Stewardship Weeks Draw to a Close

Thanks to parishioners who participated actively in stewardship weeks by completing stewardship cards, promising to “up our game” regarding generosity of time, talent and treasure.  This is an assured way to increase life and vitality for us, our families and our parishes!
 
Beacons of Light Convocations
Two weeks ago, archdiocesan pastors attended a meeting about the upcoming Beacons of Light pastoral council convocations.  For me the meetings provided a timely reminder of why I am working so hard at Beacons of Light.  What are some of the reasons we are embracing such a huge cross as Beacons of Light?
One approach would be to say we are simply being obedient to our descendent of the apostles, Archbishop Schnurr.  It is true that Beacons of Light began with good leadership calling the Local Church to challenging conversions. 
Rather than ignoring future peril, Archbishop Schnurr and leaders in the archdiocese, including priests, stepped up to remind each other and all the faithful of some key realities:
1. Even with more vocations in the pipeline, due to the number of priest retirements over the next decade, we will have fewer priests in the future.
2. We are overburdened with infrastructure that we don’t need and can’t adequately maintain (buildings and property.)
3. The number of practicing and engaged Catholics continues to diminish.
The solution to the problems above goes like this:  With a greater concentration of Catholic priests and faithful in fewer buildings/locations, liturgy will be more dynamic and energizing and more resources will be available to increase staff leaders who will lead a revitalization of parish life. 
      This is already happening in our parishes!  Increasing dynamism can be felt, intuitively and measurably, as witnessed by a 14% increase in attendance at Sunday Mass and a 12% increase in Sunday giving at one of our parishes.
      Please pray for pastoral council members as three from each council attend the convocation at the end of the month! Please pray for staff members and all parishioners!  May we continue to pray for greater unity and the resolve to see the wisdom of our calling in Beacons of Light.
 Faith Community Nursing
      Please see page 8 of the bulletin regarding the new ministry of Faith Community Nursing in our parishes.  Please pray for volunteers who can be Jesus’ healing presence for parishioners through blood pressure screenings.
An Even More Bilingual Mass
Recently, Holy Trinity’s Worship Commission suggested something wonderful.  They suggested that Holy Trinity work to be even more intentionally welcoming and open to their Spanish speaking parishioners by making Masses on the first and third Sunday (when Masses in Spanish aren’t offered) even more bilingual.  Truly, Alice, Steve and the choir have incorporated much Spanish and bilingual music already.  At the same time, the Worship Commission is suggesting the next logical step would be to have one reading in Spanish.
     Therefore, beginning in October, whenever I preside at Holy Trinity, I will proclaim the Gospel in Spanish.  When I am not there, a Spanish speaking parishioner will proclaim one of the readings in Spanish.  This will mean that, two weekends a month non-Spanish speaking parishioners will need to use our blue hymnals (where the English readings can be found) to find the readings in English.  Thanks to English-speaking parishioners who welcome this wonderful evolution.
 Preaching Practicum
     Transitional Deacon Ben Mersch will be in our parishes in October and November as a part of the fulfillment of his Preaching at the Sunday Mass course in the last year of seminary studies.  Ben will be ordained in the spring.
     I’ll say more about the five Sundays that he will be preaching as they approach.  However, before that, in preparation for our participation in this endeavor, he needs a committee of at least five parishioners who will help offer him feedback.  I think it would be great to have at least one parishioner from each parish.  The expectations for the evaluators are to meet six times:
· one preliminary session to pray, meet Ben and have the process explained and
· once after each of his five homilies to offer feedback and to share faith.  Ben will follow my Mass schedule, so those evaluators will need to be flexible in attending Mass at all locations.
Please pray for openness to participating if you are asked.  Also, interested parishioners could call me and put their names in the hat to help!
 Mission Sunday
     World Mission Sunday is coming up on October 22nd. This archdiocesan designated Sunday offers us the opportunity to be reminded of our daily call to be missionary disciples and to pray for all people of the earth and those who work as missionaries.  Keep your eyes on our bulletin, where those who went to Ghana will likely write a written reflection on their experience.  There will also be a second envelope/second collection on Sunday, October 22nd for worldwide missions.
 
Sincerely and with Love in Christ,
Fr. Pat