Read this week's message from Father Don
Dear parishioners,
Last week I attended a parish renewal conference in San Antonio, Texas, along with four other local priests. It was a good experience and the various presenters gave me lots to think about. Here are some of the teachings I received:
If we wish our parish to grow we must follow God’s plan, not our own, constantly asking the Holy Spirit to guide our decision-making. We must humble ourselves, let go of our own personal preferences and acknowledge our limitations and weaknesses. Deep surrender, unshakeable hope and profound trust will allow God to lead our parish toward great things.
The primary goal of a parish is to draw people (believers and non-believers) into personal closeness to Christ and, thereby, transform the world. All parish activities must be directed toward this goal.
To become Christian disciples, the faithful must do something and not just listen to the priest. Influencing people to take action is one of the pastor’s key responsibilities.
Parish growth does not require a highly detailed pastoral plan but it does require a clear goal and a small number of well-executed Spirit-discerned initiatives. The pastor is accountable for the successful implementation of the parish strategic plan.
Parish renewal begins with the intensive training of a small group of missionary disciples who love Jesus and are eager to share him with others. These disciples require a stable rule of life, including daily prayer, monthly gatherings with a close community of disciples and consistent missionary outreach.
When we begin our new strategic planning process this month I hope to implement some of the conference teachings. Please pray that our parishioners will want to grow and assist with the transformation of our parish.
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