If you have any questions, contact Kathy Papalia at 814-824-1184. We are very proud of the service and feel that you will be very satisfied. A list of existing sites highlighting interesting or custom features in place on current parish sites is available for your review.
Features and services Click the buttons below to explore.
It's free!
We'll set it up: Thanks to a generous grant from the Catholic Foundation of Northwest Pennsylvania, the Diocese of Erie is pleased to offer your parish a free website.
We'll host it: There are no monthy or annual hosting fees. We have you covered. This website is absolutely free.
We'll move your content: You do not have to re-invent the wheel -- unless you want to. Staff at the Diocese of Erie will upload your existing web content. If you're starting from scratch, we can help.
We've got your back
We'll train you: Paper handouts, online videos and one-on-one sessions are available.
We're here to answer your questions: Highly trained diocesan staff can help manage your site. If we can't answer your question, our developers Christian Brothers Services (CBS), stand ready.
We can help with graphics: We can provide resources to enhance your homepage. For example, the Office of Worship provides banner images to help you celebrate milestones in the church calendar throughout the year. And, the Communications Office has provided several graphics to help you advertise common events like festivals, bakesales, spaghetti dinners ect. as well as special mass schedules for Christmas and Easter. We strive to come up with new ideas to help you promote your events.
And, everything is backed by top-notch security through CBS: Website security and information protection are of the highest importance. CBS implements a wide variety of safeguards to protect its systems, software applications and data stored within them, including physical, technical and administrative.
Built-in features
Flexible layout template: Add or remove modules and select up to 10 colors for a website that suits your parish. Want to change your website colors to for the seasons? You can easily.
Customizable menus: With three layers of menu options, you choose the menu level color, the menu item order and the menu text. Connect content to those menu items and you're done.
Scrolling banner: Beautiful pictures of your location and your events show visitors just how lively parish life can be. Banner images are easy to change so you can keep your parishioners engaged. Pictures scroll automatically. You upload the picture and choose the order. Banners can link to resources elsewhere in your site or on any website in the world.
Post your weekly bulletin: Post your weekly bulletin yourself or link to your bulletin company's website.
Share parish news and events: The news module lets you share inspirational messages from your pastor or in-depth event information.
Live Facebook or Twitter: There are more than 2 billion active social media users worldwide. Take advantage of popular social networks and keep in touch with your parishioners. Visitors can read your live parish Facebook or Twitter feeds.
Extras
Online giving (with your vendor's help): Link to your vendor's web form or embed a giving form.
Google Maps: Use this web-based service to provide visitors detailed driving directions.
Google Calendar: Add an interactive version of your calendar and provide and allow visitors to save your calendar events.
Google Analytics: By monitoring the effectiveness of your online content, Google Analytics provides the information needed to improve your website.
YouTube video: Quickly deliver your message in a format visitors will quickly and easily digest. Don’t feel as though you need to limit your video to merely being informative. Viewers will remember and share a video that is entertaining. Consider using a video from your pastor as a warm way to welcome visitors to your website and your parish.
Online forms: Supporting user-friendly web forms from services such as Jotform, Microsoft Forms or Survey Monkey ensures you can make the move to a paperless environment in a few easy steps.
Branding services
Domain name: If you don't already have a domain name, someone from the team can help you choose and purchase a memorable one. Domain names are approximately $15/year.
Branded email: When your emails look good, your parish looks good, too. Branded email addresses can lead to more people paying attention to your emails, trusting your content, and acting on the messages you send. Let the diocese help you create an email address that matches your web page address. Email branding is free. If you would like to purchase Microsoft Office to go along with your branded email account, the cost is $36 per year.
Custom logos: Design staff from the Diocese of Erie can help you incorporate your parish logo.
Photography: Spice up your design with file photos provided by the Communications Office.
Sign up today!
Parishes in the Diocese of Erie can sign up now! Your free website is only a few steps away. Call Kathy Papalia at (814) 824-1184 to learn more or fill out the request form now!
