Dear Parishioners,
Have you ever thought of yourself as a missionary disciple? How do you evangelize others? Images of discipleship and evangelizing can conjure up notions of standing at a street corner or going door-to-door to introduce others to Jesus. However, discipleship and evangelizing is simply what we’re invited to do each day as we live out our Catholic faith among the people we’re called to love and serve.
Throughout this next year our parishioners are invited to explore what it means to live as missionary disciples today. Using a simple process, our journey together begins with four special presentations offered in Lent. These will be on Wednesday evenings, following the 5:30pm Mass (also offered via livestream.)
Our next step—during the season of Easter—invites any member of the parish to join a small group (approximately 12 people) to reflect on our own encounter with Christ and how our parish community engages others into a deeper relationship with him. How is this recognized in practical ways for us as individuals and as members of the Catholic Church? As part of our Pentecost celebration, the reflections of each group will be compiled into a written letter to be shared with the entire parish community.
The title of our journey together, Building with Living Stones as Missionary Disciples, is inspired by a document from the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis which was used by our own parish council and our pastoral staff as a reflection guide since September. These reflections brought thought-provoking and heart-moving remarks and ideas.
Our timeline for this initiative honors the 150th Anniversary of the blessing of the church building’s cornerstone in 1871. Bishop Malesic will be joining us for a special celebration on August 21st to commemorate this occasion and to bless us, the living stones.
Each registered household will be receiving a special mailing in the next few weeks. Please review it and mark your calendar for what promises to be a grace-filled opportunity for our parish as we invest this time together and as we look forward to living as missionary disciples!
Sincerely yours in Christ our Cornerstone,
