Celebrating Youth Ministry and Beacons of Light and More Important Considerations

In my monthly staff report I have a section “Beacons of Light Accomplishment” that has been adding up for the past two years.   I keep past accomplishments on that section of my report and add new accomplishments in bold type each month.

Recently, I had to beg the pardon of our Lead Youth Catechist, Becky Linser.  Last month, she reminded me that I had omitted some Beacons of Light youth ministry accomplishments, which I thanked her for and told her that I would include those in my report next month…which I failed to do.  I expressed regret and asked for forgiveness.  Those accomplishments include a host of combined Crescent Parishes events for youth including:

1. Celebrating the sacrament of Confirmation together as Crescent Parishes (This was HUGE)

2. Summer Youth Events offered for the first time to the Crescent Parishes (Vacation Bible School and High School Events)

3. Come to the Feast gathering for all second graders and their parents, bringing our parishes together for formation for First Holy Communion.

4. First Reconciliation was celebrated together for our parishes.

Name for Our New Parish

Due to staff vacations, Beacons of Light and other more urgent issues in parish life, it has been difficult for the entire Parish Leadership Team (PLT) to gather during August and early September to work through the naming process for our parish family.  With the help of Joe Schnelle and the results of the feedback from our pastoral councils, the PLT has just begun to tackle the topic. 

The goal was to have five names to parishioners in September and to receive feedback from them.  However, as we narrow the names, it is clear that we need to add a step, contacting the archdiocese to make sure the names we suggest will fly.  Once usable names are offered, and parishioners offer feedback, the PLT will take that information and deliberate further to make a recommendation of a parish family name.

As a reminder, nothing official will happen with our new parish name until we are ready to become one parish, when it will appear in the paperwork sent to Rome for the merging of the parishes.  Until that time we will still be known as Crescent Parishes.

Therefore, while PLT is working to meet our self-set timeline of the end of September, the process will likely have a more realistic goal of the end of October.

Thanks to parishioners who understand that sometimes reality and urgent matters must take precedence over our goals and hopes.   Please continue to pray for our parishes and our leadership!!

Crescent South Office

Please pray for the PLT as we consider an important issue for the future of our parishes.  The issue relates to having three offices and three full-time and one part-time administrative assistant.  Let me explain.

Likely, even a mega parish does not have three plus administrative assistants as we had just a month ago.  One parish of our size would call for one full-time administrative assistant.

However, our parishes are rather spread out north to south, and the importance of having more than one office seems clear.  Having more than one office means having more than one full-time administrative assistant.

With our south office administrative assistant taking another job recently, we temporarily closed the south office as we discerned the future.  The PLT shared some initial input recommending that a tough decision be made.  That input included not replacing the south office administrative assistant and transitioning the south office both at Holy Trinity and at COR (in the XJA building) into offices that are not “forward-facing offices.”  

An office that does not “face forward” is one that does not keep regular hours where a person can stop by and expect to receive immediate assistance.  Rather, some members of Crescent Staff will keep hours at those offices and appointments and meetings can be scheduled there.  Currently, calls for COR and Holy Trinity are routed to our Central and North parish offices where Crescent staff are ready and eager to serve all parishioners.

At this past week’s pastoral council meeting, I asked pastoral councils to offer feedback about the recommendation of PLT.  Crescent Parishioners are invited to offer feedback to their pastoral council members as they consider this issue. Thanks to those who do so!

Respect Life Committee/Person

In parishes past, I have been blessed to receive the assistance of a Respect Life Committee.  Such a committee helps parishioners know and act upon the Church’s call to respect life, which is also intimately connected with a host of social justice issues.  The possibility of a parish family respect life committee united with, or distinct from, a social justice committee would be a great blessing to all.

 For example, we received a proposal to have our parishes engage in an opportunity to support women with pregnancies that are a particular cross due to difficult circumstances economic or otherwise.  The drive in conjunction with the 40 Days of Life campaign would help gather funding from parishioners in baby bottles during the campaign.  Some people with energy behind such a drive could help coordinate the effort with a local pregnancy center.  If you are interested in helping, please call a parish office and leave your name and number for me.

Sincerely and with Love in Christ,

Fr. Pat