In the U.S., the third Sunday in October is designated World Mission Sunday. The Catholic Church recognizes the worldwide dimension of missionary activity, through our prayer and our contributions. This year in the Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop Zubik call for all to join prayers for universal mission work with our local initiative, On Mission for the Church Alive.
The Gospel reading tells us how Jesus corrected his disciples who wish to "lord it over others." He reminded them that true disciples of his are ones who serve others, who are responsive to the needs of others. In this regard, the four parishes of the city of New Castle join with our sisters and brothers in every parish in all six counties of the Pittsburgh Diocese, to serve others and proclaim Jesus Christ to others.
The theme of "missionary disciples" is near and dear to the heart of Pope Francis. He repeats it in almost every homily, and made it a cornerstone of his recent pastoral visit to our country.
For a long time parishes, school and parish organization worked in isolation from each other, as "silos" standing apart. But gradually parishioners and pastors are breaking down barriers and learning to cooperate, share and collaborate. Before I came to New Castle in 2011, the city parishes were already offering one RCIA program, and had been sharing Sunday Offertory envelopes dropped in different parishes. The priests had been working together with joint penance services in Advent and Lent. The former St. Mary's Parish and St. Vitus Parishes had put their cemeteries together way back in 1969 as the Lawrence County Catholic Cemetery Association. There may have been other collaborative efforts I don't know about.
We have gone further. Our four parishes (Mary Mother of Hope, St. Joseph the Worker, St. Vincent de Paul, St. Vitus) share one bulletin, one business manager, one pastoral associate, one religious education program, and three priests. Their pastoral councils and finance councils meet together and work together.
The eight parishes in Lawrence County, which comprise District 1 of Vicariate 4, also work together. The three parishes in New Castle city (along with Father Michael Peck, pastor of St. Camillus Parish in Neshannock) provide sacramental ministry to St. James the Apostle Parish and Christ the King Parish, where Deacon John Carran is administrator. Fathers Mark Thomas and Zach Galiyas from Holy Redeemer Parish, Ellwood City, help whenever necessary. Retired priests Fathers Joe Pudichery and Jim Downs provide much needed relief for us priests on Sundays and at "crunch times" of many liturgies, particularly funerals.
Just this past Wednesday the lay ecclesial minsters from District 1 met with the priests and deacons and regional vicar Father Phil Farrell to go over the specific timetable for the On Mission for the Church Alive process. (Lay ecclesial ministers are trained and skilled professionals who are employed by the parishes, institutions and dioceses in the areas of religious education, music, social services, administration and pastoral care.) I am open to many more ways of collaboration and cooperation.
No longer do we think that evangelization (the sharing of the Good News of Jesus Christ in and through the Catholic Church) only happens in faraway lands of Asia and Africa. (Actually, for some time now it is not unusually to see these places--such as Korea, the Philippines, and Nigeria--send missionaries to Europe or the U.S.!) Evangelization can and must happen right here, in our diocese, our county, and our towns and communities. Evangelization is the work of every follower of Jesus Christ, in a multitude of ways. May we grow as a church by loving Christ more and making new friends for him.
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