Read this week's message from Father Don
Dear parishioners
My prayer for you in 2024 is that you continue to grow in closeness to God and each other.
Growing in closeness, of course, does not happen by accident. Whether it is closeness to family, friends, parishioners or God, some personal effort is required. No one else can do it for you, the effort must be made by you personally.
After 38 years of ministry I have come to the conclusion that the Church is not very good at encouraging growth in its members. The Church does not set clear expectations for the faithful and, as a result, the faithful do not grow as they should. The Church allows parishioners to remain passive observers rather than active participants in the life of their faith community, relying upon the priest and his small group of co-workers to organize virtually everything in the parish. That is not what the faithful need. Every member of the Church is important and requires opportunities to grow in the faith.
It is time for me to become a pastor who helps you grow by offering practical opportunities to deepen your faith experience. The first step will be to set clear expectations for all parishioners.
In 2024, I am going to challenge you to do three simple things:
1. Make an annual financial commitment to the parish.
2. Undertake at least one work of service or charity in the parish.
3. Participate in at least one faith formation experience in the parish.
To make it easier for all of us to get involved, there will be three Commitment Sundays when you will be invited to write down and submit your 2024 parish commitments.
Christian faith is about growing in personal maturity and closeness to God. Having been created in his image, we possess wonderful gifts to assist our growing. Belonging to a Christian community is one of those gifts. In 2024, through active engagement with the parish, together let us grow.