There were new reports of sexual abuse by priests going back decades, and the lack of public information from the diocese made each disclosure even harder for many parishioners to deal with. The Buffalo Diocese faces more than 250 sexual abuse claims.

“Back in 2018 there was a lot in the news on the Catholic Church,” Lampard said. “Every week it seemed there was another crisis or another issue that upset the parishioners. And we could see it in our local parishes. The attendance was dropping. The pews in the center of the church were emptying and moving out to the sides of the church, to the back of the church and then right out the door. And collections were going down 30 to 50%, which is very significant. But more than that, parishioners were very upset by the scandals and I think the other issues have been brewing for many years.”

Thanks to Lampard, parishes have a path forward documented in the Jamestown resident’s book, “Restoring Trust in the Catholic Parish,” released in mid-February on Amazon. The book is the result of roughly two years of visits to parishes throughout the Buffalo Diocese starting in the fall of 2018. Lampard and her partner, Kathleen McGough Johnson, were inspired by a submission to the Buffalo News by John Hurley, president of Canisius College and an Organizing Committee member of the Movement to Restore Trust, in which Hurley presented his belief that it was members of the Catholic Church who are best able to save the Catholic Church.

The Movement to Restore Trust had set up listening sessions to hear from parishioners, while Lampard and Johnson conducted their parish visits. They visited 40 parishes comprising 25% of the Buffalo Diocese and documented 165 factors that document parish life.

“We visited many parishes and listened to parishioners about their needs, their grievances and concerns,” Lampard said. “It was an eye-opener. It was heart-wrenching. Kathleen and I realized we have a very complicated, very major problem in the church.”

COVID-19 brought an end to the visits, but not the work. Lampard was afraid simply putting all the information the duo gleaned during their visits into a spreadsheet would gather dust on a shelf somewhere, so Lampard and Johnson decided to gather the information into a book — though Johnson wanted Lampard to take the lead on a manuscript. A first draft came in at about 250 pages, which Lampard then whittled down to the 190-page book that is now available.

Lampard’s book is essentially a handbook for priests and church members to give parishes a path to follow to restore trust between the church and parishioners. Two churches have begun using Lampard’s roadmap, she said, which uses work some parishes throughout the United States have undertaken as a model for parishes in other dioceses to use.

“In the past we have had proposals, plans, from the diocese,” Lampard said. “They have succeeded meeting the goals of the projects and the plans in some respects but sometimes they miss the mark. I think that’s why this book is so important and other books that talk about the Catholic culture. You have to listen to the people. You have to listen to what they’re saying. I think at times the hierarchy has failed to do that or they think they know best. The bright aspect of this approach is that we’re calling the baptized to come forward and be part of the solution to help restore the trust and to help revitalize the parishes.”

From its founding in October 2018, the Movement to Restore Trust has grown from its original 30 members to include some 150 people, according to Lampard, in rebuilding the Church of Buffalo and helping the church and the faithful recover from the effects of the clergy sex abuse scandal. The movement seeks to be part of the revitalization of parish life in the diocese. That, too, is Lampard’s desire — and the Jamestown resident has an idea what recovery will look like.

“I think if we do this we’re going to see parishes come alive,” she said. “We’re going to see them like we’ve never seen them before full of joy and hope and sharing their faith with others openly without reservation. You’re going to see all kinds of ministries developing and ministries that network with each other. You’re going to see the pews full. You’re going to see every mass full.”

How does the Catholic Church reach that point? It’s a long road, Lampard said, and the fruits of parishioners’ labor are not likely to be seen quickly. Using the book as a roadmap, priests need to share the parish’s vision and mission through homilies, the church bulletin, website, after mass and in small-group discussions

“That’s step number one,” she said. “Meanwhile there needs to be reconciliation with the parishioners. There needs to be counseling for the parishioners. There needs to be a really good fellowship and faith sharing. Based on new models there needs to be an excellent, fun program for adults and children for family education in the Catholic faith. It’s a couple of years before the fruits are seen.”

The book is available for $12.95 a copy at www.amazon.com/Restoring-Catholic-Parish-Marijka-Lampard/dp/1662906986. Lampard said she is willing to give the profits from the book’s sale to parishes back to other parishes to help with the church’s ministry.