What is the FIELD Project?

FIELD stands for Faithful Innovation: Encountering, Listening, and Discerning. The field project responds to Pope Francis urging for the Catholic Church to become more synodal. Synodality refers to journeying together on the walk of faith. In this way, parishes engage young adults, listen to them, and discern with them pastoral responses. We hope to help parishes become thriving spaces in support of young adults.

The FIELD Project educates teams of parish ministry leaders so that they become bold and innovative in their approaches to ministry with young adults, taking risks and starting over when necessary. In doing so they will not only develop new ministries and initiatives with and for young adults, they also will work to transform the culture of their parishes to become inviting, dynamic communities of faith who journey together with young adults to bring the Gospel of love, mercy, and compassion more fully into the world.

Teams will apply in the winter and engage in a spring and summer intensive to learn more about young adults, spiritual development, design thinking, and innovation.

Selected teams will receive financial (up to $15,000), educational, and spiritual support  for up to one year as they develop initiatives in support of young adults.

This is an iterative process whereby three cohorts of parish teams are invited to apply to be a part of the FIELD Project.