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We are going to look more deeply into each priority of the pastoral plan. Today I want to focus on our third priority, “Accompaniment: Growing Together.” Why “accompaniment?" This pastoral priority (which is also a core value) is something that Pope Francis has stressed since his first days in the role of universal shepherd of the church. He models it beautifully himself, and his teaching in Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), especially paragraphs 169-173, gives us a helpful and convincing picture.

As we have been working through the parish pastoral plan, we now arrive at the final section, the pastoral priorities. I would like to do an overview this week before looking at the priorities individually.

Continuing my exploration of the Parish Pastoral Plan, I now delve into the third Core Value of the Parish Plan – Sacrificial Generosity. There are three bullet points to describe what that means: (1) God first, others second, I am third; (2) I let God interrupt my plans; (3) I have gifts worth giving. Again, I would like to expand upon these bullet points.

In his Apostolic Letter Patris Corde, Pope Francis has asked the universal church to give special focus to Saint Joseph for the year of 2021. As the husband of Mary, the mother of God and thus the foster father of the Lord Jesus, Joseph deserves our attention in a particular way. This call for a year of St. Joseph marks the 150th anniversary of his being named   universal patron of the church. As such a patron, it means every single one of us is able to seek his support.

With Christmas in under a week and COVID spiking, we estimate larger crowds but manageable ones for the great solemnity. We do intend to use the overflow areas in the gymnasium and perhaps Payne Hall as needed. Pray that it all works well and please help things to be successful by extending patience and mercy.

Please study this and pray with the parish plan to learn how God wants you to be a part of this important work for your own personal discipleship and for the benefit of your parish family and local community to whom we are called to serve and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the back of church you should find multiple display boards that give a visual update to our renovation plans for the church.

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.