FM's Message | Sunday, September 22, 2024

The Alpha program has moved into the next phase, and we are now settled in with our guests and hope that once again the Holy Spirit comes and works through the team and on the hearts and minds of all the guests. I am pleased that once again we have people from both parts of the community and that there are tables of people discussing the videos and coming to a deeper understanding of who Jesus is. Please pray for the team and guests, that the Lord will help them see Him in their lives. 

One of the great books I have re-read recently is entitled, “Everyone Leads.” It is a book written by a former Wall Street investment banker named Christ Lowney who decided to give his life to Christ and help churches understand how to involve everyone in Evangelization. (The work of sharing the news of Jesus Christ.) One of his efforts is to remind us that we are all given a share in the work of Jesus as priestly, prophetic, and kingly people. We are priestly when we love sacrificially in all the ways we do in different contexts. We are prophetic when we share God’s word and message to people in clear ways that call people back to the word of God. We are kingly (or queenly) when we lead others to Christ. This work is something that we are re-discovering in our own time. The question is how do we do this? Alpha is one way, of course, and there are others, specifically for young people. 

I recently was at a presentation on youth ministry. It was offered by the archdiocese and is part of their response to the latest changes in how we share sacraments. As of this year, we will be offering the sacrament of Confirmation starting in the eighth grade (which is the year I made mine). This is a significant change and allows us to think about who the candidates are and how we prepare them for this third sacrament of initiation (after Baptism and Eucharist). What it also leads us to is a new way of doing youth ministry in the parish and forming disciples that will continue to grow through their teen years into adulthood practicing our faith.  The presentation highlighted some sobering statistics about our shrinking Church. That led to a new way of thinking about what young people are looking for and how to best serve them and assist them in their discipleship. The reasons were clearly given that what young people are looking for looks a lot like what older people are looking for. Specifically, smaller communities that include regular meetings that are prayerful, supportive, and personal. The need for larger youth meetings seems to be less important than sitting in small groups and discussing the scriptures, applying them to our lives, and meeting regularly to stay connected. As someone who has fond memories of a large CYO with retreats, sports, yearly shows, and trips across the US to different places, this is sobering. However, my parents, who were part of groups when they were younger, were amazed at what we were doing. They were not sure at all about why I needed to play the Rabbi in Fiddler on the Roof. And why I needed to be out three nights a week to accomplish this. What that tells me is that we will always be changing and adapting to the times we find ourselves in. The message of Jesus Christ and his eternal love for us will not change, just the means or methods that we use to share the good news of its reality. The Holy Father has continued to challenge us to find methods and means to reach as many people as we can. This is one way we are trying to help our young people know Jesus. 
The next step for us is to ask the young people how we can serve them, find those who are willing to accompany them, and to move forward. Once again, we see ourselves putting out into the deep as Jesus challenged Peter to do to find a magnificent catch. 
 
Peace, 
Father Murray 
 
Building news. This week we received an estimate to light the dark corner of the parking lot. I hope to have this done by the end of September so that we can have just a little more security and a sense of safety for those who are using those spots. I have had a few occasions to enter the schools which are being developed into housing. It is fascinating to see the former offices and classrooms being divided into apartments.