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St. Mary Parish Visionary Meeting

St. Mary Parish Visionary Meeting. May 31, 2014. Background. Last Fall, St. Mary’s began a time of discernment in seeking who we are, what we are called to do, and how should we go about accomplishing our parish vocation. This was not merely a localized reality.

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St. Mary Parish Visionary Meeting

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  1. St. Mary Parish Visionary Meeting May 31, 2014

  2. Background • Last Fall, St. Mary’s began a time of discernment in seeking who we are, what we are called to do, and how should we go about accomplishing our parish vocation. • This was not merely a localized reality. • Pope Francis’ call in the “Joy of the Gospel” • Very rapid spread throughout our country of two key books on rethinking how we do parish. • Rebuilt: the Story of a Catholic Parish/ Tools for Rebuilding • Forming Intentional Disciples • Our entire Diocese had formation days studying both books. • Each of these, albeit in different ways, confirmed a key message the Holy Spirit is saying to the Church and to our parish…

  3. We can no longer “do parish” the way we have always done it! • Many years ago, our immigrant populations in the USA focused their lives around their parish. It was very easy for people to come to the Church who was waiting for them with open arms. • Society supported being a part of a faith community, because that is what your family did. I am a Catholic, because I am Italian… • In today’s culture, that is not necessarily the case…

  4. We can no longer “do parish” the way we have always done it! • Sports, media, school, and the busyness of life all compete for our attention. Society no longer supports (and is sometimes against), the need to be a part of a faith community. • I am spiritual…but not religious…

  5. We can no longer “do parish” the way that we have always done it! • With each successive generation, our youth become detached from practicing their faith. • Statistics from 2007 Sunday Mass Attendance • Builders Ages 65 + 45% • Boomers Ages 47– 64 20% • Gen X Ages 26– 46 13% • Millennials Ages 18– 25 10%

  6. There is a severe hemorrhaging going on in the pews. “If this trend does not change, in ten years it will cease to matter that we have a priest shortage. The Builders will be largely gone, the Boomers retiring, and our institutions—parishes and schools—will be emptying at an incredible rate.”—Sherry Weddell, Forming Intentional Disciples.

  7. Only 30% of Americans who were raised Catholic are still practicing.

  8. Though there are many reasons for this…the primary reason for the emptying of pews across all ages and ethnics groups is this: The majority of adult Catholics are not even certain that a personal relationship with God is even possible.

  9. In a recent poll: only 48% percent of all Catholics were absolutely certain that the God they believed in was a God with whom they could have a personal relationship.

  10. There is also a trend noted that the younger the generation, the more connected is their Mass attendance to their certainty whether it is possible to have a personal relationship with God.

  11. The game has changed • With older generations, it might have been enough for Catholics to be Sacramentalized. But not anymore…the game has to be changed. • Catholics need to be Evangelized!!! They need to know that an explicit, personal attachment to Christ—personal discipleship—is normative Catholicism. Only then will the transformative power of the sacraments take root. • This Crisis is also a blessing: It forces us to get to the heart of the Gospel, which is where we should have been anyway…

  12. “Faith is above all a personal, intimate encounter with Jesus, and to experience His closeness, His friendship, His love; only in this way does one learn to know Him ever more, and to love and follow Him ever more. May this happen to each one of us.” --Pope Benedict XVI • I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord.” — Pope Francis • P

  13. And it is not just the Holy Father saying… • John 20:31: But these are written that you may BELIEVE (i.e. Trust, Entrust) that Jesus is the Christ, and that believing you may life in his name. • John 17:3: And this is Eternal Life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. • John 15:15: I have called you friends… • Hosea 2:19: And I will espouse you forever; I will espouse you in righteous…and you shall know the Lord…

  14. We need to creatively find ways to help the people in our pews, as well as outside of our Church walls to personally encounter Jesus. We want to become a parish of intentional disciples.

  15. Growing Intentional Disciples for the parish is the game changer. And intentional disciple is someone who has personally encountered the Lord’s love and has made an intentional choice to active follow the Lord in deep relationship. Like St. Andrew and St. Peter: Intentional Disciples have dropped their nets and begun to follow the Lord as Disciples.

  16. The Presence of a Significant Number of Disciples Changes Everything • Disciples... • pray with passion • love the Church and serve her with energy and joy • give lavishly • hunger to learn more about their faith

  17. fill every formation class in a parish or diocese • manifest charisms and discern vocations • clamor to discern God’s call because they long to live it • evangelize because they have really good news to share • share their faith with their children • care about the poor and about issues of justice • take risks for the Kingdom of God

  18. The Fruits Parishes with Intentional Disciples manifest • Vocations flourish (in one diocese, over 1/3 of diocesan vocations come from two small parishes our size) • Financial Support Abundant • Parishioners are actively involved in ministry within and beyond the walls of the parish. • Presence of the Holy Spirit is palpable at Mass, which is the fruit of a laity wholeheartedly devoted to prayer. • Charisms of the Holy Spirit become truly manifest • THIS IS NORMATIVE CATHOLICISM WHEN LIVED OUT FROM AN INTENTIONAL DISCIPLESHIP MODEL. Sound appealing?

  19. Where do we start? Begin with understanding the journey toward intentional discipleship… • There are 5 key stages or Thresholds in the spiritual journey towards mature faith. • Initial Trust • Spiritual Curiosity • Spiritual Openness • Spiritual Seeking • Intentional Discipleship

  20. Distrust to Trust • People need to trust the messenger, before they can even hear the message. • Messengers: You, another Christian, a Church, a book, or even God • People need a relationship with the messenger that leads to a relationship with God • Destroying Trust: Avoid defensiveness, debating to win, judging • We are first called to be “bridge builders”.

  21. Complacent to Curious • Something about the messenger or message makes them curious, e.g. • Love, beauty, truth, wisdom, hope. Witnesses’ lived life is authentic • Joy and peace even in strife and struggle • Lives the Love described in 1 Corinthians 13:“Love is patient, love is kind....” • Destroying curiosity • Duplicity, hypocrisy, not transcending what the secular world has to offer, rigidity

  22. Closed to Change…Openness to Change • Starts to imagine living life differently Experiments with change • Changes a negative habit • Chooses the greater goods over the lesser • Experiences themselves or sees in others greater freedom after change • Barriers to Change • Past failures • External factors – family, friends, job • Fear, anxiety, strong seated negative emotions

  23. Meandering to Seeking • Not ready to commit to a particular way; looking for the best way • Challenges During Seeking • Seeking a halfway, more comfortable path • Hanging on to serious reservations • Fear of commitment • Fear of missing out on something better • Needing approval of others

  24. Seeking to Discipleship • They stop searching and repent and give their lives to Jesus • Finally realize they are not the author of the best way: the best way is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They commit to Jesus. They drop their nets. • There are challenges ahead, more conversion points and even deeper commitments, but this basic commitment to God, to His Son Jesus is sacred and central to their lives.

  25. Fostering Trust • Building Trust • Fostering Trust • Invite, engage, pray, learn (about them!) • “Where is God in this situation/your life?” • “I’ll pray for you” • Notice those who are new in the parish or a parish activity • Greet them, watch out for them in the future, introduce them to Father Andy • Invite them to be your guest at an upcoming parish event • Think about ways to engage newcomers if you are planning an event/activity in the parish.

  26. Provoking Curiosity • Be Christian—Be people of Hope • Be people who live differently. Live your life in such a way that it does not make sense, without the existence of God. • St. Catherine of Sienna: “If we are who are meant to be, we will set the world on fire.” True Catching Fire!

  27. Enabling Change • Be ready to be a patient friend and companion • Be ready to show them change is possible, witness to God get them through it • Allay fears • Pray • Share your delight in the Lord, share the beauty of His Creation (e.g., arts), the freedom that comes with change, etc.

  28. Support through Seeking and Discipleship • Share the fullness of the Gospel • Story of salvation: Father’s Love, Jesus, Holy Spirit, His Church • If Catholic introduce/invite them to adoration, a greater understanding of the Eucharist, more frequent reception of the sacraments especially confession • Share your own faith life more deeply PRAY WITH THEM all the more • Help them across the threshold of discipleship • CAVEAT: Crossing must always be their decision

  29. A year in Review…Key books and principles from them…

  30. The Joy of the Gospel: • We cannot passively and calmly wait in our church buildings, we need to move from a a pastoral ministry of mere conservation to a decidedly missionary pastoral ministry. EG #16

  31. The Church which “goes forth” is a community of missionary disciples… • Evangelizers thus take on the “smell of the sheep” and the sheep are willing to hear their voice…they are supportive, standing by the people at every step of the way. EG #24 • (We) cannot leave things as they presently are. “Mere administration” can no longer be enough. Throughout the world let us be “permanently in a state of mission.” EG #25 • I dream of a “missionary option”, that is, missionary impulse capable of transforming everything, so that the Church’s customs…can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation. EG #27

  32. The PARISH is not an outdated structure; precisely because it possesses great flexibility, it can assume quite different contours depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community…it continues to be “the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters.” This presumes that it really is in contact with the homes and lives of the people, does not become a useless structure out of touch with people or a self-absorbed group made up of a chosen few. EG #28

  33. The Church is called to be the house of the Father, with the doors always wide open. One concrete sign of such openness is that our church doors should always be open, so that if someone, moved by the Spirit, comes looking for God, he or she will not find a closed door. EG # 47

  34. I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confused and from clinging to its own security… More than by fear of going astray, my hope is that we will be moved by the fear of remaining shut up within our structures which give a false sense of security, within rules which make us harsh judges; within habits which make us feel safe, while at our door people are starving and Jesus does not tire of saying to us: “Give them something to eat.” EG#49

  35. There is a Marian “style” to the Church’s work of Evangelization. Wherever we look to Mary, we come to believe once again in the revolutionary nature of love and tenderness. EG #288

  36. Key thoughts from “Rebuilt”

  37. Many of the practices within parish life can be prone to consumerism. Key question: Are we disciples or consumers? Are we concerned with who is not in the pews? • Who is Kendall Ken, Plano Paul or Pablo? The Quintessential man of our area who is who we should be evangelizing. • Though the Mass is not necessarily always the best initial point for Kendall Ken to encounter Catholicism, it is the definite way that many in modern american society first will. Are we able to engage them and make their “Weekend Experience” matter? • Interesting how many times we spend a lot of time on things throughout the week, and then we sometimes “throw Mass together” without the same preparation as other important but more secondary items. • How do they encounter our parish? Do we seem to be an exclusive club of the special? Or do they feel like we want them to a part of own family?

  38. One Church—One Message. Make the Message Matter. • Utilization of Message series. • Music—> does it engage the heart? • Mission, Vision, Strategy • Sacraments as opportunities.

  39. Vision, Mission, and Strategy of St. Mary Parish (this comes as the fruit of all that has said in this presentation so far) • Mission: To be led and to lead others into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. • Vision: To be Intentionally Christ’s, sharing Jesus with others like Mary did. • Strategy: • Allowing the Mass to Matter in people’s lives. Allowing the Mass to be a place of experiencing the one who loves us. Moving away from obligation to desire. • Forming our parish to be a parish of intentional disciples, that are missionary and evangelizing by nature. • Being concerned with who is not here, and loving them to much to sit in the pew and wait. If what we have is truly good news…shouldn’t we want to share it?

  40. Initiatives already begun at St. Mary’s

  41. Liturgy: Source and Summit • Message Series—Special focus on Homily preparation. Focus on Intentional Discipleship. • Rethinking the introduction and announcements. Focus on welcoming new persons. • Music ministry —Praise and Worship added (while preserving more traditional style as well). • One pass of the collection • Mass more timely but not rushed. • “Greeter” and “presentables” ministry • Children bulletins (and more child friendly atmosphere).

  42. Adoration: Key for growing disciples • This summer, we will be doing a low or no cost renovation of Original St. Mary Church. Making it a place to better encounter the Lord and be won over by him. • Camera system that will enable us to keep St. Mary’s open 24 hours, in accordance with Pope Francis’ desire. • Adoration Committee is doing good work in strengthening guardians, and strengthening exposition program. • Sign and promotion of original church to better welcome larger outside community.

  43. Formation • There were key moments within this year’s Religious Education, in which large amounts of RE families were engaged in celebratory moments. • Further efforts our process to bring intentional discipleship materials within grade level, middle school (“Chosen” confirmation program), and high school (“Y-Disciple”). Focus on relationship with God, and done in the context of small groups. Current youth group is possibly the strongest it has even been. Another vocation came from the Parish this year (Damon Hopkins)!

  44. TMIY (“That Man is You”) formation program —life changing for our men. (Looking into a future women’s version, “She”, as well). • Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic message series and book gift. • Countless opportunities at our school… • Renovation of Hispanic Ministry, with the initial guidance and wisdom of Sister Maria, and now under the leadership of Dcn. Eduardo • Our last Light of the World group was largest amount of St. Mary parishioners ever.

  45. Outreach and service • We began our mobile food truck ministry, in an amazing way. 210 families,1,800 (?) persons taken care of, 30 plus volunteers—young, old, english, spanish, all working together. • Diocese was amazed at our enthusiasm and the need! • (Future: I want you to help me to know what are the most important things to “Plano Paul.” Example: I plan to do Reaper Football ministry on fridays at the games next fall).

  46. These are just some of the key areas concerning our mission vision and strategy. A major one is yet to come…

  47. This will be a key tool for becoming a parish of intentional disciples.

  48. Background • In January 2014, Fr. Andy discovered that his mom and dad were involved in a ministry called Christlife, out of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It was reaping a lot of fruit, and touching life-long parishioners with relationship of Christ. • Curious, Fr. Andy attended a national training course in Baltimore in February 2014. He went hoping that this could give us the tool what Sherry Weddell points us toward in “Forming Intentional Disciples”. • He was right…

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