All for One and One for All Over the past months, I have been wondering more than usual about how the unification of our parishes is going to happen.
For example, in my October staff report, I put a thought I had about the unification of our parishes. I wrote that unification might be initiated when a parish’s leaders recommend that the parish close. Such a recommendation might come because of financial difficulties perhaps related to some huge, necessary expense.
Once that parish declares that it is closing, our other Crescent Parishes would come to the rescue with a popular Latin phrase setting the tone: “Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno” “One for all, all for one,” which just happens to be Switzerland’s and the Three Musketeers’ motto. The other parishes would say, “Let's combine our parishes now!” This magnificently romantic and courageous approach would see all of our parishes dying so that we could rise together as one new parish.
Even though some might call me crazy for hoping that this unlikely scenario would play out, I’m going to hold on to my hopes in that regard. Interestingly, what I see even more challenging in the romantic “all for one” approach is a first parish saying we are ready to die and rise first!
Other Unification Options I introduced another option at this past week’s pastoral council meetings, during the combined portion of the meeting, I asked pastoral council members to discuss some questions regarding the unification of our parishes. For example, initially, I asked them whether we should set a date for unification. At this point, we have not set a date, and we could well do that. Then I asked them to offer other ideas about some points of strategy about the “how” of unification. Please pray for our parishes’ leaders, staff and all of us. Closing in on the third year of Beacons of Light, while the archdiocese is helping us along the way with vision and culture, we have to be the ones who are going to make one parish happen.
Liturgical Minister Morning of Reflection a Success! Thanks to Fr. Dave and Crescent Worship Commission members of our parishes, especially those who played key roles in making last Saturday’s Liturgical Minister Morning of Reflection a success! Fr. Tom DiFolco has long been a great leader among the presbyterate of the Archdiocese and I admire him immensely. Thanks to all who offered themselves in service through our stewardship of Talent Week. If you receive a call from a parish leader to follow up on your expressed interest in a ministry or service, please call them back promptly!
Weddings Speaking of being romantic, for the first time in the two years of being at our parishes, I am feeling more overwhelmed than is good. I have twelve couples that I am helping to prepare for marriage. It is fun to get to know couples and to help them prepare and having so many couples preparing in our parishes is a great sign of growth and vitality. I most always leave the four sessions of marriage prep feeling energized and upbeat. By the way, if you see a young couple at Mass, be sure to say a special hello to them and ask whether they are married. Perhaps they will say they are newly married or preparing for marriage. If that is the case offer them thanks and encouragement, especially for attending Mass together!
The downside to weddings is that they take upwards of thirty hours, with meetings, paperwork, a rehearsal and dinner, the wedding, and a reception. Weddings also require changing the Saturday Mass schedule so that I preside at the later 5:15 Mass after the 3:30 wedding. My feeling of being overwhelmed will diminish as the first two marriage prep meetings occur, both of them within a month of each other. Additional meetings occur months in the future and are spread out in relation to the wedding date itself, allowing for breathing room. Thanks for praying for couples preparing for marriage and for me!
A Favorite Time of the Church Year This week begins one of my many favorite times of the Church Year, the celebrations of All Saints and Souls. I have been a fan of All Hallows Eve, Halloween, all my life, making sure I watched the Peanuts Halloween Special without fail. That magical experience of Halloween, speaks to me of the incredible faith that the mystery of the Communion of the Saints requires and fosters. Linus has faith enough in the Great Pumpkin to move a mountain, so much so that at the end of the cartoon, when Charlie Brown calls Linus’s sitting in the pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin a “stupid” thing, Linus’s faith in the great pumpkin is born anew, with a promise to be ready for the great pumpkin next year. Our faith in the life in heaven that the saints and the souls of our deceased loved ones are living is strong in Christ, and we are reminded during November to pray for them, connect with them through that prayer and benefit from their undying love and power in Christ to help us on earth. I hope to write more about this great mystery in some November bulletins. See you in the pumpkin patch on Thursday night and at Mass for the Holy Day of Obligation on Friday!