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that our “Synod Listening Sessions” provided great information for our Parish?

While the discussion questions, presented by the Diocese, at our two “Listening Sessions” (9 January and 18 January), were about our hopes, dreams, concerns, and desires for the Universal Church, the reflections and insights that were shared actually have applications for our own parish – our most ‘personal’ experience of what it means to be the Church!

If there was a ‘theme’ that emerged from the “Listening Sessions” it was about being a “welcoming Church”, where every person should feel welcomed and valued as a beloved daughter or son of God! Concerns were expressed that we not allow the divisiveness of the world, and the current culture of suspicion, contentiousness, and recrimination, to invade the Community of Faith. “Speaking the truth in love,” as St. Paul tells us we are called to do, (Ephesians 4:15) means to make sure that our commitment to the Truth is always spoken with genuine concern for others and a gentleness which invites listening, so that we can grow in maturity in Christ!

We experienced again, in the “Listening Sessions,” genuine respect for others and an acknowledgment that we are all at different places in our Faith journey, as individuals and as parish communities, which does not ‘water down’ the Truth, revealed in and through JESUS! An ancient adage, (attributed to a number of saints!) says: “In essentials there must be unity, in non-essentials there must be liberty, but in all things, there must be charity!”

Concerns were expressed as to how our Parish welcomes and values the contributions of those who have been divorced, of those who are struggling with fear and isolation, and of those who might feel marginalized in the Church, as well as society. How we welcome people will play a large part in their on-going personal conversion, as well as our own!

Because of the wonderful corporal works of mercy being done by our St. Vincent de Paul Society, Community Food Bank, Knights of Columbus, Angel Wings Ministry, Ladies of St. Andrew’s, Good Neighbor Alliance, St. Paul Street Evangelization Ministry, Care Net Crisis Pregnancy Center, Life Teens, (over 50 ministries listed in our bulletin and on our website!!), and so many activities of so many individual parishioners, we feel that we are doing a pretty good job of demonstrating  the love of God for our ‘neighbors’ – including Haiti, Nepal, and Ecuador!

The question/challenge is, how can we be more effective in bringing the love of Christ to our own parishioners, and how we can invite all of our parishioners to become involved and grow with a ministry that uses their particular talents?

It was Pope St. John Paul II who pointed out that ‘Community is built on Trust, and Trust is built on Truth’ (and that the opposite is true: if there is not Truth, there can be no Trust, and if there is no Trust, the inevitable fragmentation and isolation will occur).

We are very grateful for the opportunities which the “Synod Listening Sessions” gave to us,  to speak – and to listen to – the Truth in love! Many thanks to our Sessions leaders, our own Michelle Mitchell, and to all who participated!
 

 

This week’s Question: “What is the Blessing of Throats on St. Blaise’s Day?”

The Answer to last week’s Question:“What is the ‘Last Gospel’?” In the 13th Century it became the custom in some places for priests to recite the Prologue of the Gospel of John (1:1-14) privately after Mass, as they were taking off their vestments. In the form of the Mass that emerged from the Council of Trent (late 16th Century), the priest was to read this Gospel passage to himself before leaving the altar. Catholics called this part of the Mass, the “Last Gospel.” The Prologue is the beautiful poem of the Divinity of JESUS: “In principio erat Verbum. . .” (“In the beginning was the Word. . .”) and the Faithful heard the “Last Gospel” at every Mass, except on days of Lent! In the liturgical reform of Vatican II, this private thanksgiving of the priest was no longer included as part of the Mass.

(If  you would like to be as smart as the “Quiz Master” – pick up a copy of the Catholic Source Book, available in the Parish Office, for only $25!)