May 2020 Newsletter | AFC Ministry Update

Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."

Here at Catholic Familyland®, we have experienced an incredibly challenging couple of months as we united as a team and family to face challenges and pressures well beyond the normal for this time of year. Spring at the AFC is usually filled with hard work and a building sense of excitement as we look forward to the thousands of people who will flock to spend five very special weeks with us on our journey to come closer to God and strengthen our lives, our faith, and our families.

This spring has contained the usual hard work and feelings, but with incredible challenges and opportunities to see God’s wonder in action. As the throes of uncertainty and fear that have gripped our country for nearly 50 days start to give way to hope and renewal, we at the AFC are incredibly humbled and renewed by the experiences we have had interacting with and serving those who have come to the Church in this trying time. We have heard stories of grief and concern, and seen innumerable acts of selflessness and kindness towards others.

We have learned much through these trials, and before sharing some exciting news and an update about how the AFC is moving forward, we wish to share with you a recap of how we got to this point.

Actions Taken to Safeguard Staff and Guests
Prior to any closures or governmental action, the AFC leadership began to discuss and plan for the possibility that a mysterious virus originating in China could make its way to our shores and impact our family and operations. We frankly never thought it would come to the extreme measures and urgency that we have seen, but we were prepared to take immediate action to safeguard our staff and ability to continue ministering to the families that rely on the AFC for support and formation.

Within hours of the first orders issued by the Ohio governor and bishops, the AFC implemented several changes to operations to focus on safety and hygiene. We enhanced cleaning efforts led by the same crew that prepares for the arrival of thousands of guests every year. We changed internal policies that enabled remote work for those who could, and coached and monitored staff for compliance with social distancing and the enhanced hygiene regimen. By doing so, as an essential business, we were able to continue preparing for the Holy Family Fest℠ season. With our enhanced operational changes, no staff member has reported as sick with COVID-19 symptoms. The AFC leadership team continuously monitors the situation and makes adjustments to our plans, reacting to the latest data and information available.

This was possibly best displayed when, in order to protect attendees and to support our bishops during this time, the AFC changed the Men’s Alone with God Retreat℠ from an in-person retreat to an online event within a matter of days. We saw more men sign up for this opportunity, and shared a special time in formation and reflection with them.

Actions Taken to Connect with and Support Families in Need
Within hours of the first orders issued by the Ohio governor and the bishops, the AFC leadership decided that there was going to be a need for virtual Mass and other opportunities for families to connect with God. On March 18, we started livestreaming on a daily basis, and have been live for over 49 Masses and 37 Divine Mercy Chaplets. We have also brought to you a constant stream of informative and fun posts to help make the most of time at home, including messages from our chaplains, including the recently returned Fr. Kevin Barrett!

During this time, we saw some amazing connections made with thousands through social media. The number of people reached for the AFC Facebook page on March 17 was 1,862. Over the past 50 days since we began our enhanced outreach, the average number of people reached on any given day now sits at 13,927! Of this new average, over 18% comes from people sharing or finding us through their friends! During this same time period, daily video views on the AFC Facebook page increased from 194 on March 17 to an average of 3,827 per day over the past 50 days!

The AFC also engaged in a calling effort to check in with people who have become a part of the AFC family over the years. We made contact with nearly 1,200 people and shared words of encouragement and hope with as many as needed them. We listened to their concerns, and took many good ideas back to the team regarding our events and how we could best move forward.

Partway through this calling effort, it became apparent that some families were having to cancel their plans to come to Catholic Familyland due to job loss or financial stress brought on by the government-imposed shutdown of businesses across the country. We decided to invite those who were doing well financially to partner with us so we could provide reduced-price or free accommodations for families in this terrible situation.

The response to these combined efforts was awe-inspiring. Between our Giving Tuesday Now and calling outreach campaigns, we raised over $74,135 for this goal! The AFC has only ever survived due to the inspired generosity of our donors and volunteers. We offer our most sincere gratitude to those who joined with us during this time to make sure we could continue to offer faith formation to families.

Moving Beyond COVID-19
As the world, from Italy to America, starts to stir and return to life, we continue our mission of strengthening families in the Catholic faith. Our theme and challenge for this year has been “Holy Families Change the World,” and thus our mission must go forward.

We are going to continue streaming and conducting our enhanced outreach until the last lockdown in our country is lifted. Our families, friends, relatives, neighbors, and every stranger in every town need the grace that only comes from Our Lord and the Holy Family! Even after the lockdown is lifted, the AFC is going to continue providing valuable live and recorded content via our Facebook page. We encourage you to connect with us there, and to share our page with your family and friends. We are going to make our Facebook community a way you can be at Catholic Familyland, even when you physically cannot, just as we have for thousands during the past 50 days.

Regarding our in-person events, we are planning to allocate resources to make sure people who can come to visit us in person this year can do so in a safe environment and in a manner that is respectful to the laws and restrictions placed upon us by both the government and the Church authorities. Aspects of our Holy Family Fest season may look a little different than last year, but we are committed to providing the same incredible experience that we have provided to over 100,000 people since the AFC moved to Bloomingdale, Ohio, decades ago. We are going to continue to adapt and enhance our operations to make this Holy Family Fest season the most memorable to date.