Awaken is a video-based parish evangelization system that’s designed to provide people with a personal encounter with Jesus and His Church. Your parish executes this intentional, step-by-step process with participants over a series of 12 sessions that present the kerygma - the basic gospel message - through engaging videos, personal testimonies, and small groups.
Awaken is run in your parish by your parish. You schedule the 12 sessions, then invite participants to attend once a week in-person or remotely.
Subscribe for unlimited access to all program and session materials through a convenient online portal, which you have access to 24/7.
You don’t have to plan each session from scratch because every session comes with a fully developed agenda. In general, each session includes video catechesis, personal testimony, and small group discussion.
Beautiful and engaging videos featuring a different priest each session guide participants through every step of the kerygma towards a personal encounter with Jesus. All videos are available through the online portal.
For each session, you’ll recruit someone from your parish to give a personal testimony on that session’s topic. We provide a simple outline to guide them. Don’t have anyone in your parish who can do this yet? No problem! We’ll provide optional videos with personal testimonies from people all around the country.
It’s not enough to simply watch videos or listen to talks. Small group discussion gives people the opportunity to process what they’re experiencing during Awaken. Most sessions include time for small group discussion, and we’ve prepared the discussion guides for you in advance.
This takes all the guesswork out of running Awaken in your parish. Every session contains a Leader’s Guide, which includes guidance for running each session, and helpful lists to make sure you don’t forget anything.
Awaken is broken into 12 sessions, ideally run over a period of about 12 weeks. Each session is approximately 1 ½ hours long. They are designed to draw participants through the kerygma in a systematic and powerful way.
The content is deeply Catholic. It draws people to Christ and simultaneously to His Church. It does so through the catechesis videos given by our priests and the integration of the sacraments throughout the program.
It’s a great tool for reaching out to the “nones” that Bishop Barron often talks about. Videos are down-to-earth and engaging, making the mysteries of Faith accessible to anyone who’s looking for something more. Sessions are steeped in truth, goodness, and beauty, appealing to people of all ages and walks of life.
You can gather people in-person in groups of any size or run it remotely using your favorite video conferencing platform. You can hold one session a week, multiple sessions a week at different days and times, or even multiple sessions at the same day and time. Duplicate and repeat as often as you want. It can be implemented any time of the year, at any time of day.
We give you most of what you need to successfully run Awaken at your parish through a convenient online portal, which you can access at any time, 24/7. You can run the program yourself, or you can delegate and add other facilitators. Plus, you’ll receive unlimited email and phone support, along with a live weekly Q&A webinar.
Because it’s so flexible and easy to implement, there are a myriad of applications at your parish. You can run Awaken as a standalone program, as part of the RCIA process, family formation, virtual retreat, morning senior groups, young adult ministry, with staff and faculty members, and more. Wherever you want to proclaim the gospel.
After spending 12 or more weeks together, participants have already formed small groups, and the people in those groups have developed meaningful bonds with each other. Light of the World provides a general framework and resources to help your people continue meeting in those groups after Awaken has ended.
Feel free to preview the first three sessions of Awaken before you decide if you want to bring the program to your parish. No signup required!
PreviewDuring the pandemic, we're trying to do everything possible to connect with our parishioners, and Awaken is bringing people closer to Jesus, and of course, that is its purpose. The program is very easy to use and the material, especially the videos, are very professionally made and attractive.
Awaken is perfect evangelization for those who already have heard of Christ, or those who have merely been catechized but have not a living relationship with Jesus. We have been using it for RCIA and both those in the program and who are facilitating are receiving so much from it!
Awaken is a phenomenal program that I could thoroughly appreciate participating in virtually. Not being in person allowed me the opportunity to be within my own world and yet be able to share with those in my group and not feeling inhibited about what I said.
Your parish's annual subscription includes...
Comprehensive materials: agendas, videos, small group questions, leader's guides, and more.
Unlimited access to all resources via the online portal. Any day, any time, as many times as you want.
Unlimited number of participants and no additional cost for participants.
Immediate access to new videos, features, and updates.
Graphics, posters, and more to help you promote your parish's Awaken.
Helpful support via email, phone call, and even texting.
$500 / year
Get StartedYes! The program can be adapted to allow your participants to stream the videos in their homes. Then you set up video conferencing to facilitate small group discussion. We provide a detailed guide to help you adapt the program accordingly.
To play the videos, you'll need a WiFi-enabled device (ideally a laptop) with which you login to the online portal. Then you'll have to connect that device to a large screen (like a TV or projector), so you'll need the appropriate cords. If your parish subscribes, you'll also have the opportunity to purchase a 2-disc DVD set containing all the catechesis videos.
Yes! You can access the online portal with multiple devices at the same time. You can even stream the same video in more than one location simultaneously. Duplicate and repeat as often as you'd like.
You need a facilitator and a small group leader for each group (if there is only one small group this can be the same person). It can be run by a parish staff member, or you can hand it off to one or more volunteer facilitators. Personal witness speakers (which will be different each time) will be needed for several of the sessions. You’ll also need your Pastor there for at least a couple sessions, and priests will be needed for confessions and Mass.
Almost any size works. Really! If you only have five or six people, then they form a single small group and they go through the program together. If you have a larger group, they can all watch the video(s) together, listen to the testimony, then break into small groups for discussion.
Yes! Because Awaken is so flexible, you can adapt it to fit your parish's current ministries and programs. For example, you can implement it as part of your RCIA program.
Anytime! You can run it during any season, at any time of the year. You just have to make sure that you can reserve meeting space for consecutive weeks. You can run Awaken at any time of the day. Just make sure you have about 90 minutes to make it happen.
Awaken is designed to be run in your parish. You can run in small groups or as one larger group with small group breakouts. It can even be adapted to run with people in their own homes using video conferencing platforms.
Each session is about 90 minutes.
As many as you want! There's no limit to the number of accounts or users you have in the online portal. Even better, there's no additional cost for adding users.
Feel free to preview the first three sessions of Awaken before you decide if you want to bring the program to your parish. No signup required!
Preview