Big news: our pastoral plan is finally ready! For the past year a group of twelve has been developing a three-year plan for our parish. Based on the results from the Catholic Leadership Institute’s Disciple Maker Index (parish survey) and the parish site-visit, which included interviewing many people in the parish, the “envisioning team” worked through the hiccups of 2020 to establish a vision and set goals for our parish.
In light of today’s solemnity, let us reflect on the immediate precedent of our encounter with Christ the merciful judge, when we end our earthly days and go to Him. Use this meditation from St. Francis of Sales‘ Introduction to the Devout Life in your personal prayer time (10 minutes recommended).
We have just finally received the Vatican’s internal investigation document outlining the highest level scandal of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church: that of ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, former archbishop of Washington, D.C. This report, two years in waiting, is over 400-pages in length. It details events from four papacies, beginning with Pope St. Paul VI. It seems to spread the blame to every period of the Church since Vatican II. This is big news...
I’ve been thinking a lot about what kingdom we are focusing on and building, as St. Augustine reflects on in that important work: City of God. An article I read this past Monday spoke perfectly to our contemporary situation...