Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Patrick,
This past Sunday we had a meeting with the group leaders who facilitated our listening sessions for our Building with Living Stones as Missionary Disciples: Phase II. Our conversation was centered on their feedback from the four sessions each group conducted during the Easter Season. The summaries served as the foundation for our afternoon reflection.
While there were many thoughts and ideas collected during Phase II, four common themes were evident within each group’s reflections. They are: Worship, Social Concerns/Outreach, the sense of Welcome and hospitality, and Faith Formation (from youth to adult enrichment). Additional reflections addressed areas of developing ongoing support for our mission: Communication (as informational and formational), Pastoral Leadership, and Intra/Inter-Community Relationships.
A more comprehensive summary will be available to the parish as we head toward autumn. Next steps will include a general parish survey to invite wider participation and then to break down some of these general areas to explore options and ideas as we create a 5-6 year pastoral vision. This process will also include neighboring parishes as well as neighbors who partner with St. Patrick Parish on a number of initiatives, including other faith-based communities as well as civic groups.
I am grateful to everyone who has provided leadership up to this point and I look forward to the next steps as we continue to build with Living Stones, the members and friends of our parish family.
Wherever you find yourselves this weekend, may you and your loved ones enjoy the holiday as we offer thanks for the gift of our freedom and pray for increased liberty and justice for all.
Sincerely yours in Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Patroness of the USA,
Fr. Gurnick