last 6 years. And you will get a sense of the immense scale of impact this ministry can have.
But for me as President, these incredible numbers across so many countries aren’t just numbers: they’re people. They’re priests I have sat and had coffee with. They’re extraordinary people who share with me how they were in a bad spot, but somehow they stumbled through the front door of a church, signed up for Alpha, and now have Jesus at the very center of their life.
As a Catholic, I often forget just how blessed I am. My faith, my church, and most importantly Jesus are at the very centre of who I am. Yet so many haven’t yet met Him. It is through these incredible priests we support, the parishes leaders and parish communities that we equip, that lives are being transformed at a scale that is hard to fathom. I was with a contemplative Sister recently, and she said something to me that brought tears to my eyes.
She said, “Dan, remember, all the sacrifices you are making right now will bear fruit in heaven. Look forward to the day when you get to heaven and you are greeted by all the individuals who you sacrificed for. Imagine them, lining up to give you a hug weeping in gratitude for your sacrifices. The work of Divine Renovation is what helped bring them there, and with you, where would they be?”
That sister’s message isn’t just for me, it is for you.
You have made personal sacrifices to make this ministry possible. I give my time to this ministry every single week. But as a donor to Divine Renovation, you do the same. By supporting the work of Divine Renovation, you are contributing to the lives of thousands and thousands of people every year. My prayer for you, is that as you read this report, you can feel the same depth of gratitude that I do. One day, you too will find yourself in heaven. And I pray that you will be greeted by thousands of people who you never met, but whose lives were transformed by your sacrifice. On their behalf: thank you.
Sincerely,
Dan O’Rourke
President
Divine Renovation Ministry
At Divine Renovation, our goal is to
equip 33,000 parishes to become missional by 2033.
At Divine Renovation, our goal is to
equip 33,000 parishes to become missional by 2033.
We will do this by
Inspiring, connecting, and equipping parishes to be missional and through them bring people to Jesus.
We seek to inspire priests and lay leaders to move their parishes from maintenance to mission.
We seek to connect with parish
leaders and walk with them on this journey of renewal.
We seek to equip and support parish leaders for the work of mission.
We will do this by
Inspiring, connecting, and equipping parishes to be missional and through them bring people to Jesus.
We seek to inspire priests and lay leaders to move their parishes from maintenance to mission.
We seek to connect with parish
leaders and walk with them on this journey of renewal.
We seek to equip and support parish leaders for the work of mission.
Notable highlights from 2023
2023 DR Australasia Conference • In February 2023, Divine Renovation hosted the Called to More Conference in Sydney, where over 500 participants from Australia and New Zealand were equipped for the work of mission. Attendees represented nearly all Australian dioceses and included bishops, priests, religious, and lay leaders.
Renewal in South Africa • In October, St. Joseph Parish in Morningside hosted the first DR Open House in South Africa. The event, titled Khaya Lethu (“Our Home” in Zulu), gave attendees the opportunity to experience first-hand what life in a missional parish looks like, the impact the parish can make in the local community, and how renewal is possible for every parish.
Led by Fr. Brett Williams and his team at St. Joseph’s, over 130 clergy and lay leaders arrived at a place of hope for their parishes and found the event to be a stepping stone for renewal.
Multiplying the fruits of renewal • In 2023, we also saw the sparks of multiplication igniting at the grassroots level.
In Poland, the first cohort of group coaching for Polish priests was established. We saw a similar trend in Lithuania, where priests benefitted from group coaching by on-the-ground leaders eager to bring renewal to more parishes.
In Slovenia, Ireland, and Italy, priests who are leading renewal in their own parishes began gathering their brother priests together to share learnings, challenges, and great things God is doing in their parishes.
We also published the book Wounded Witness: Reclaiming the Church’s Unity in a Time of Crisis. Written by Dr. Michel Therrien and endorsed by mission and evangelization leaders, this book contributes a hopeful and much-needed voice to the current Church conversation on the need for greater missionary momentum.
Notable highlights from 2023
2023 DR Australasia Conference • In February 2023, Divine Renovation hosted the Called to More Conference in Sydney, where over 500 participants from Australia and New Zealand were equipped for the work of mission. Attendees represented nearly all Australian dioceses and included bishops, priests, religious, and lay leaders.
Renewal in South Africa • In October, St. Joseph Parish in Morningside hosted the first DR Open House in South Africa. The event, titled Khaya Lethu (“Our Home” in Zulu), gave attendees the opportunity to experience first-hand what life in a missional parish looks like, the impact the parish can make in the local community, and how renewal is possible for every parish.
Led by Fr. Brett Williams and his team at St. Joseph’s, over 130 clergy and lay leaders arrived at a place of hope for their parishes and found the event to be a stepping stone for renewal.
Multiplying the fruits of renewal • In 2023, we also saw the sparks of multiplication igniting at the grassroots level.
In Poland, the first cohort of group coaching for Polish priests was established. We saw a similar trend in Lithuania, where priests benefitted from group coaching by on-the-ground leaders eager to bring renewal to more parishes.
In Slovenia, Ireland, and Italy, priests who are leading renewal in their own parishes began gathering their brother priests together to share learnings, challenges, and great things God is doing in their parishes.
We also published the book Wounded Witness: Reclaiming the Church’s Unity in a Time of Crisis. Written by Dr. Michel Therrien and endorsed by mission and evangelization leaders, this book contributes a hopeful and much-needed voice to the current Church conversation on the need for greater missionary momentum.
INSPIRE
Divine Renovation inspires priests and lay leaders to move their parishes from maintenance to mission.
Through events, resources, videos, and stories, we’re giving priests and lay leaders a platform for sharing inspiring stories of transformation. In turn, more and more parishes are inspired to move into action, embrace mission, and see their parish come experience new life.
Since 2022, the number of priests who have benefitted from Divine Renovation has grown from 2,456 to 3,796.
connected with DR
equipped through events
connected with DR
INSPIRE
Divine Renovation inspires priests and lay leaders to move their parishes from maintenance to mission.
Through events, resources, videos, and stories, we’re giving priests and lay leaders a platform for sharing inspiring stories of transformation. In turn, more and more parishes are inspired to move into action, embrace mission, and see their parish come experience new life.
Since 2022, the number of priests who have benefitted from Divine Renovation has grown from 2,456 to 3,796.
connected with DR
equipped through events
connected with DR
From drugs to redemption: "I felt like a lost sheep that He went to goes and looks for."
Salvador and Marquelia, Mary Our Mother of Mercy Parish
Chicago, IL (USA)
From drugs to redemption: "I felt like a lost sheep that He went to goes and looks for."
Salvador and Marquelia, Mary Our Mother of Mercy Parish
Chicago, IL (USA)
CONNECT
Parish renewal is like going where no one has gone to before. But it doesn’t have to feel that way.
Catholics want to see their parishes come alive. But getting there isn’t quite so easy.
Renewal is difficult work — oftentimes painful. Relationships are challenged. Leaders are vulnerable and exposed. Faith can even be tested.
Renewal can’t be done alone. You need the grace of God above all things — and you also need a community around you. This is why Divine Renovation offers a platform that connects leaders to a network where encouragement, new knowledge, and fresh ideas are shared and passed on.
represented in the global movement
website views
engagements on our platforms
CONNECT
Parish renewal is like going where no one has gone to before. But it doesn’t have to feel that way.
Catholics want to see their parishes come alive. But getting there isn’t quite so easy.
Renewal is difficult work — oftentimes painful. Relationships are challenged. Leaders are vulnerable and exposed. Faith can even be tested.
Renewal can’t be done alone. You need the grace of God above all things — and you also need a community around you. This is why Divine Renovation offers a platform that connects leaders to a network where encouragement, new knowledge, and fresh ideas are shared and passed on.
represented in the global movement
website views
engagements on our platforms
"I want as many people to encounter Jesus in the parish…We always waited for people to come to us…"
Fr. Joseph Owusu-Ansah
Parish of the Holy Family -Thanet • Birchington, Kent (UK)
"I want as many people to encounter Jesus in the parish…We always waited for people to come to us…"
Fr. Joseph Owusu-Ansah
Parish of the Holy Family -Thanet • Birchington, Kent (UK)
EQUIP
We help parishes escape maintenance mode and journey into a place of missional flourishing.
As a guide, Divine Renovation exists to accompany and equip parish leaders for the work of mission.
Through coaching, events, and resources, we equip parishes and their leaders to pursue mission by helping them live out the Three Keys to Parish Renewal:
- Power of the Holy Spirit
- Primacy of Evangelization
- Best of Leadership
29 online • 31 in-person • 1 conference
DR books sold, translated in 10 languages
Since 2016, we've coached 942 priests from 39 countries, in 9 different languages.
EQUIP
We help parishes escape maintenance mode and journey into a place of missional flourishing.
As a guide, Divine Renovation exists to accompany and equip parish leaders for the work of mission.
Through coaching, events, and resources, we equip parishes and their leaders to pursue mission by helping them live out the Three Keys to Parish Renewal:
- Power of the Holy Spirit
- Primacy of Evangelization
- Best of Leadership
29 online • 31 in-person • 1 conference
DR books sold, translated in 10 languages
Since 2016, we've coached 942 priests from 39 countries, in 9 different languages.
Amidst grief, this parish has boldly continued forward in evangelizing and impacting their community.
St. Willibrord Parish
Montreal, QC (Canada)
Amidst grief, this parish has boldly continued forward in evangelizing and impacting their community.
St. Willibrord Parish
Montreal, QC (Canada)
THE RENEWAL OF CHURCH
Equipping 33,000 parishes to become missional by 2033
The Church anchors us to Jesus in the midst of the realities of daily life. Whether you’re clergy, lay, or consecrated religious, in the Church we all encounter the person of Jesus and receive a lifelong invitation to discipleship and mission. To this end, the parish — the central place of worship, evangelization, and formation — holds an indispensable place in the Church’s mission.
2023 has revealed to us the urgent need for parish renewal with more clarity than ever before. The shifting dynamics of our culture, the decline we see in our churches, the changing trends in the practice of the Faith, and the yearning for the Church to overcome the challenges of preaching the Gospel in today’s context all underline a profound need for the kind of renewal that so many parishes have yet to realize and embark upon.
While there is much work ahead, the impact we’ve seen in the last six years testifies that this is the Holy Spirit’s work — and He is doing something new in the Church today.
There is an awakening. The Holy Spirit is stirring within the hearts of priests and parish leaders everywhere not simply a desire for more but also the faithfulness and courage to do something about it.
In our work with parishes, we’ve observed that, on average, one missional parish evangelizes 21 people each year. Each one of those people evangelizes another person, and so on.
Imagine the difference one missional parish makes. Now, in light of 2033, imagine the impact 33,000 of missional parishes will make.
As a guide, Divine Renovation is ready to come alongside these parishes and help them to become the parishes God intended them to be. Our work of inspiring, connecting, and equipping parishes to become missional serves a single purpose: to help bring people to Jesus.
THE RENEWAL OF CHURCH
Equipping 33,000 parishes to become missional by 2033
The Church anchors us to Jesus in the midst of the realities of daily life. Whether you’re clergy, lay, or consecrated religious, in the Church we all encounter the person of Jesus and receive a lifelong invitation to discipleship and mission. To this end, the parish — the central place of worship, evangelization, and formation — holds an indispensable place in the Church’s mission.
2023 has revealed to us the urgent need for parish renewal with more clarity than ever before. The shifting dynamics of our culture, the decline we see in our churches, the changing trends in the practice of the Faith, and the yearning for the Church to overcome the challenges of preaching the Gospel in today’s context all underline a profound need for the kind of renewal that so many parishes have yet to realize and embark upon.
While there is much work ahead, the impact we’ve seen in the last six years testifies that this is the Holy Spirit’s work — and He is doing something new in the Church today.
There is an awakening. The Holy Spirit is stirring within the hearts of priests and parish leaders everywhere not simply a desire for more but also the faithfulness and courage to do something about it.
In our work with parishes, we’ve observed that, on average, one missional parish evangelizes 21 people each year. Each one of those people evangelizes another person, and so on.
Imagine the difference one missional parish makes. Now, in light of 2033, imagine the impact 33,000 of missional parishes will make.
As a guide, Divine Renovation is ready to come alongside these parishes and help them to become the parishes God intended them to be. Our work of inspiring, connecting, and equipping parishes to become missional serves a single purpose: to help bring people to Jesus.
WHY WE GIVE: A DONOR STORY
Bill hopes that "parishes would become places filled with missionary disciples..."
Bill and his wife, Cindy, have seven kids and live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they are members of Christ the King Catholic Church, a thriving DR-accompanied parish.
Along with starting a successful business and raising his children, Bill has been active in his local parish. One day, he was talking with his pastor, Fr. Ed Fride, who was concerned that Christ the King had become inwardly focused. That conversation began a journey that led Bill and a few others from his parish to attend the DR16 Conference in Halifax.” Read more…
Bill
Donor, USA
WHY WE GIVE: A DONOR STORY
Bill hopes that "parishes would become places filled with missionary disciples..."
Bill and his wife, Cindy, have seven kids and live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where they are members of Christ the King Catholic Church, a thriving DR-accompanied parish.
Along with starting a successful business and raising his children, Bill has been active in his local parish. One day, he was talking with his pastor, Fr. Ed Fride, who was concerned that Christ the King had become inwardly focused. That conversation began a journey that led Bill and a few others from his parish to attend the DR16 Conference in Halifax.” Read more…
Bill
Donor, USA
Financials
Have a look at our books.
As a supporter of Divine Renovation Ministry, you’ll have the peace of mind that your generous gift goes directly to the work of mission, evangelization, and parish renewal.
