The Catholic Moment Article

In the Sept. 15, 2019 edition of The Catholic Moment, we revisited the foundational document of Bishop Doherty’s 2030 Pastoral Plan, The 3 Pillars of Mission, Community and Witness.  The pillars of Mission and Community were the focal point of that previous article.  In this edition we will reflect upon the Witness pillar and the supporting document that is titled ‘Vision Narrative’.

The 3 Pillars of the Uniting in Heart 2030 Pastoral Plan cannot stand individually if we are going to realize the vision of the plan. They are dependent on each other.  

The Witness pillar seeks from each of us a response.  United in the Heart of Jesus and moved spiritually by our baptismal graces we, in our humanity, must not turn our backs on the Gospel and the call to holiness by failing to give witness to our faith.  The Witness pillar encourages us to make our witness visible.  Passion Driven Stewardship, sets about a fire in our hearts and souls to return with love the gifts bestowed upon us by our Heavenly Father.  Faith in Action wells up from within each of us when we open ourselves to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to share our faith as did those first disciples.  To give Witness through Unity and Societal Engagement comes easily if we yearn to follow in the footsteps of our Savior, to be one with him and the love he shared with all people who encountered him during his ministry on earth.  
The vision narrative states that, “We invite, form, engage and immerse those new and fallen away to a vibrant, relevant and real Catholic faith.”  These words speak exactly of how Jesus touched the lives of those he encountered.  If we open ourselves to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, yearning to bring the Good News to all people by following the way of Jesus, then the Witness pillar is the heartfelt and natural response to the 2030 pastoral plan.

Since the deanery meetings in June I have had the opportunity to engage many of our clergy, parish staff and parishioners across the diocese in conversations about the 2030 pastoral plan.   These conversations have been rich and heartfelt.  I have not been surprised by the variety of expressions that have been shared about the plan.  There is a fire in the heart of many who have essentially asked why it has taken us until now to begin to move forward in bringing life to our parishes and schools; life that is rooted in Jesus Christ, the Gospel and sacraments.  Others are anxious and cautious as they share how much difficulty they have with embracing change.  Yet, in the words of Cardinal Newman, “To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often.”  So perhaps we should ask ourselves, “What would happen if we do nothing at all?” Will we not experience change anyway? And by doing nothing, will that change not be one driven by, “a culture stubbornly opposed to Christian values.”

This past Saturday, Sept. 14, we celebrated the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.  The Church has set aside Sept. 15 for Our Lady of Sorrows.  The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross holds a dear place in my heart but, maybe that is the topic of an article at a different place and time.  Still, the celebration of these two special days on the Church calendar reminded me that any anxiety or worry that we could conceive of in our lives can never be greater than that which Christ experienced in the Garden of Gethsemane as he anticipated his crucifixion.  Nor could we ever experience the sorrow endured by our Blessed Mother as she watched the fulfillment of the promise of salvation being manifested in the cruel death of her son.

If we are anxious about where the Uniting In Heart 2030 Pastoral Plan will take us, our first response should be to ask of ourselves where does our anxiety come from?  Let’s look at where it comes from and not deny what truly stands in our way.  Has the call to holiness and discipleship awakened a fear in our hearts?  Is a source of our anxiety the realization that our post-Christian culture has succeeded in tamping down the fire of the Holy Spirit in our lives? And maybe, the plans we have for ourselves do not match what God has always asked of us. 

There is no denying that our anxieties are real.  The early Christians held some of these same worries and some were overcome by them.  Rather than answering Jesus’ call to follow him they turned away because it was too hard to change.  What then is the cost of not changing—is it the loss of eternal life?  

But then isn’t this why the Pillar of Community is so important?  As a faith community, we gather in the name of Jesus Christ, one in heart with him.  Together we answer his call. Together, as a community, we journey through this life toward eternal life walking and accompanying each other through the barriers that mask themselves as anxiety and personal discontent, responding to our faith by giving witness to what it means to be one in Christ.