The Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange announced Tuesday it will launch a campaign aimed at creating more welcoming parishes, culminating with a large gathering at the Honda Center in Anaheim next week expected to draw more than 6,000 people.
The Aug. 22 event, dubbed “There’s More,” will feature speakers, worship, music and fellowship as part of the diocese’s 50th anniversary celebration. Organizers said it is expected to be one of the largest gatherings in the history of the Diocese of Orange.
The initiative includes training sessions for priests, staff and church volunteers focused on what organizers call “radical hospitality.” According to the diocese, the training will include guidance from former Disney executives and is intended to create a more welcoming environment for longtime parishioners, returning Catholics and newcomers.
“The church has not always been intentional in being as welcoming as it should, but now we aim to better that,” Armando Cervantes, who heads the diocese’s Hispanic ministry and Office for Youth & Young Adults, said in a statement.
The diocese will also introduce a mobile app called PrayServe, which will allow parishioners to track participation in three pillars of the campaign: radical hospitality, faith-filled prayer and generous service.
Church leaders are encouraging Orange County’s estimated 1.3 million Catholics to collectively complete 500,000 hours of community service, 500,000 hours of Eucharistic adoration and 500,000 rosaries through the initiative.
“Our faith, ever ancient and ever new, reminds us that God’s grace is never exhausted and His plan is always greater than we can imagine,” Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Freyer said in a statement.
The free event is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Honda Center.